Need Relief From Confusing For Calling One Kafir It's Application & Limitation
In Islamic theology and jurisprudence, declaring someone a disbeliever is considered a very serious matter, therefore scholars emphasize extreme caution in this issue. In principle, if a person says a statement or performs an act that outwardly appears to be disbelief or shirk, a ruling of disbelief is not immediately passed based only on the apparent words or actions. Along with that, the person’s intention, understanding, and the context are also considered, and it is examined whether the person actually believed that statement to be true in Islam or not. According to many scholars, if a person does not believe such a statement to be true in his heart and did not intend to adopt a belief of disbelief, then he is not immediately declared a disbeliever. Rather, it may be regarded as a mistake, a slip, or a sin, and he is given the opportunity to clarify his statement or repent. If a person says something that may outwardly appear to be a statement of disbelief, but he did not intend to affirm such a belief, and another person present interprets it in that way, then the first person does not become a disbeliever merely because of the second person’s one-sided assumption or judgment. In Islam, the principle regarding declaring someone a disbeliever is that without clear intention, knowledge, and persistence upon disbelief, a Muslim should not be hastily labeled as a disbeliever. Therefore, someone’s misunderstanding alone does not make the speaker a disbeliever. Likewise, if a person hears a statement and misinterprets it and becomes misguided because of his own interpretation, the responsibility is judged according to the intention of the one who spoke. If the speaker did not intend to misguide anyone and did not consciously promote disbelief, then he is not considered to have left Islam. However, if someone carelessly says things that may become a cause of confusion or misguidance for others, this may be morally or religiously blameworthy and he should exercise caution, but it does not necessarily make him a disbeliever. Based on this principle, we regard every person as a Muslim who identifies himself as a Muslim, regardless of what his beliefs or actions may be, unless he himself clearly denies Islam or there is a decisive and clear basis to rule otherwise. I hope your mental confusion has now been cleared.