Can we make Takfeer on Scholars?

Some people also say we cannot be Takfeer on Scholars as we should respect his Ijtihaad as he will still have a single reward even if he was wrong.

The question arises, can we give the excuse of ignorance to the Scholar?

That is a very serious matter, because the Scholar (‘Alim) by definition cannot be ignorant (Jahil), else they would never be held up as Scholars.

There is no doubt that the excuse of ignorance (Jahl) and interpretation (Ta’weel) is given to the layman and the Scholar in matters from al-Masaa’il al-Khafiyyah, i.e. obscure matters but what if it is a matter that is not known by necessity? Can a Scholar be ignorant about that? Can he make Ijtihaad on a matter that has Ayaat Muhkamaat revealed about it? Can he be rewarded for contradicting a matter that is from al-Masaa’il al-Jaliyyah?

Those people can be given the excuse of ignorance in those matters that are open to Ijtihaad or opinion, but we are not talking about that, we are talking about people who obey the Rulers in matters of Istihlaal and allying with the Kuffar against Muslims. We are speaking about those Ayaat where Allah says:

"And they will say: O Allah, we followed our big people and leaders, and they misguided us from the way, O Allah give them twice the punishment and curse them a big curse." [33:67]

And Ibn Taymiyyah spoke about this Ayah and explained that the Rafd is applicable to anybody ignorant or not ignorant in matters of Shirk Akbar or Kuffr Akbar. Whoever did what is Kuffr he is Kaafir whether he meant it or did not mean to be Kaafir. Someone who committed Shirk Akbar will become Mushrik, whether he meant to become Mushrik or did not mean to become Mushrik.

Can we say to the people, "all this Kuffr doesn't matter?"

Sheikh Muhammad Ibn Wahhab said:

"A man could become Kaafir by one word and he may say he is Jahil, but he will still be Kaafir."

These are matters that cannot have any excuse such as “he was only joking” or “did not mean it” unless he was under duress. Allah says:

“Are you joking about Allah and His verses? Make no excuses, you are disbelievers after have faith...” [9:66]

I pray to Allah that we do not look to those so-called Scholars or Leaders and worship them like the Rabbis and Priests were worshipped and Allah explained in the Qur’an how people imitated others in the Kuffr and Shirk and yet had no excuse, and those who said, "we found our father and grandfathers on this tradition and we are going to follow it."

And this following and imitation did not help them. Allah has called them Kuffar and the Ulamaa' of the Salaf spoke about this issue a lot. There are many people today, who study and teach the topic of Takfeer Mu'ayyan, but then say that you cannot make Takfeer on the Ulamaa. How can we do that? Unless we are like the Raafidhah who believe their Imaams are infallible and that the Sins can never reach them.

The excuse of Ta’weel cannot be given on a matter of Shirk Akbar and Kuffr Akbar. Umar Ibn Khattab did not accept the Ta’weel of Qudama bin Madh'un in relation to the permitting of alcohol; he did not consider it his Ijtihaad for which he will be rewarded a single reward even though he is wrong. Rather he considered him Mustahil and ordered him to repent from his Istihlaal and he was between killing him and punishing him.

It is sad to see that some people hold so many misconceptions about it, these people have a great Fitnah, they will say to Allah on the Day of Judgement:

"We had a problem because these people are our scholars and we love them and so could not call them Kaafir."

With respect to all the Scholars, we love them for the sake of Allah and respect them and honour them but that doesn't mean that we are going to make them dearer to us than Allah or take them as Andaad, loving them the way we love Allah. Allahul-Musta'aan.

By our honored Ustadh Abu Waleed (hafidhUllah)