Equation

Beef is an animal which is Halaal. However, not all animals, which are Halaal, are necessarily beef. Similarly, the sign of a Khariji is that he does a lot of Ibaadaat. Does this signify that all those who do a lot of Ibaadaat are Khariji? Never! Otherwise, we will have the impression that a good Muslim is one who does not do a lot of Ibaadaat. And this is false and does not require refutation.

In Qur'aan-e-Kareem, Allah Ta’ala has informed us that His privileged servants spend their nights performing Salaah. According to Qur'aan-e-Kareem itself, intelligent Muslims in the eyes of Allah Ta’ala are those who make Zikrullah in whatever conditions and positions they are in.

Allah Ta’ala has informed us so that we may also try to do like them. If a person would become a Khariji by doing a lot of Ibaadaat, then Allah Ta’ala and His Rasul (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam) would never have recommended us to do these things.

So, to describe a person, who does a lot of Ibaadaat as Khariji, is not Islamic. It is a way of discouraging people from doing Ibaadah and encouraging them to refrain from doing Ibaadat. Normally, there is neither a dose of reality nor any spark of Haqq in such a statement. It is rather misleading and total deviation. These are the ones that Shaitaan is absolutely using to contaminate the mind of innocent people. It seems that those who utter such wordings may be sincere but they do not have knowledge.

Khariji

Khariji (the singular of Khawaarij) is a sect that originated during the time of Hazrat Ali (Radiyallahu Anhu). It was a deviated sect that protested against Hazrat Ali (Radiyallahu Anhu) to such an extent that they have even declared Hazrat 'Us'maan (Radiyallahu Anhu), Hazrat Ali (Radiyallahu Anhu) and the majority of Sahaabah-e-Kiraam (Radiyallahu Anhum) as Kaafir. According to their doctrine, a person, who commits a Kabeerah (major sin), becomes a Kaafir.

Ahl-us-Sounnah Wal Jama’ah

Nonetheless, according to Ahl-us-Sounnah Wal Jama’ah, a person does not become a Kaafir by committing a great sin besides Shirk. That is why his testimony is not accepted as he cannot be trusted. However, despite this, he does not become a Kaafir nor is his Nikaah invalidated.

According to a Hadith found in Saheeh Bukhari and other books of Hadith, Allah Ta’ala will take out from hell a person who does not have any good deed on his book of record besides a very small spark of Imaan. It will be so little that even the angels will not be able to detect it. According to Qur'aan, as we know, a Kaafir will never enter Jannah. Therefore, this shows that a person cannot be considered Kaafir merely by committing great sin. For example, if a person does not perform Salaah, he does not become a Kaafir. Yes, we can say that he did the action of a Kaafir.

BECOMING KAAFIR AND DOING ACTIONS LIKE A KAAFIR

There is great difference between becoming Kaafir and doing actions like a Kaafir. Drinking wine, singing, dancing, not keeping a beard or keeping it shorter than a handful, wearing pants that cover the ankles, following the fashion of actors and actresses regarding clothing and haircut, exposing the body in public, are all the actions of a Kaafir, which are very grave but does not render a person Kaafir.

Example

Let's take a simpler example to understand it. A person who takes back a gift that he has gifted a person is like a dog that has swallowed his vomit. That is, he did like a dog but he did not become a dog.

[English version of "L’équation" – Al Jamiat – Vol.2 No.6]