Al-Sharḥ al-Mumtiʿ - Ibn al-'Uthaymin - (6/198)

Al-Sharḥ al-MumtiʿIbn al-'Uthaymin

to Islam, Allah may benefit others through him. In such a case, the Imam must ask him to repent. But if the Imam considers that killing him is better than leaving him alive, both for himself and for others—because the longer a disbeliever lives, the more his sin increases—then Allah says:

“Let not those who disbelieve think that the respite We grant them is good for themselves. We only grant them respite so that they may increase in sin, and for them is a humiliating punishment.” [Al ‘Imran: 178]

Such a person need not be asked to repent; rather, he is executed without being offered repentance.

The stronger view is that repentance is accepted from every sin, even insulting Allah and His Messenger. However, if someone insults the Messenger, his repentance is accepted, yet he is executed. If someone insults Allah and then repents, his repentance is accepted and he is not executed. This is because Allah’s right belongs to Allah, and He, exalted is He, has made clear that He forgives all sins. As for insulting the Messenger, it is a right due to him, and executing the insulter is a right owed to a human being. We do not know whether the Messenger will pardon the one who insulted him or not. Yet, if he repents and we execute him, he is washed, shrouded, the funeral prayer is offered over him, supplication is made for his forgiveness, and he is buried in the Muslim cemeteries, because his execution fulfils the right owed to its holder, while he has repented to Allah.

Or, if out of miserliness, it is taken from him and he is disciplined . . .

His statement, “Or out of miserliness,” means withholding zakat out of miserliness. Miserliness is withholding what is obligatory, whereas avarice is coveting what one does not possess.

Thus, the miserly person withholds, while the avaricious person seeks to seize things, wishing that all people’s wealth were in his possession.

His statement, “It is taken from him and he is disciplined,” means that zakat is taken from the one who withheld it out of miserliness, and he is disciplined.

His statement, “It is taken,” is a passive verb. The one who takes it is the person entitled to take it: namely, the one who enforces the sacred law upon people. The ruler is the one with this authority; therefore, he takes it forcibly from the miserly person and disciplines him.

إلى الإسلام لنفع الله به، فهذا يجب أن يستتيبه الإمام، ولو رأى الإمام أن قتله خير من بقائه لنفسه ولغيره؛ لأن طول عمر الكافر زيادة في إثمه، قال الله تعالى: ﴿وَلَا يَحْسَبَنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا أَنَّمَا نُمْلِي لَهُمْ خَيْرٌ لأَِنْفُسِهِمْ إِنَّمَا نُمْلِي لَهُمْ لِيَزْدَادُوا إِثْمًا وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ مُهِينٌ *﴾ [آل عمران: ١٧٨] فهذا لا يحتاج إلى استتابته؛ بل يقتله بدونها. والقول الراجح أن التوبة مقبولة من كل ذنب حتى من سب الله ورسوله ﷺ، ولكن من سب الرسول ﷺ تقبل توبته ويقتل، ومن سب الله تقبل توبته لو تاب ولا يقتل؛ لأن حق الله لله، وقد بين سبحانه أنه يغفر الذنوب جميعاً، أما سب الرسول ﷺ فحق له، وقتل الساب حق لآدمي، ولا ندري هل يعفو الرسول ﷺ عمن سبه أم لا؟ ولكن إذا تاب وقتلناه فإنه يغسل، ويكفن، ويصلى عليه، ويدعى له بالمغفرة، ويدفن في مقابر المسلمين؛ لأنَّ قتله حصل به أداء الحق إلى أهله وقد تاب إلى الله. أو بُخْلاً أخِذَتْ مِنهُ وَعُزِّرَ ............ قوله: «أو بخلاً» أي منع الزكاة بخلاً، والبخل منع ما يجب، والشح الطمع فيما ليس عنده. فالبخيل ممسك، والشحيح مقتطع، يريد أن تكون أموال الناس جميعاً عنده. قوله: «أخذت منه وعزر» أي: أخذت الزكاة ممن منعها بخلاً، وأدِّبَ. وقوله: «أخذت» فعل مبني للمجهول والآخذ هو من له حق الأخذ، وهو الذي يلزم الناس بالشرع، والسلطان هو الذي له الحق، ولذلك فإنه يأخذها من البخيل قهراً ويعزره.