Al-Sharḥ al-Mumtiʿ - Ibn al-'Uthaymin - (11/307)

Al-Sharḥ al-MumtiʿIbn al-'Uthaymin

His statement, “If he dies in his apostasy, then his property is fayʾ”: that is, it is transferred to the public treasury. From this we learn that the scholars pass a ruling of apostasy, or any other ruling entailed by a person’s actions, upon a particular individual—contrary to the attitude of many young people today, who shrink from declaring any particular person to be a disbeliever. This is mistaken. If disbelief is established, its conditions are fulfilled, and its impediments are absent, then we declare that particular person a disbeliever and treat him in every respect as a disbeliever, because we can only judge by what is outwardly apparent. If we were to suppose that he was a believer inwardly but outwardly displayed disbelief, then his reckoning is with Allah; nevertheless, we declare that particular person a disbeliever. For if we said that we do not declare any particular individual a disbeliever, but only declare the category to be disbelief, then no one would remain to be deemed a disbeliever, nor would anyone be called to Islam.

His statement, “If he dies in his apostasy, then his property is fayʾ,” is supported by the Prophet’s ﷺ statement: “A Muslim does not inherit from a disbeliever, nor does a disbeliever inherit from a Muslim” (1). This is clear. Moreover, inheritance is founded upon mutual support and allegiance, and there is no mutual support or allegiance between a Muslim and a disbeliever. This is the view held by the jurists—may Allah have mercy on them—and it accords more closely with the evidence than the view adopted by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah—may Allah have mercy on him. He held that the apostate may be inherited from, citing the fact that, during the wars of apostasy, the Companions—may Allah be pleased with them—would distribute the apostate’s property as inheritance among his family. Yet one must ask: What will my answer be on the Day of Resurrection when He calls them and says, “What answer did you give to the messengers?” What do we say regarding the Prophet’s ﷺ statement, “A Muslim does not inherit from a disbeliever, nor does a disbeliever inherit from a Muslim”? As for the action of the Companions—may Allah be pleased with them—did they agree unanimously upon it? If they had unanimously agreed upon it

(1) Its source has been cited previously on p. 302.

قوله: «وإن مات على ردته فماله فيء» يعني يُدخَل في بيت المال، وبهذا نعلم أن العلماء ﵏ يحكمون على الشخص بعينه بالردة أو غيرها مما يقتضيه فعله، خلافاً لما عليه الشباب الآن فإنهم يتهيبون أن يكفروا أحداً بعينه، وهذا غلط، إذا وجد الكفر وتمَّت الشروط وانتفت الموانع، فإننا نكفره بعينه ونعامله معاملة الكافر في كل شيء؛ لأنه ليس لنا إلا الظاهر، أما لو فرضنا أنه كان مؤمناً بقلبه، ولكن يظهر الكفر، فهذا حسابه على الله ﷿ لكن نكفره بعينه؛ لأننا لو قلنا: إننا لا نكفر أحداً بعينه، وإنما نكفر الجنس، ما بقي أحد يكفر، ولا أحد يُدعى إلى الإسلام. وقوله: «وإن مات على ردته فماله فيء» دليل ذلك قول النبي ﷺ: «لا يرث المسلم الكافر ولا الكافر المسلم» (١)، وهذا واضح؛ ولأن الإرث مبني على النصرة والولاء، ولا نصرة ولا ولاء بين المسلم والكافر، هذا ما ذهب إليه الفقهاء ﵏ وهم أسعد بالدليل مما ذهب إليه شيخ الإسلام ابن تيمية، فإنه ﵀ يرى أن المرتد يورث، ويستدل بأن الصحابة ﵃ في أيام الردة يورِّثون أهل المرتدين من أموال المرتد، ولكن الإنسان يقول: ما جوابي يوم القيامة حين يناديهم فيقول: «ماذا أجبتم المرسلين»؟ ماذا نقول في قوله ﷺ: «لا يرث المسلم الكافر ولا الكافر المسلم»؟ وأما فعل الصحابة ﵃، فهل أجمعوا عليه؟ لو أجمعوا عليه

(١) سبق تخريجه ص (٣٠٢).