Chapter on the Ruling Concerning the Apostate

He is one who disbelieves after having accepted Islam, …

The author’s statement, “the ruling concerning the apostate”: linguistically, an apostate from something is one who turns back from it.

In technical usage, the author states:

“He is one who disbelieves after having accepted Islam.” Thus, everyone who disbelieves after accepting Islam is an apostate. But you should know that the disbelief mentioned in the Quran and the sunnah is of two types:

The first is disbelief that expels one from the religion, namely major disbelief.

The second is disbelief that does not expel one from the religion, namely minor disbelief, which Ibn Abbas—may Allah be pleased with him—called “disbelief short of disbelief” (1); that is, it is not major disbelief.

What is meant in this chapter is major disbelief, not minor disbelief. Thus, the Prophet ﷺ said, “Insulting a Muslim is sinful transgression, and fighting him is disbelief” (2). This belongs to the minor category, for Allah Most High says:

“Indeed, the believers are brothers, so make peace between your two brothers.” [al-Hujurat: 10]

This is despite their being two groups fighting one another. And the Prophet ﷺ said, “Between a man and polytheism and disbelief is abandoning the prayer” (3),