al-Moulakhas al-Fiqhi - Salih Al-Fawzan - (2/572)

al-Moulakhas al-FiqhiSalih Al-Fawzan

And the scholars have likewise disagreed about accepting the repentance of the zindiq—that is, the hypocrite who outwardly professes Islam while inwardly concealing disbelief.

Some held that his repentance is not accepted, because nothing observable from him indicates a genuine return to Islam. Allah the Exalted says, “Except those who repent, set matters right, and make plain [what they had concealed]” (Q. 2:160). When he proclaims repentance he merely repeats what he already used to do—displaying Islam while hiding unbelief.

Others maintained that the repentance of the zindiq is accepted, citing the verse: “The hypocrites will be in the lowest depths of the Fire, and you will never find for them any helper—except those who repent, reform themselves, hold fast to Allah, and devote their religion sincerely to Him; those will be with the believers, and Allah will soon grant the believers a magnificent reward” (Q. 4:145–146). They also argue that the Prophet ﷺ refrained from acting against the hypocrites because of the Islam they professed in public.

Included among the zanādiqa are: the incarnationists (ḥulūliyya), the antinomians (ibāḥiyya), anyone who prefers the person he follows to Muhammad ﷺ, anyone who believes that once he attains gnosis (maʿrifa) the divine commands and prohibitions no longer apply to him, or that upon reaching such knowledge it is permissible for him to adopt the religion of the Jews, Christians, or similar sects that have broken away from Islam—whether from extremist Sufis or others.

The scholars—may Allah have mercy on them—also differed over the validity of a discerning child’s acceptance of Islam and the possibility of his apostasy. One opinion states that apostasy does occur if he commits one of its causes, for whenever a person’s Islam is valid, his apostasy is likewise valid; and the Islam of a discerning child is valid, so his apostasy would be valid. Nevertheless, the ruling is not enforced until he reaches puberty, is summoned to repent, and is granted a three-day respite. If he repents, his repentance is accepted; if he persists in apostasy, he is to be executed.

وكما اختلفوا في قبول توبة الزنديق، وهو المنافق الذي يظهر الإسلام ويخفي الكفر: فقيل: لا تقبل توبته؛ لأنه لا يبين منه ما يظهر رجوعه إلى الإسلام، والله تعالى يقول: ﴿إِلاّ الَّذِينَ تَابُوا وَأَصْلَحُوا وَبَيَّنُوا﴾ ، فإذا أظهر التوبة؛ لم يزد على ما كان قبلها، وهو إظهار الإسلام وإخفاء الكفر. وقيل: تقبل توبة الزنديق؛ لقوله تعالى: ﴿إِنَّ الْمُنَافِقِينَ فِي الدَّرْكِ الأَسْفَلِ مِنَ النَّارِ وَلَنْ تَجِدَ لَهُمْ نَصِيرا إِلاّ الَّذِينَ تَابُوا وَأَصْلَحُوا وَاعْتَصَمُوا بِاللَّهِ وَأَخْلَصُوا دِينَهُمْ لِلَّهِ فَأُولَئِكَ مَعَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَسَوْفَ يُؤْتِ اللَّهُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَجْراً عَظِيماً﴾ ، ولأن النبي ﷺ كف عن المنافقين بما أظهروا من الإسلام. ومن الزنادقة: الحلولي، والإباحية، ومن يفضل متبوعة على محمد ﷺ، ومن يرى أنه إذا حصلت له المغرفة؛ سقط عنه الأمر والنهي، أو أنه إذا حصلت له المعرفة؛ جاز له التدين بدين اليهود والنصارى وأمثالهم من الطوائف المارقة عن الإسلام من غلاة الصوفية وغيرهم. كما اختلف العلماء ﵏ في صحة إسلام الطفل المميز ووقوع الردة منه؛ فقيل: تحصل منه الردة إذا ارتكب شيئا من أسبابها؛ لأن من صح إسلامه؛ صحت ردته، والمميز يصح إسلامه، فتصح ردته، لكن لا يقبل حتى يستتاب بعد البلوغ ويمهل ثلاثة أيام، فإن تاب؛ قبلت توبته، وإن بقي على ردته؛ قتل.