Takfîr

The takfîr , generally pronounced by a Fatwa of Excommunication, is a cancellation of Islam returning the Moslem with the statute to kâfir (even root), i.e. of non-believer, nonMoslem.

Possible reasons for the takfîr

According to the sunnism, the takfîr can apply to a person because of a belief, a word or an act:

Examples of belief: to disavow the unicity of God, the statute of the Prophet or a religious precept recognized by consensus by the community. It is not it nonpractical precept which leads to the takfîr, but the fact of disavowing which it belongs to the religion. However, the prayer (salat) even obligatory alms (Zakat) are particular cases, because some oulémas (in particular among the hanbalites) emit the takfîr for their simple abandonment (see the article salat for more information on the abandonment of the prayer in Islam). Also the fact of doubting or of not excommunicating those which took another way only that of Islam (ex: Christians - Jews - atheists)
Examples of word: to insult God, His angels, His books, Its prophets, last day or the good or bad destiny. For some sunnites, the fact of insulting the wives or the companions of the Prophet is also a cause of takfîr.
Examples of act: prosterner in front of a statue, to trample a specimen of the coran. The fact of cutting the throat of an animal like offering with a death or the fact of calling upon it (as some do it Soufis) is also a reason for takfîr, because concerning a form of great polytheism.

Ten great reasons with the takfîr

According to some Oulémas, cancellations of Islam (i.e. returning to non-believer the person which does not make any would be this only one) are ten:

To approve or practice the Polythéisme
Mettre intermediaries (that one calls upon, in which one places confidence…) between Allah and a person
not to consider the polytheists (including Christians, Jews…) as non-believers or to doubt their unbelief
To have the conviction that a way or that a judgment are better than those of the prophet Mohammed
Détester a thing come from the messenger of Allah (bores, Hijab…) even if one applies it
to make fun of a thing belonging to the religion, of a punishment or a reward of Allah
Agréer or to practice the Sorcellerie
Secourir the polytheists and to help them against the Moslems
Croire that certain people can leave the way of Mohammed
not to learn how nor not to practice the Islam

Moreover, there is no difference concerning these cancellations of Islam, between that which makes them to joke, seriously, or by fear, only that which is constrained there is excused. Each one of these cancellations belongs to the most made most dangerous things, and.

Precautions preliminary to the takfîr

While mentioning various reasons for takfîr, the oulémas sunnites insisted on several precautions to take. Several excuses prevent from applying the decree of takfîr, in particular:

ignorance: for example to disavow a religious obligation by being unaware of that it is a subject of consensus.
the constraint: no person is guilty of what she says where what she makes if she is forced there.
distraction: for example to trample a book of Coran without realizing some.

Gravity of the takfîr

Several hadiths of Muhammad (saw) insists on the gravity of the takfîr:

If a person said to her brother: O to kâfir (non-believer), then one of both the merit. Either the indicter rightly, or it is itself to which this name applies. That which launches to his/her brother a charge of kufr (mécréance), it is as if it killed it

Not divergence between sunnites and other groups

Orthodoxy sunnite considers that whatever the made sin (unless it is not one of the reasons previously quoted) and even if it are not repent any, the person remains Moslem (even if its faith is, so decreased). It will enter to the paradise by the forgiveness of Allah, or will go in hell for a time.

As comparison, the Kharidjisme consider that the Moslem who makes a great sin (murder, flight, fornication, consumption of alcohol…) immediately becomes to kâfir (non-believer) and will be eternally in hell. The Motazilisme, disappeared today, is of agreement on this last point (eternity in hell) but calls the sinner neither believing or subjected ( driven `min or muslim ) nor to kâfir .

Lastly, the murjiites consider that the sins do not have any influence on the faith (it does not increase nor never decreases) and that the actions of mécréance and polytheism do not make leave their authors Islam.

Examples of takfîr

This term acquired a certain celebrity since such a sentence of Apostasie was applied, inter alia, with two writers: Taslima Nasreen and Salman Rushdie.

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