AQEEDAH

Aqeedah is the plural of the word aqîde, which is derived from the root aqd. In the dictionary, aqîde means "something to which one is wholeheartedly attached, something firmly believed in as if tied with a knot." In religious literature, aqîde means "a principle that must be believed" (the principle of faith, the one to be believed in), and its plural, aqeedah, means "matters that are obligatory to believe in Islam, principles of faith, fundamental rules and regulations of the religion." Accordingly, the science that deals with the principles of faith that constitute the fundamental rules and regulations of the religion is called the science of aqeedah.

The first and most important source of Islamic aqeedah is the Holy Quran, followed by authentic hadiths. The fundamental principles constituting Islamic creed are clearly, simply, and plainly presented in the Quran and hadiths, leaving no room for interpretation. The Quran contains numerous verses that address, and sometimes provide detailed information on, belief in God, His prophets, His books, angels, the hereafter, and divine decree and destiny. Hadith collections, in their sections dealing with "faith, prophets, monotheism, paradise, hell, destiny, and the Day of Judgment," contain various explanations related to the principles of faith. Therefore, Quranic verses and authentic hadiths, especially mutawatir hadiths, constitute the primary sources of Islamic creed. While sensory information and reason are also sources of Islamic creed, neither is considered a direct source for determining religious principles and tenets of faith. Reason and sensory data primarily serve as material for explaining, interpreting, and proving the principles established by verses and hadiths, and they support the transmitted knowledge. Therefore, revelation is the sole source for determining the principles of faith. The principles constituting Islamic creed are both based on conclusive evidence and are self-evident. They do not change according to time, place, individuals, or societies. These rulings form a whole and do not accept division. That is, it is not possible to believe in some parts and not in others.

The science of creed is the science that deals with the rulings of Islam related to belief. In the science of creed, the existence, unity, attributes, and actions of God are discussed. Then, the topic of belief in angels is addressed. Following this, the prophets sent by God and the divine books sent to humanity through them are discussed. Finally, belief in the hereafter and its conditions, as well as belief in divine decree and destiny, constitute other important topics of the science of creed. Therefore, the science of creed is one of the fundamental Islamic sciences that explains the basic beliefs of Islam and the matters of faith related to them.

The purpose of the science of creed is to teach Muslims the fundamental tenets of Islam and the truths related to them, enabling them to live a peaceful life in this world and attain eternal happiness in the hereafter. In achieving this goal, the science of creed fulfills the following duties: 1- To prove, explain, and interpret the tenets of faith. 2- To show the ways to reach the level of investigative faith from imitative faith. 3- To guide those seeking correct belief and truth. 4- To refute the views of those with deviant thoughts and objections to Islam. 5- To instill in hearts the belief that there is no god but Allah, and to help believers perform sincere and acceptable deeds.

The science of beliefs, in teaching and instilling the principles of faith in people, uses the verses of the Quran and the hadiths as its basis, while also utilizing the data of positive science and reason. It benefits from both science and reason when explaining the principles of faith. In this respect, it can be said that both transmitted and rational evidence are used in the science of beliefs. In the science of beliefs, just as in the Quran and Sunnah, persuasion and guidance, giving hope and glad tidings to the recipient are fundamental principles.

The science of beliefs has a very important place among other Islamic sciences. In fact, it is stated that the science of beliefs is the most important and highest-ranking of the Islamic sciences. For it is impossible to speak of sciences such as exegesis, hadith, jurisprudence, ethics, and Sufism unless the existence of an all-powerful creator who sent prophets and books to mankind is accepted. If Islamic sciences are likened to a building, then the science of creed (aqā'id), which deals with the fundamental tenets of religion, is the foundation of this building, and the other Islamic sciences are like the floors and sections of the building. Just as a building without a foundation is inconceivable, so too are the other Islamic sciences inconceivable without the science of creed. Because without believing in the fundamental tenets of creed, it is impossible to speak of the religious practices such as prayer, fasting, zakat, and pilgrimage; the jurisprudential rulings encompassing matters such as jihad, trade, agriculture, and daily life; and the refinements and etiquette of Sufism.

The first and most important source of Islamic creed is the Holy Quran, followed by authentic hadiths. The principles that constitute Islamic creed are clearly stated in the Quran and hadiths. The Quran contains many verses that provide information about God, His prophets, books, angels, the hereafter, and divine decree and destiny. Similarly, hadith books contain many detailed pieces of information regarding the principles of faith in sections dealing with faith, prophets, monotheism, paradise, hell, destiny, and the Day of Judgment. Reason, the primary tool of philosophy and positive sciences, and the data from the senses are also among the sources used by the science of creed. However, the data from reason and the senses are not direct and decisive sources in determining religious principles and articles of faith. The sole source for determining the articles of faith is revelation. In other words, these are the verses of the Quran and the widely transmitted hadiths. The data from reason and sensory organs are primarily material for explaining, interpreting, and proving the principles established by the verses and hadiths. The science of Aqidah (Islamic creed) is the most important science that Muslims should learn. For a Muslim to properly fulfill their duties of servitude to Allah, it depends on learning the fundamental principles of faith, which guide their beliefs, worship, and morals, in the most accurate and best way.

The word "faith" in the dictionary means "to affirm and verify what a person says, to accept what they say, to embrace it with peace of mind, to give confidence to the other person, to be safe, to believe wholeheartedly without any doubt." As a term, it means "to affirm the definitively known rulings brought by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) from Allah, to accept without hesitation the things he reported, and to believe wholeheartedly that these are true and correct." The matters definitively known to have been brought by the Prophet from Allah are the rulings reported in the Quran and mutawatir hadiths. Since these express certainty in our religion, denying them removes a person from faith. Because it is obligatory to believe in them religiously, they are called "zarûrât-ı diniyye" (religious necessities). Mutawatir hadith: A report narrated verbatim by a large number of people, making it impossible for them to conspire to lie.

Faith means that a person accepts and wholeheartedly believes in certain information conveyed by the Prophet and transmitted to us through continuous tradition. Therefore, faith is a matter of the heart. Faith is not a tangible or visible object. Every believer knows what they believe in. However, not everyone who knows is a believer. For knowledge about the principles to be believed to be called faith, a person must surrender to and affirm it in their heart with their own will. Indeed, the Quran informs us that Jews and Christians knew for certain that Muhammad (peace be upon him) was a true prophet, but they did not accept and affirm his prophethood because of their jealousy.[1] This shows us that faith requires a higher level of consciousness and will than mere knowledge. There are verses and hadiths that show that faith is the affirmation of the heart. Allah Almighty says about the hypocrites: “O Prophet, do not be saddened by those who say with their mouths that they believe, while their hearts do not believe, and by those Jews who compete in disbelief”[2], thus indicating that faith is the affirmation of the heart. Furthermore, Allah Almighty says about those who will enter Paradise eternally and with whom He will be pleased: “It is they whose hearts Allah has inscribed with faith and whom He has supported with a spirit from Him”[3] The prayer that the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) constantly recited also shows the importance of the heart in terms of faith: “O my Lord, who turns hearts! Make my heart firm in Your religion and in obedience to You!”[4] As can be seen, the essence of faith is the heart’s affirmation of what is to be believed. Even if someone says they believe with their tongue, they cannot be a believer unless their heart affirms it. Conversely, someone who believes in their heart but does not express their belief verbally will be considered a believer in the hereafter. Similarly, someone who believes in their heart but cannot express their belief verbally due to a disability such as muteness is also considered a believer. Even someone who declares themselves an unbeliever or infidel under threat of death is considered a believer. The following incident is a good example of this: Hazrat Ammar was one of the Muslims who endured the oppression and persecution of the polytheists with unwavering faith and patience. One day, the Quraysh polytheists captured him and tortured him by suffocating him by submerging his head in a well: “We will not release you until you insult Muhammad and praise Lat and Uzza!” they said. They continued their torture until he confessed to believing in Lat and Uzza. The Messenger of Allah was informed: “O Messenger of Allah! Ammar has become an unbeliever!” The Prophet replied: “No! Ammar is filled with faith from head to toe! Faith has permeated his flesh and blood!” At that moment, Ammar (may Allah be pleased with him) came to the Prophet. The blessed Companion was weeping… The Master of the Worlds wiped away his tears with his hand and asked: “What happened to you?” Ammar (may Allah be pleased with him) replied: “O Messenger of Allah! They wouldn’t let me go until I insulted you and said that idols are better than your religion!” The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) asked: “When you said these things, how was your heart?” Ammar replied: “My heart was filled with the joy of faith in Allah and His Messenger, and my commitment to my religion was stronger than iron!” Thereupon, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) wiped away his tears with his hand and said: “O Ammar! If they force you to repeat these things again, then repeat them!” Following this incident, the following verse was revealed: “Whoever opens his heart to disbelief after having believed, except those who are compelled to do so while their hearts are firm in faith, then upon them will surely come the wrath of Allah and a great punishment.”[5]

Affirmation means expressing and revealing the belief that resides in the heart through the tongue. Since people cannot know what is hidden in the heart, it is necessary to express and reveal the belief verbally, and through this statement and affirmation, a conviction about the belief can be reached. Otherwise, it is impossible to know whether a person will be treated as a believer or an unbeliever during their lifetime and after death. Therefore, affirmation is not a part of faith, but an indispensable condition. Only Allah knows what is hidden in hearts. We understand that someone has faith either through their own affirmation or by performing certain acts of worship that demonstrate their belief, such as praying in congregation. In such a case, this person is recognized as a believer and treated as a Muslim. For example, a person can only marry a Muslim woman if they are a believer, the meat of the animal they slaughter can be eaten, and they are obligated to pay religious taxes such as zakat and ushur. Upon death, a funeral prayer is performed, and they are buried in a Muslim cemetery. If a person does not profess his belief with his tongue, these kinds of rulings specific to Muslims cannot be applied to him. The importance of profession in faith is expressed by our Prophet in the following hadith: “Whoever has faith in his heart the size of a grain of wheat and says, ‘There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is His messenger,’ will be taken out of Hellfire.”[6] Because profession with the tongue is so important, faith is generally defined as “affirmation with the heart and profession with the tongue.” However, defining faith in this way does not require someone who says they believe but does not believe with their heart to be a believer. In this regard, a verse from the Holy Quran states, “There are some people who say, ‘We believe in Allah and the Last Day,’ even though they do not believe.”[7] It is possible for a person who says they believe with their tongue but not with their heart to be treated as a Muslim in this world because their belief or disbelief in their heart cannot be known. However, in the hereafter, because they are a hypocrite, that is, an unbeliever, they will be condemned to eternal hell. As can be understood from this information, the affirmation of the heart is the essence, the indispensable element, and the unchanging foundation of faith. The confession of the tongue is a condition that enables the recognition of this essence and truth.

The unseen refers to hidden knowledge that cannot be seen or perceived concretely. Beings are divided into two categories. Those that can be seen and perceived by the senses are called the "world of witness," and those that cannot be seen or perceived by the senses are called the "world of the unseen." However, this applies only to humans, who are beings with limited intellect and senses. For Allah, nothing is unseen. Because He sees everything and knows everything. Beings belonging to the unseen world are divided into two groups: 1. Things whose existence is known only to Allah, about which there is no information or clue: Allah's knowledge, decree, and destiny can be given as examples. The verse, "The keys of the unseen are with Allah. None knows them except Him,"[8] refers to this type of unseen. 2. Things that can be understood through evidence even though their existence cannot be grasped: the existence of Allah, His attributes, angels, paradise and hell, etc. This is the kind of unseen referred to in the verse, “Those who believe in the unseen…”[9]. That is, believers believe in Allah, angels, the hereafter, paradise and hell through transmitted and rational evidence, even though they do not see them. An important event that sheds light on the issue of belief in the unseen is the narration known as the “Hadith of Gabriel,” which comes from Hz. Umar (may Allah be pleased with him): I was sitting next to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Then a man appeared before us, his clothes pure white and his hair jet black. He showed no signs of travel; he was spotlessly clean. Moreover, none of us recognized him. He came and sat before the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), resting his knees against his. After respectfully placing his hands on his knees, he began to ask: “O Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him)! Tell me about Islam!” The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) explained: “Islam is to bear witness that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is His servant and messenger, to perform prayer, to give zakat, to fast during Ramadan, and to perform Hajj to the House of Allah if you are able.” The stranger: “You have spoken the truth,” he affirmed. We were astonished that he both asked the question and then affirmed what was said. Then he asked again: “Tell me about faith?” The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) explained: “It is to believe in Allah, His angels, His books, His prophets, and the Day of Judgment. It is also to believe in destiny, that is, that good and evil are from Allah.” The stranger again affirmed: “You have spoken the truth!” Then he asked again: “Tell me about Ihsan (excellence in worship)?” The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) explained: “Ihsan is to worship Allah as if you were seeing Him with your own eyes. Even though you do not see Him, He sees you.” The man asked again: “Tell me about when the Day of Judgment will come?” The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) replied: “The one who is asked about the Day of Judgment knows no more than the one who asks!” The stranger said: “Then tell me about the signs of the Day of Judgment!” The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) explained: “It is that slave women will give birth to their masters, and you will see barefoot, shirtless shepherds competing in building tall buildings.” Upon hearing this, the stranger departed. I remained for quite some time. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “O Umar! Do you know who this man was who asked the question?” When I said, “Allah and His Messenger know best!”, he explained: “This was Gabriel (peace be upon him). He came to teach you your religion.”[10] Believing in the unseen, that is, in a being without seeing it, is true faith. The fact that the Companions accepted the Prophet's revelations about the unseen without any hesitation stems from the strength of their faith. Indeed, when the polytheists heard about the Miraj incident, they immediately began to deny it. Rumors spread. The polytheists seized this opportunity to sow doubt among the believers and make them abandon their faith. They even went to Hazrat Abu Bakr. However, with complete faith and trust in the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), he said: “Whatever he says is true! Because it is impossible and improbable for him to lie! I believe everything he brings without question…” The polytheists said: “So, do you now believe that he went to and from Jerusalem in one night?” Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “Yes! What is there to be surprised about? By Allah, he tells me that he receives news from Allah at any time of day or night, and I still believe him.” Then Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) went to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), who was at the Kaaba at that time. He heard what happened directly from his blessed tongue and said: “Everything you have said is true, O Messenger of Allah!” The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) smiled, very pleased with his confirmation, and said: “O Abu Bakr, you are the ‘Siddiq’ (the one who confirms me)!”[11]

1. Summary Faith This is believing in all things collectively. Summary faith, the most concise and shortest form of faith, is summarized in the words of Tawhid and Shahada. The Word of Tawhid: لَا اِلَهَ اِلَّا اللهُ مُحَمَّدٌ rَسُولُ اللهِ (La Ilaha Illallah Muhammadun Rasulullah!) Meaning: “There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is His messenger.” The Shahada (Declaration of Faith): أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا اِلَهَ اِلَّا اللهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ (Eshhedü en la ilahe illallah ve eşhedü enne Muhammeden abdühü ve Rasülühü.) Meaning: “I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and that Muhammad is His servant and messenger.” This is the first degree of faith and the foundation of religion. In reality, a person who acknowledges Allah as the one and only God and accepts Muhammad (peace be upon him) as His messenger has also accepted all other tenets of faith and everything the Prophet brought. Because the other tenets of faith were revealed to us through the Prophet, and the necessity of believing in them reached us through him. Therefore, affirming the Messenger of Allah means wholeheartedly confirming what he conveyed. The faith of someone who recites the declaration of oneness (Kalima-i Tawhid) and the declaration of faith (Kalima-i Shahada) with conviction is called "Ijmali Iman (Global Faith)" because they haven't individually stated all the tenets of faith. While Ijmali Iman is sufficient to be considered a believer, the individual must also learn and believe in each of the other rulings of the religion and the essential tenets of faith one by one. 2. Tafsili Iman Belief in each of the things to be believed in a clear and comprehensive manner is called Tafsili Iman. Detailed faith is examined in three degrees: First Degree: It is to firmly believe in Allah, that Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the messenger of Allah, and in the Day of Judgment. This is clearer and broader than general faith, as it also includes belief in the hereafter. Indeed, in some verses, belief in Allah and the Day of Judgment are emphasized together: “Those who believe in Allah and the Day of Judgment—to them We will give a great reward.”[12] Second Degree: It is to believe separately in Allah, His angels, His books, His prophets, the Day of Judgment, resurrection after death, the existence of Paradise and Hell, reward and punishment, and divine decree and destiny. Many of the principles included in the second degree of detailed faith are mentioned together in the following verse: “True righteousness is that of those who believe in Allah, the Last Day, the angels, the Book, and the prophets.”[13] Third Degree: This is to affirm all the news and rulings that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) brought from Allah and which have been transmitted to us by a large group of people (through tawatur) whose agreement on falsehood is considered logically impossible. In other words, it is to believe in all the matters established by clear (muhkam) verses and mutawatir hadiths, individually, in the way that Allah and His Messenger have revealed them. For example, learning about prayer, fasting, zakat, pilgrimage, and other obligatory acts; and things that are halal and haram, and affirming in one's heart that they are obligatory, halal, and haram, is the third degree of detailed faith. A non-Muslim enters the door of Islam with general faith; in other words, he becomes a Muslim while he was not a Muslim before. However, a Muslim's faith matures and is built upon solid foundations through detailed faith. After a believer wholeheartedly affirms God and what comes from Him, they must accept and affirm what the Prophet declared as obligatory, what is forbidden as forbidden, and what is permissible as permissible. In short, the third degree of detailed faith involves believing in all the obligatory beliefs, acts of worship, and rulings as they are.

Imitative faith refers to faith that a person believes by observing and learning from their parents or the people around them, without relying on evidence. It is a kind of faith that arises as a natural consequence of being born and raised in an Islamic society. According to the majority of Islamic scholars, this type of faith is valid. However, that person is responsible because they have not strengthened their faith with rational and religious evidence. Because imitative faith can be shaken by objections raised by disbelievers and deviants. Verified faith, on the other hand, is faith based on evidence, knowledge, research, and understanding. It is a more conscious form of faith than imitative faith. With the evidence obtained, a person can counter doubtful and deviant ideas, thus strengthening the resilience of their faith. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen faith with rational and religious evidence, raising it from the level of "imitation" to the level of "verification." The essential thing is for every Muslim to possess verified faith, to be conscious of what, why, and how they believe.

Deeds are actions and behaviors performed voluntarily, which have value as either reward or punishment. Praying, fasting, serving parents, helping someone in need, and reading the Quran are examples of good deeds. Although faith and deeds are separate things, there is a very close bond and relationship between them. Ahlul Sunnah: A person who follows the words and actions of our Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) with definite and sound evidence. A person who follows the school of thought and path of the Companions and those who followed them. I. Deeds Are Not a Part of Faith According to Ahlul Sunnah scholars, deeds are not a part or pillar of faith. Therefore, a person who has wholeheartedly embraced all religious principles but has not fulfilled their requirements or has violated their prohibitions for various reasons is considered a sinful believer as long as he does not consider the sin he committed to be permissible. The evidence presented against the idea that deeds are not a part of faith is as follows: 1. There are many verses in the Quran that begin with, “Those who believe and do righteous deeds…”[14]. In these verses, those who believe and those who do righteous deeds are mentioned separately. 2. In some verses, faith is a condition for the validity of deeds. For example: “Whoever does lawful work while being a believer, he will not fear injustice or the violation of his rights.”[15] 3. In some verses, it is mentioned that major sins can coexist with faith. In one of them: “If two groups of believers fight each other, then make peace between them...”[16] 4. Great religious scholars have considered those who have faith in their hearts and profess it with their tongues but do not perform good deeds or violate certain prohibitions – as sinful believers. II. The Necessity of Deeds and Their Connection with Faith While faith and deeds are separate and distinct, they are inextricably linked. Failing to perform some acts of worship does not remove a believer from the religion. However, to attain mature faith, worship and righteous deeds are necessary. Faith that does not manifest good deeds is like a fruitless tree. Good deeds and good morals both strengthen faith and make the believer happy in both worlds. Even if a person accepts acts of worship as obligatory, if they fail to perform them, they do not lose their faith, but their faith may have lost its maturity. The following prayer of Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) should never leave our lips: “Take my soul as a Muslim and include me among your righteous servants!”[17] III. Increase and Decrease of Faith According to Ahl al-Sunnah 1. Faith does not increase or decrease in terms of the matters that must be believed. Everyone is obligated to believe in the same things. Imam Abu Hanifa explained: “Faith does not increase or decrease. Because the increase of faith is only possible with the decrease of disbelief; and the decrease of faith is only possible with the increase of disbelief.”[18] 2. Faith can show increase and decrease in terms of quality. Some people have strong and mature faith, while others have weak faith. For example, when Abraham (peace be upon him) asked Allah to show him how He resurrects the dead, he answered, “No, I believed, but I wanted to see it so that my heart would be reassured.”[19]. The verse “The believers are only those whose hearts tremble when Allah is mentioned, and whose faith increases when the verses of Allah are recited to them”[20], as well as other verses[21] and hadiths, show that faith can be strong or weak in quality. IV. Major Sins Major sins refer to sins that cause corruption and for which there is a threatening text (verse and hadith). The greatest of the major sins are associating partners with Allah (shirk) and denying Allah (kufr). Our Prophet said: “Shall I tell you about the greatest of the major sins? These are: associating partners with Allah, disobedience to parents, and false witness.”[22]. In another hadith, he mentioned seven major sins: “practicing magic, unjustly killing a person, consuming the property of an orphan, usury, fleeing from battle, and falsely accusing a chaste and believing woman of adultery.”[23] A person who commits one of the major sins other than associating partners with Allah and disbelief is a believer if he does not consider the sin permissible. Ultimately, because he is a believer, Allah will admit him to Paradise.[24]. In the verse, “If two groups of believers fight each other, then make peace between them...”[25], those who fight are described as “believers.” “O you who have believed! Turn to Allah with sincere repentance...”[26] is another evidence. The Prophet said, "Whoever says 'There is no god but Allah' and dies with this belief will enter Paradise," even if he commits adultery or theft.[27] V. Conditions for the Validity (Sahih) of Faith 1. The person should not have believed while in a state of despair (ye’s). Faith after seeing the divine punishment is invalid.[28] 2. A believer should not engage in any behavior that is considered a sign of disbelief and denial of religion. 3. All Islamic rulings should be considered as a whole. 4. A believer should neither despair of Allah's mercy nor feel secure from His wrath. He should be between fear and hope.[29][30]

A person who claims to be a Muslim should be accepted as a believer in this world and should not be excluded from the Islamic community. Because in this world, people are treated according to their outward appearance and the declaration of their belief. Determining whether someone truly believes or not is reserved for Allah in the hereafter. This truth is expressed in a verse: “...Do not say to someone who greets you, ‘You are not a believer,’ while coveting the fleeting benefits of worldly life...”[31] The Prophet (peace be upon him) also said: “I have been commanded to fight people until they say, ‘There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is His messenger.’ When they say this, their lives and property are protected from me. However, religious punishments are an exception to this. The reckoning of their inner selves belongs to Allah.”[32] It should be understood that even a hypocrite will be treated as a Muslim in this world because we cannot know the belief in their heart. In short, faith is the heartfelt affirmation of things to be believed, while disbelief is denial. Since we can only judge what is in the heart by confession and outward appearance, we must consider those who confess as believers, and those who deny with their words and actions as disbelievers.

[1] Al-Baqara 2/146; Al-An'am 6/20. [2] Al-Ma'idah, verse 41. [3] Al-Mujadilah, verse 22. [4] Tirmidhi, Qadar, 7; Ibn Majah, Muqaddimah, 13. [5] An-Nahl, verse 106. See Ibn Sa'd, III, 249. [6] Bukhari, Iman, 33; Tirmidhi, Jahannam, 9; Ibn Majah, Asceticism, 37. [7] Al-Baqara, verse 8. [8] Al-An'am, verse 59. [9] Al-Baqara, verse 3. verse [10] Muslim, Iman, 1. [11] Ibn Hisham, II, 5. [12] Surah An-Nisa, verse 162. [13] Surah Al-Baqarah, verse 177. [14] See Surah Al-Baqarah, 277; Surah Yunus, 9; Surah Hud, 23; Surah Al-Ankabut, 7, 9; Surah Luqman, 8; Surah Fatir, 7. [15] Surah Taha, verse 112. [16] Surah Al-Hujurat, 9. verse [17] Surah Yusuf, verse 101 [18] Ali al-Qari, Sharh al-Fiqh al-Akbar, p. 79. [19] Surah al-Baqarah, verse 260 [20] Surah al-Anfal, verse 2 [21] For example, see Surah al-Imran, verse 173, Surah al-Ahzab, verse 22, Surah al-Fath, verse 4. [22] Bukhari, Adab, 6; Muslim, Iman, 38; Tirmidhi, Tafsir, 5. [23] Ahmad ibn Hanbal, II, 201, 214; Muslim, Iman, 143-146. [24] Bukhari, Wasaya, 23; Muslim, Iman, 38; Abu Dawud, Wasaya, 10. [25] Surah Hujurat, verse 8. [26] Surah At-Tahrim, verse 8. [27] Bukhari, Tawhid, 33; Riqaq, 16; Muslim, Iman, 40; Tirmidhi, Iman, 18. [28] Surah Al-Mu'min, verses 84 and 85. [29] Surah Yusuf, verse 87. [30] Surah Al-Araf, verse 99. [31] Surah An-Nisa, verse 94. [32] Bukhari, Jihad, 102; Muslim, Iman, 8; Abu Dawud, Jihad, 104.

In the dictionary, Islam means "to obey, to submit, to be bound, to surrender to something, to be safe." As a term, it is used to mean "to obey Almighty God, to wholeheartedly accept everything that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) conveyed in the name of religion, and to live according to one's beliefs." In the Quran, faith and Islam are sometimes used interchangeably, and sometimes treated as different concepts. If faith and Islam are used interchangeably, then Islam means believing that the requirements of Islam are part of the religion, and adopting Islam as a religion. Islam is a very broad concept and, in its general sense, means submission. Submission takes three forms: it can be heartfelt, which is absolute belief; it can be verbal, which is affirmation; or it can be through actions, which are deeds. Faith is one of these three forms of Islam, the submission and commitment of the heart. In this verse, faith and Islam are used interchangeably: “...But you can only convey [the message] to those who believe in Our verses and submit.”[1] If faith and Islam are used interchangeably, that is, if the religion of Islam is understood as the acceptance of its rulings by the heart and the adoption of Islam as a religion, then every believer is a Muslim, and every Muslim is a believer. If faith and Islam are considered as different concepts, then every believer becomes a Muslim. However, not every Muslim acquires the characteristic of being a believer. Because in this sense, Islam means the submission of the tongue or limbs, the performance of certain actions, rather than the attachment and submission of the heart. In this case, Islam is a more general concept, and faith is a more specific concept. For example, a hypocrite may say with his tongue that he is a Muslim, giving the impression that he is fulfilling the commandments, but he does not believe with his heart. A hypocrite may appear to be a Muslim in the world even though he does not truly believe. In the following verse, faith and Islam are mentioned as separate concepts: “The Bedouins said, ‘We believe.’ Say, ‘You have not believed, but say, “We have submitted.” Faith has not yet entered your hearts...”[2]

People are divided into three groups in terms of faith and disbelief: believers, disbelievers, and hypocrites. Believer A believer is someone who wholeheartedly believes in the existence and oneness of Allah, that Muhammad is His servant and messenger, and the information he conveyed, accepting and affirming all of these. If believers die in faith, they will enter Paradise in the hereafter and will receive many blessings there. If some believers have committed sins in this world, Allah Almighty may, if He wills, forgive their sins and admit them to Paradise, or He may punish them in Hell according to the extent of their sins before admitting them to Paradise. No believer will remain in hell forever. Kafir (Unbeliever): In general, disbelief is the opposite of faith, and a kafir is someone who denies God and the Prophet. To elaborate, a kafir is someone who does not believe in the fundamental principles of Islam, who denies one or more, or all, of the essential principles (essential religious obligations) that the Prophet Muhammad brought from God Almighty and which have reached us through continuous transmission. For example, someone who denies that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is a prophet, that prayer is obligatory, that drinking wine is forbidden, or who does not accept the existence of angels and jinn is a kafir. Unbelievers will remain in hell forever and will never see paradise. Mushrik (Polytheist): Someone who believes that there are other gods besides God. Those who believe in God but worship idols, or those who say that God has a wife, son, or daughter, are polytheists. These people will also suffer eternal torment in hell. Hypocrite A hypocrite is someone who, while appearing Muslim, claims to believe in the existence and oneness of Allah, the prophethood of Muhammad, and what he brought from Allah, but is in reality an unbeliever. Hypocrites are different on the inside than on the outside. Their words do not match their true selves. The fact that hypocrites are actually disbelievers is expressed in a verse as follows: “And among the people are those who say, ‘We believe in Allah and the Last Day,’ while they do not believe.”[3] In the continuation of these verses, Allah states that hypocrites will suffer a painful torment. Hypocrites are more dangerous to the Islamic community than disbelievers. Because they outwardly appear Muslim, it is impossible to know their true state. Since our Prophet knew through revelation who the hypocrites were, he did not give them important positions. Since there is no such source of knowledge (revelation) for people after the Prophet, the hypocrite acts like a Muslim in this world but will suffer eternal torment in the hereafter. Moreover, according to the following verse, they are the ones who will suffer the most severe torment: “Indeed, the hypocrites will be in the lowest level of the fire of Hell, and you will find no helper for them.”[4]

Disbelief, as a word, means "to cover." In its technical sense, it means denying Allah, the Prophet Muhammad, and what he brought from Allah, and rejecting one or more of the absolutely established religious principles (essential religious tenets) that he brought. Shirk, meaning "to accept a partner" in the dictionary, technically means accepting that Allah Almighty has equals, counterparts, and partners in His divinity, names, attributes, and actions. Polytheists do not deny the existence of Allah. They accept that there are other gods besides Him and worship them, or they accept powers and beings that are equal to Allah in terms of names, attributes, will, and authority. Shirk and disbelief are two closely related concepts. The difference between them is that disbelief is more general, while shirk is more specific. In this sense, every act of shirk is disbelief, but not every act of disbelief is shirk. Every polytheist is an unbeliever, and not every unbeliever is a polytheist. Because shirk (associating partners with God) only occurs as a result of associating partners with God in His essence, names, and attributes. Kufr (disbelief), on the other hand, occurs through the acceptance of certain beliefs known to be kufr. One of these beliefs that constitutes kufr is associating partners with God. For example, accepting the existence of two gods, as in Zoroastrianism, is both shirk and kufr. However, not believing in the Day of Judgment is kufr, but not shirk. Associating partners with God is the greatest of sins. It is stated in a verse that shirk and kufr will not be forgiven by God, but He will forgive other sins to whomever He wills: “God will never forgive associating partners with Him, but He will forgive anything else to whomever He wills. And whoever associates partners with God has certainly gone astray.”[5]

Some beliefs, words, and actions that lead to kufr include: 1. Saying that God is unjust and wrong. 2. Making fun of Allah's essence, attributes, names, actions, commands, and prohibitions – even in jest – and using condescending expressions about them. 3. Belittling, criticizing, and insulting the angels. 4. Belittling, condemning, belittling, and mocking the prophets. 5. Rejecting or denying even one of the verses of the Quran and the mutawatir hadiths. 6. Despairing of Allah's mercy and not fearing His punishment. 7. Being willing to be an unbeliever. 8. Saying, "I wouldn't do it even if Allah commanded it!" 9. Believing in the transmigration of souls.

[1] Surah An-Naml, verse 81. [2] Surah Al-Hujurat, verse 14. [3] Surah Al-Baqarah, verse 8. [4] Surah An-Nisa, verse 145. [5] Surah An-Nisa, verse 116.

Takfir means declaring someone an infidel. Scholars of Aqidah and Kalam have determined the circumstances under which someone leaves the circle of faith. The rulings concerning someone who is considered to have fallen from faith as an apostate are regulated by the science of Fiqh. Therefore, the person who decides on Takfir must be an authoritative individual who deeply understands the problems discussed in Kalam and also grasps the intricacies of Fiqh and its methodology. When examining the life of the Prophet Muhammad, it is seen that he declared certain groups and individuals as infidels during the Meccan period. However, the existence of hypocrites among Muslims during the Medinan period is a known fact. In many places in the Quran, hypocrites are mentioned alongside infidels and polytheists, and it is stated that they will be subjected to the same punishment. Because he possessed a source of knowledge like revelation, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) knew very well who truly possessed faith and who, while being disbelievers, pretended to be believers. Therefore, he refrained from declaring individuals and groups as disbelievers and strived to convert them to Islam. He did not consider it appropriate, for the sake of people's well-being, to exclude from the Islamic community anyone who claimed to be a Muslim, even if they were a hypocrite.

The first movement of declaring someone a disbeliever in Islamic history began with the Kharijites. Emerging after the Battle of Siffin between Ali and Muawiya, this group considered everyone who participated in the battle, especially Ali and Muawiya, as disbelievers. Later, considering deeds as a part of faith, the Kharijites, who declared anyone who committed a grave sin as a disbeliever, were the first group to sow the seeds of anarchy and terror in the Islamic world. The Mu'tazilites, on the other hand, took a slightly softer approach to grave sins than the Kharijites, arguing that committing a grave sin leaves the circle of faith but does not constitute disbelief. They maintained that such a person is in a position between faith and disbelief.

Sunni theologians, however, have stated that someone who commits a grave sin is not an infidel, but a sinful believer. They have been sensitive and cautious regarding the issue of declaring someone an infidel. Over time, extremists and fanatics within each sect have begun to declare other groups and individuals as infidels. However, Sunni scholars, keeping in mind the Prophet's advice on the matter of declaring someone an infidel, have mentioned among the fundamental principles of Sunni Islam that one should not declare someone who has committed a sin, even if they are from the Ahl al-Qibla (People of the Kaaba), as an infidel. Thus, they have shown utmost care in preserving the unity and integrity of the Islamic community. Sunni jurists have also emphasized the dangers of unwarranted and unnecessary excommunication of individuals. The following view is quite common among scholars: “Even if there are ninety-nine pieces of evidence that someone is an unbeliever and one piece of evidence that he is a Muslim, the mufti should act according to the evidence that shows that person is a Muslim.”[1] Ibn Abidin, a 19th-century Hanafi jurist, acted fairly and leniently when addressing the issue of takfir in his works and said: “...If there is a possibility of interpretation of the words of someone known to be a Muslim, it should be interpreted, and he should not be considered an unbeliever.”[2]

To declare someone known to be a Muslim as an infidel, besides having dangerous consequences for the individual, causes irreparable wounds in social life, undermines its unity and integrity, and leads to fragmentation. For this reason, the great Islamic scholar and theologian Imam al-Ghazali (d. 505/1111) said, "As long as they sincerely adhere to the declaration of monotheism (Kalima-i Tawhid) and do not act in a way that contradicts this principle, one should refrain from slandering Muslims and declaring sects as infidels, no matter how different their paths may be." What led scholars to be so sensitive and cautious about takfir is the importance of defining the boundary between faith and disbelief, and the fact that if someone known to be a Muslim is considered an unbeliever, his property and life are no longer safe. In addition, the greeting of a person who has been takfir is not accepted, he is not greeted, and the meat of the animal he slaughtered is not eaten. Furthermore, such a person is not permitted to marry a Muslim woman, no funeral prayer is performed for him upon his death, he is not buried in a Muslim cemetery, and it is judged that he will remain in eternal hell in the hereafter. The fact that a person declared an infidel will face social exclusion necessitates great caution in this matter.

The Prophet Muhammad's numerous hadiths emphasize the dangers of accusing a believer of disbelief, and Muslims have been warned against this. Some of these hadiths are: “Whoever prays like us, faces our qibla, and eats what we slaughter, has obtained the assurance of Allah and His Messenger. Therefore, do not break the assurance and covenant that Allah has given concerning such people.”[3] “Whoever calls a person ‘disbeliever’ or says ‘O enemy of Allah’ when he is not, his words will return to him.”[4] “When any Muslim declares another person a disbeliever, if that person is a disbeliever, there is nothing to say. Otherwise, he himself becomes a disbeliever.”[5] A very remarkable incident regarding this matter happened to Usama ibn Zayd, one of the Companions. He recounts the following: "The Prophet sent us with a detachment against the enemy. We launched a raid at dawn. I immediately captured a man. Even though he said, 'There is no god but Allah,' I killed him. This troubled me greatly. Upon returning, I recounted the incident to the Prophet. The Prophet said: 'On the Day of Judgment, who will save you from the hand of the utterance of "La ilahe illallah" that he made?' I replied, 'He said it out of fear of the sword.' Upon this, the Messenger of Allah rebuked me, saying, 'Did you split open his heart and look inside? How did you know whether he said "La ilahe illallah" sincerely or out of fear of the weapon?'" The Prophet repeated this rebuke so many times that I thought to myself, "I wish I hadn't become a Muslim before (I wish I had become a Muslim after this incident) so that I wouldn't have encountered this event."[6]

Despite the warnings and advice of the Prophet and the Sunni scholars who followed in his footsteps, some extremist Muslims declare other people and groups as infidels. The main reasons that lead people to unwarranted excommunication are ignorance, fanaticism, intolerance, envy, and self-interest. Furthermore, it is a mistake to think that excommunication is a weapon that can be used immediately to condemn the other side.

[1] Ibn Abidin, Majmu'atu'r-Rasail, l. 367. [2] Ibn Abidin, ibid., l.342. [3] Bukhari, Salat, 28; Abu Dawud, Jihad, 95. [4] Bukhari, Faraiz, 29; Muslim, Faith, 27. [5] Abu Dawud, Sunnah, 15. [6] Muslim, Faith, 41; Abu Dawud, Jihad, 95; Ibn Majah, Fiten, 1.

Deism is not a religion. It is a belief system of those who reject all religions but believe in the existence of God. Since religions are rejected, naturally, prophets, holy books, the afterlife (i.e., heaven and hell), angels, and demons have no place in deism. They only believe in a God who created the universe and the laws of nature, and then has no further intervention in the universe or humanity. According to them, God created the universe and then left it to its own functioning, like a clockwork. Therefore, there is no belief in fate and destiny as in Islam. The source of deism is a direct admiration for nature and the structure of humanity through our perceptions, and a logical belief that there must be a creator (God). Since there are no worship or religious rituals in deism, there is no difference between them and those who deny God in daily life (atheists). Therefore, deists are infidels.

Atheists deny the existence of God. According to their deviant belief, there is no god who created this universe. They also deny all spiritual realities such as angels, heaven, hell, fate, and the Day of Judgment. Therefore, they reject prophets and holy books. According to them, nothing that the eye cannot see and the mind cannot comprehend can be real; therefore, the only reality is matter. Accordingly, atheists are, as they themselves admit, infidels.

Polytheists believe in more than one god. The beliefs of pre-Islamic polytheistic Arabs and the indigenous religions of Africa are examples of polytheism. According to this, there are many gods that govern different areas of nature and rule in different fields. Earth god, sky god, fertility god, love god, rain god, etc. In polytheism, there is no belief in a divine religion, prophet, or holy books from God.

Agnostics say that the existence or non-existence of God cannot be known through reason and senses. According to them, religions did not originate from God. They argue that it's impossible to prove that today's religions originated from God, and that the existence of a God, a creator, can never be known. In this respect, agnostics distinguish themselves from both "theism," which definitively accepts the existence of God, and "atheism," which definitively rejects the existence of God. However, their way of life is no different from that of atheists. Therefore, because agnostics reject belief in God, the Prophet, and the afterlife, they are considered infidels.