Contradictions of Faith

Contradiction is a form of denial: some types of contradiction may contradict the whole faith completely, and some contradict some of faith of a person whom faith becomes incomplete.

	1. A word of disbelief. Such as cursing Allah, the Prophet, or Islam, or by deriding religion generally.

	2. An act of disbelief. Such as prostrating to images and idols, addressing prayers to someone other than Allah, or ignoring the commands and prohibitions of Allah in the governance of public affairs.

	3. A dogmatic disbelief. That is to hold a belief that contradicts the divine unity of Allah is a tacit denial of faith. This kind of denial includes belief in the existence of some other god, belief that someone other than Allah can answer our prayers, and belief that someone other than Allah can protect us from evil, do us harm, or bring us benefit not intended by Allah, or that someone other than Allah has knowledge of the Unknown or can benefit or harm with Allah.

	4. Another kind of contradiction is to deny any of the Divine Names and Attributes of Allah, or any part of the Revelation; this too is a denial of faith.

	5. A fifth contradiction of faith comes from ignorance and misunderstanding of the true meaning of the words “there is no god but Allah,” for some people believe that this means “nothing exists but Allah,” or that it means “there is no creating Lord but Allah,” or that it means “there is no object of worship but Allah.” The person who believes these things in ignorance is in need of instruction and guidance. In fact, the declaration of faith means that everything that is worshipped beside Allah or instead of Allah is falsehood.

	6. Another form of tacit denial is to pronounce the words, “There is no god but Allah” but to ignore completely the obligations that saying these words brings. This person may fail to pray, to fast, or to pay zakat, or he may not make the pilgrimage even though there was nothing to prevent it. Nevertheless, he will still rely on false wishes and expect that Allah will raise him up to the highest rung of Paradise.

	7. To put oneself, of one’s own free will, under the protection of disbelievers, to subordinate oneself to them and to express loyalty to them while abandoning the Muslims is a kind of disbelief. Allah has said, “O you who believe! Do not take as protecting friends a people with whom Allah is angered.” Other forms of loyalty to disbelief are to seek guidance in the governance of public affairs exclusively in something other than what Allah has revealed, and the practice of the occult, including magic and fortune telling.

	8. Finally, exaggerated claims about religion are one of the things that lead to the corruption of religious doctrines and to Shirk (polytheism). Indeed, exaggeration and religious extremism are major sources of every fitnah in the Islamic world and internationally, and major sources of doctrinal upheaval and chaos within the community. The Prophet, upon whom be peace said, “Beware of exaggeration in religion, for certainly those who came before you were destroyed by exaggeration in religion,” and he said, “Do not make wild claims about me, as they did about (Jesus) the son of Mary. I am only a servant of Allah, so say ‘Allah’s servant and His messenger.’”