10. Turning Away from Islam

﷽

10. Turning away from the religion of Allah, and not learning it or acting in accordance with it

The evidence for that is the verse in which Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And who does more wrong than he who is reminded of the Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) of his Lord, then he turns aside therefrom? Verily, We shall exact retribution from the Mujrimoon (criminals, disbelievers, polytheists, sinners, etc.)”

[as-Sajdah 32:22].

What is meant by the “disbelief of turning away” is turning away from that which the Messenger brought, not paying any attention to it, not learning it from him, and not paying it any heed.

Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

With regard to the “disbelief of turning away”, it means turning away from the Messenger and ignoring him, neither believing him nor disbelieving him, neither taking him as an ally nor taking him as an enemy, and not paying any attention to what he brought at all.

End quote from Madaarij as-Saalikeen (1/347)

Shaykh ‘Abd al-Lateef ibn ‘Abd ar-Rahmaan ibn Hasan Aal ash-Shaykh (may Allah have mercy on him) said, in a detailed response concerning that:

People’s conditions vary greatly, and they vary according to their level of faith. This applies if faith is present in the first place, but negligence has to do with things that are less important than faith, such as some deeds that are obligatory or mustahabb.

But if there is no faith at all – meaning a kind of faith by which a person is regarded as a Muslim – and he turns away from it altogether, then this is the “disbelief of turning away”, concerning which Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And surely, We have created many of the jinns and mankind for Hell. They have hearts wherewith they understand not, they have eyes wherewith they see not, and they have ears wherewith they hear not (the truth). They are like cattle, nay even more astray; those! They are the heedless ones”

[al-A‘raaf 9:179]

“But whosoever turns away from My Reminder (i.e. neither believes in this Quran nor acts on its orders, etc.) verily, for him is a life of hardship, and We shall raise him up blind on the Day of Resurrection”

[Taa-Haa 20:124].

But you should understand that what matters is knowing the reality of faith, even if the expressions and wording vary.

Nawaaqid al-Eemaan al-I‘tiqaadiyyah by 
Dr Muhammad ‘Abd al-Wahhaab al-Wuhaybi (128-129).