We believe that a true and comprehensive
understanding of Islam would not be possible without careful recognition of the
Prophetic Tradition and the Prophet's Household. And Allah is the Source of Strength.
Becoming A Muslim
" Muslims today are in a dilemma, who to call a Muslim and who not to. Specially in Pakistan where people openly testify, not to their own faith, but to some other factions disbelief by wall chalking slogans of Kuffar and giving similar fatwas from sermons.
It is clear that such people are exceeding the limits which Allah and his Prophet (SAW) had set.
It is unfortunate that you may ask definition of a muslim from different people and different people would give different definitions. Even from the same school of thought, you might hear about different opinions about who is a muslim and who is not a muslim. And this is 1400 years after the advent of Prophet (SAW) and at a time where knowledge is at the fingertips of a keyboard.
People had called Imam Hussain (AS) kaafir for his uprising against the caliph of the time. People had called the caliph of time, Mawla Ali (AS) kaafir (or some form of kufr) for opposing the Quran at Siffin and for creating dissent (alleged) amongst muslims. People have called Abu Talib (AS) kaafir for not verbally recording his kalimah on CNN or BBC.
How can everyone else be a muslim while the house where revelations were received and the Prophet (SAW) protected, the house of Abu Talib (AS) and Fatima (AS), be associated with Kufr?
In two notable records of Sahih Muslim, Book #001, Hadith #0176 and Book #005, Hadith #2319, the Prophet (SAW) had clearly showed his disgust on the killing of a man who had just recited the Kalimah on the tip of the sword to save his own life. Usama b. Zaid who killed the man, had argued that the victim had "made a profession of it out of the fear of the weapon". To this the Prophet (SAW) had replied that "Did you tear his heart in order to find out whether it had professed or not? " Similarly the Prophet (SAW) said in the tradition that "I have not been commanded to pierce through the hearts of people, nor to split their bellies (insides)".
When the Prophet (SAW) did not judge the people's intentions, as it is Allah's to judge, then who are we today, to call other sects of muslims as Kaafirs, as long as they recite the Kalimah to profess faith in unity of Allah, finality of Prophethood of Muhammad (SAW). Surely anyone who recites the Kalimah is a Muslim and shall be treated as a muslim by the society, he will have Islam as the religion stated on the NIC and the Passport and shall enjoy all rights a Muslim enjoys under the governing law. Ofcourse the truth of his Islam will do him good or bad in his grave and beyond and it is not for us to judge the same.
When the Prophet (SAW) did not judge the intentions of the people, who are we to do so? For the world, as long as the Kalimah is being recited from the tongue, no power can label him a kaafir according to the norms set out by the Rasool of Allah.
However spiritually and for the hereafter, the same story does not go. If some one recited the kalimah, prays 5 times a day and believe in all angels and book but still doubts the virginity of Maryam (AS) during the birth of Isa (AS), he is technically not a Muslim! This is the how thin is the boundary between Faith and Kufr. But it is not for us to judge.
We are to judge ourselves and rectify our mistakes rather judging others and justifying our sins.
The Prophet (SAW) had clearly said that whosoever of us sees an evil, let us change it with our hand; and if we are not able to do so, then [let us change it] with our tongue; and if we are not able to do so, then with our heart - and that is the weakest of faith.
Do you want to know who today is a Muslim? A person who thinks evil is evil, atleast in his heart because this is the weakest level of faith. "
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