Muslim scholars discuss dangers of Takfeer

Over 120 Islamic scholars and researchers from 24 countries on Tuesday began discussions on the causes and effects of Takfeer, the practice of a Muslim declaring another Muslim an unbeliever.
They said the phenomenon had spread because upholders of Takfeer did not correctly understand the Quranic verses and the holy Prophet’s (PBUH) sayings in this regard.
On behalf of King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, Prince Naif Bin Abdul Aziz, second deputy premier and minister of interior, inaugurated the activities of the Conference of Takfeer Phenomenon.
Dr Muhammad Saadi Hasnain, from Egypt, presented a study titled, Takfeer: Definition and Islamic Rulings’ which focuses on delineating the Islamic ruling of takfeer according to the majority of Muslim scholars.
Dr Waleed Bin Muhammad Al-Ali, from Kuwait, attempted to lay down the conditions and restrictions of Takfeer and explain the danger of the phenomenon which a large number of people do not understand.
Dr Muhammad Al-Madani, associate professor of Prince Naif University for Security Sciences, explained the danger of takfeer using authentic texts to support his statements. He said that this phenomenon can bring about great harm to society.
Dr Lutfallah Bin Mula Khoja, associate professor at the Islamic Creed Department of Umm Al-Qura University, tackled the types of takfeer, saying that ijtihad, to make a decision in Shariah based on personal effort, did not apply to Takfeer and there were conditions to be met before a scholar opted for ijtihad.
Dr Hassan Ali Al-Awaji, from the Kingdom, focused on the different meanings of Takfeer. Only scholars with considerable Shariah knowledge could differentiate between the different types and definitions of takfeer, he explained.
In the second session of the conference, Dr Ali Bin Abdul Aziz Al-Shibil, a professor at Imam Muhammad Bin Saud Islamic University, talked about the rules and conditions on all kinds of Takfeer. Dr Ismail Ghasab Al-Adawi, from the Ministry of Islamic Affairs and Endowments in Qatar, said only scholars who enjoyed extensive knowledge about Shariah might tackle the issue, warning at the same time against dealing with the issue without having proper knowledge.