بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
Q: What is the ruling on bad-mouthing the religion of Al-Islam?
A: I seek assistance in all of Allah’s names, Ar Rahman (the possessor of vast mercy) Ar Raheem (the Merciful to whomever He wills from His creation). All praise is for Allah, Lord of the existence. O Allah commend and bless our Prophet Muhammad the most honored of prophets and messengers. Likewise his family, all of his companions, and those that follow them precisely in faith til the Day of Recompense. Now then:
Whomever Allah guides to Islam, He bestows upon him the most complete and perfect of favors. There is no blessing more preeminent than the blessing of Islam, nor any gift more superior than the gift of Islam.
لقد منَّ اللهُ على المُؤْمنين إذْ بعث فيهم رسولاً من أنفسهم يَتْلوا عليهم آياته و يُزَكِّيهم و يُعَلِّمهم الكتاب و الحكمة و إنْ كانوا قبل لفي ضلال مبين
“Surely Allah has bestowed favor upon the believers, when He sent to them a messenger from them, reciting to them His verses, and purifying them, and teaching them the Book and the Wisdom. And indeed they were before this upon manifest misguidance.” [Ali-Imran: 164]
As the guiding religion of Islam is the most significant of blessings.
أفمن شرح اللهُ صدرَه للأسلام فهو على نور من ربه
“Is not whomever’s heart Allah has opened towards Islam consequently upon light from His Lord?” [Az-Zumar: 22]
Thus whomever Allah guides to Islam and makes him cognizant of his Lord, religion, and prophet, then without doubt he has obtained an abundance of good. He leaves the religions of disbelief and misguidance and adopts the legislation of Islam. Therefore praise Allah for this blessing as it is the most tremendous, the most significant, and the greatest of blessings.
و اذْكُروا نعمتِ اللهِ عليكم إذْ كنتم أعداءً فأَلَّف بين قلوبكم فأصبحْتم بنعمته إخوانًا و كنتم على شفا حفرةٍ من النار فأنقذكم منها كذلك يُبين الله لكم آياته لعلكم تهتدون
“And remember Allah’s favor upon you, as you all were enemies yet He united your hearts and as a result of His favor became brothers. And you were on the brink of the fire, but He saved you all from it. Like that Allah elucidates for you all His signs so the you may be guided.” [Ali-Imran: 103]
So no one reviles the religion except he who has within his heart the sickness of hypocrisy and doubt. The Exalted says:
إذْ يقول المنافقون و الذين في قلوبهم مرضٌ غَرَّ هؤلاء دينهم
“When the hypocrites and those with a disease in their hearts said, “These people, their religion deceives them.” [Al Anfal: 49]
Thus the hypocrites, when they saw the companions of Allah’s Messenger, and their striving, their swordsmanship, their spending of wealth for Allah’s cause, and their sacrificing of themselves and their precious belongings for Allah’s cause (doing so) hoping for His forgiveness and fearing His punishment; the hypocrites said, “their religion deceives them.” So these hypocrites who claimed that Islam deceives and tricks, and that it is not the truth, on the contrary it is deception and craftiness, just as they would say, then Allah is far above what they alleged.
The believer loves Islam and praises Allah for guiding him to it. He clings to this blessing openly and in private, so whomever bad mouths Islam and he who reviles this religion indicates the sickness of hypocrisy within his heart. If Allah does not cause him to be overtaken by sincere repentance, then what is feared is that he will meet Allah upon other than guidance.
و اتْلوا عليهم نبَأَ الذي أتيناه آياتنا فانسلخ منها فأتْبعه الشيطان فكان من الغاوين () ولو شئنا لَرَفَعْناه بها ولكنه أخلد إلى الأرض و اتبع هواه فمثله كمثل الكلب إن تحمل عليه يلهث أو تتركه يلهث
“And recite to them the story of he whom We gave Our signs, but he threw them away. So the devil pursued him and he was of those who went astray. And had We willed, We would have elevated him due to it, but he clung to the earth and followed his desires. Thus his similitude is like the dog. If you drive it away , it lolls its tongue or if you leave it alone, it lolls its tongue.” [Al-A’raf: 175-176]
O Muslims! the revilers of Islam, and the teaching of it, the revilers of its etiquette and manners, the criticizers of its rulings, the defamers of its rectifiable nature for the society, the speakers that criticize its teachings and advocate its failure to be a relief for varying problems and to combating mishaps, they are possessors of sick hearts.
في قلوبهم مرضٌ فزادهم الله مرضً و لهم عذابٌ أليمٌ بما كانوا يكذبون
“In their hearts is a sickness and Allah will increase it and for them is a severe punishment due to them lying.” [Al Baqarah: 10]
The scholars of Islam have stated repentance is not accepted from the reviler of Islam, the Lord, and the Messenger -sallahu alayhi wa sallam. On the contrary he is a heretic that makes binding upon him capitol punishment. That which is between him and Allah (as it relates to his true reality of faith and disbelief), then Allah is more knowledgeable concerning him. It is only reported from some that they said the repentance of he who insults Allah, His Messenger, and His religion is not accepted, as this does not emanate from a heart contain within it faith.
The believer extols Allah, His commands, and prohibitions. In the qudsi narration Allah says, “Whomsoever has enmity to an ally of mines, I declare war against him.” Thus we ask Allah to guide us and you to His obedience, and I caution my brothers from mistakes of the tongue that can throw the servant into destruction, and impose upon him afflictions. Exalt your Lord! Exalt your religion! Exalt your prophet! Be cautious from lending an ear to these misguided people. Withdraw from their sittings, rather do not sit with them fearing that what afflicted them may afflict you.
و قد نزَّل عليكم في الكتاب أَنْ إذا سمعتم آياتِ الله يُكفَرُ بها و يُستهزأ بها فلا تقعدوا معهم حتى يخوضوا في حديثٍ غيرِهِ إنَّكم إذًا مثلهم
“And indeed it has been revealed to you in the Book, that if you hear Allah’s verses being disbelieved and mocked, then do not seat with them until they engage in another topic, lest you be like them…”[An-Nisaa: 140]
Translated by Najeeb ibn Yusuf Al Anjelesi
http://www.mufti.af.org.sa/node/2167