is my dad a munafiq?

[Unsettled]

Salaams,

Insha'Allah someone can help me or offer a bit of advice regarding my dad. I've only just come across the term munafiq and I would like to know if he is considered to be a hypocrite or just a bad muslim (of course Allah swt knows best).

For years he has made mine and my mum's life a misery, he has squandered any money she's earnt, he drinks, smokes weed and has a couple of children from mistresses (one being my aunt). He currently dotes on his teenage daughter and doesn't pay me any attention, is making me be her caring older sister and it's getting very hard. He says he believes in Allah, and he speaks with him every night (he has never prayed or fasted) and he says Allah will forgive him. I say to him you can't fool Allah, but seems to think he'll be forgiven as it's shaytan that makes him do these things.

I need to know where he stands in islam and can i still pray for him? He is in his 70s and he is very paranoid and will not have a word said against his daughter, I think he is mentally ill from smoking that stuff and drinking all these years.
Jazak'Allah for any advice.

[Te'oma]

It is for Allah to decide who is or isn't a muslim so my advice would be to pray for him. Insha allah he will see the error of his ways before it's too late.

[.: Rashid :.]

He is a fasiq, not a munafiq.

A fasiq is someone who openly sins and is a grave sinner.

You should make lots of dua for him, for Allah to forgive him and to help him stop committing these sins.

You should also remind your dad that death is very near for him (probably) and that he will have to face Allah soon...how will he answer?

Allah forgives his servant who asks for his forgiveness...if he doesn't ask, how can he expect to be forgiven? He has to pray and make dua to Allah.

Also, he has to abstain or make effort to abstain from the sin...otherwise the repentance (asking for forgiveness) is worthless.

May Allah forgive and guide your father. Ameen.

-Rashid

[Unsettled]

Jazak'Allah for the responses. I do pray for him to be guided and see the error of his ways, and to stop mistreating my mother, insha'Allah it's not too late for him. I tell him about hell and how it's not too late to start praying and ask forgiveness.

He's just in denial about the haram being haram, he says a little bit of everything is okay and he's convinced that he will be forgiven as he blames everything on shaytan. But he doesn't do anything in the way of Allah swt, but calls himself a muslim with a good heart. I find his ways insulting to Islam, the way he so openly sins. He even gave me non halal meat the other day, he thinks I'm extreme and taking things seriously. This really upset me, but he didn't really see the big deal.

I don't know why he shows so much love and attention to his illegitimate daughter. He gives her everything she wants, but I never ask for anything. I think it's out of guilt especially as he thinks he's not going to be around for much longer, he wants me to look after her when he dies, plus he's also willed one of his and my mum's properties to her and says if I try to contest it, i will go to hell.

[Medievalist]

No-one can say whether your father is a munafiq or a kafir based on your post. He is extremely sinful for his behaviour and his attitude but he is still your father. What you need to do is maintain courtesy and politeness for him - and I can understand how difficult it may be at times. We look to our parents to set the right example - when they don't it becomes extremely difficult to respect them but maintain common courtesy for the sake of ALLAH - not your father.

Further - if the atmosphere is extremely unislamic then you need to guard yourself and your mother/siblings from this. I'm supposing you've already had elders try and speak to your father, if not then get them to do so.

In regards this illegitimate sister - first off don't worry about this threat of your dad sending you to hell if you contest his will. Thats a beginners basic bluff. He can't you to hell anymore than he can send himself to heaven. About the will - in the even of your fathers death in Islam he has the right to will that upto 1/3 of his estate is given as gifts to certain people but not more than that. If the house he is designating for the other illegitimate offspring amounts to 1/3rd OR LESS of his entire estate then you should not contest it, if it is more then you are perfectly entitled to contest it. In such a case (ie where the house is worth more than a 1/3rd of your fathers estate) then that is your shari' right and you can go through the courts to attain that inheritance (along with the other shari' heirs).


Is your father abusive?

[Medievalist]

Sister - perhaps you need to consider taking you and your mother away from your father temporarily (temporary seperation). This isn't something that I advise but recent I've seen some benefit in this temporary situation and if your father is not providing you halal food and is generally of a dubious character - it's more important for you to maintain and protect your imaan rather than be affected by his misdemeanours.

[Medievalist]

Sorry - considering your fathers age it is perhaps not best to leave the house. The best thing is for you and your mother to become more firm - that means at times telling your dad what to do in a respectful manner. If he wants to do haraam things - then you tell him to do them outside, you've got the advantage of youth - use it.

[B3MWHF]

No -12th negation of Islam
ABANDONING THE OBLIGATORY PRAYERS.

All praise due to Allah (swt). We praise him for all the perfection and quality that He has and all the blessing that he bestows upon us, we seek His assistance and we ask for His forgiveness. We seek refuge in Allah (swt) from the evil within our selves and from our evil actions. Whoever Allah (swt) guides, none can misguide and whoever Allah (swt) leads to astray none can guide. I testify that there is no one worthy of being worshipped followed or obeyed except Allah (swt) and I also testify that the Muhammad (sws) is His slave and His Messenger. Who was sent with the guidance and the religion of truth (i.e. Islam) to make it prevail over all the other ways of Life.

WHAT IS THE RULING REGARDING THE ONE WHO DOES NOT PRAY?

The strongest opinion is that the person who does not pray Salah ever in his life or he left the five daily prayers completely or the most of his life time he does not pray the Salah but sometimes he prays. This person is a Disbeliever and he has left the fold of Islam.

The reason for this is that the Qur’anic verses and the speech of the prophet Muhammad (sws) and as well as the statement of the Sahabah, they all indicates and points towards the fact that the person who does not pray his five daily obligatory prayers is not a believer.

And this is even if the person he believes that praying five daily prayers is obligatory but he does not pray them then it will still make him Disbeliever.

Evidence from Qur’an

Allah (swt) says in Surah Taubah:

But if they repent and perform As-Salah and give Az-Zakah, then leave their way free. Verily Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most-Merciful.

Also Allah (swt) said:

But if they repent and perform As-Salah, and give Zakat, then they are your brethren in religion.

i.e., Allah (swt) has restricted the brotherhood, He made a condition that if they repent and perform As-Salah and give Zakah, then they become your brethren in religion. And we understand that only a Muslim can be a brother of another Muslim and therefore the person who does not pray is neither our brother nor a Muslim.

So one may ask `` What about Zakat`` because Allah (swt) mentions the Zakat also in that verse {(9:5) (9:11)}.

The answer is that if you take these ayahs on its apparent meaning then you will see that the one who does not give zakah is a Disbeliever, However there are other evidences presents which reduces the sin of the person who does not give zakah from being kufr Akbar to kufr Asghar, that makes us say that the one who does not give his zakah is not a Disbeliever. Rather he remains in the fold of Islam, due to the presence of other evidences relating to the subject matter.

So there are other evidences to prove or to change the abandoning the zakah from being greater disbelief to the lesser disbelief but there is nothing to prove or to change the abandoning the prayer from being greater disbelief to the lesser disbelief.

The evidence to prove that the one who abandons to give zakah is not a disbeliever, is the statement of the prophet (sws), recorded by Sahih Muslim, Where prophet (sws) said:

There is not a single person of wealth who does not give its right to Allah (swt) (i.e. Zakah) except that Allah (swt) will put him in the Hereafter make him carry this money as if he is carrying the fire of jahannam and he will be burnt in his face, his back and his forehead will be burnt by the fire if jahannam And Allah (swt) will leave him in that state for fifty thousands years, in this state of carrying fire and burning his face, burning his back and burning his forehead because he did not give the Haqq of the Zakat what Allah ordered him to do. Then he will see his path to enter into jannah or to remain in the Hellfire.

We know that a disbeliever will never enter the jannah. So this hadith proves that he did not die as a disbeliever and not paying the zakah does not take you out of the fold of Islam.

Note: Anywhere in the text it is said that, they are left with the ``will of Allah`` then it is speaking about Sinful Muslim that He may punish them or He may forgive them, As He wish.
Another evidence to prove this point is the statement of Abdullah ibn Shaqiq Al Uqaili (ra), one of the tabiyin he reported about the Sahabah, he said: Kaana Ashabu Muhammadin (sws), La Yaraina Shai’am Minal A’mali Tarkuhu Kufru Ghairus Salah.

``The companions of Muhammad (sws) never saw any action, which if you abandon it makes you a disbeliever. except the Salah.``

Similarly it is reported by Ibn Abdul Barr in his book`` Tamheth`` v-4, p-234. He reported from ibn Abbas that he said: The person who has lot of money, he does not pay zakah on it, nobody calls him a disbeliever and his blood does not become halal for you spill.

So these are evidences shows that the person who does not give Zakat is not a disbeliever. But as for Salah there is no evidence to say the same thing.
Evidence from Sunnah about abandoning the prayer

Prophet (sws) said: Bainar rajuli wa bainash Shirki wal Kufri, Tarkus Salah.``The difference between a man and falling into association and disbelief is the Abandonment of Salah.`` [ Sahih Muslim ]

Prophet (sws) said:Laisa bainal abdi wa bainal kufri, illa tarkus salah.
``There is no difference for a servant between himself and disbelief except by Abandoning the Salah. `` [ Nisa’i ]

Prophet (sws) said: Bainal kufri wal Iman, tarkus Salah. `` The difference between disbelief and Iman is the Abandonment of Salah. ``
[ Tirmidhi ]

Prophet (sws) said: Al Ahdalladhi bainana wa bainahum As-Salah. Faman tarakaha faqad kafar. `` The covenant between us (i,e. the prophet and the other Muslims) is As-Salah. Whoever leaves it, he has committed disbelief. [ Musnad Imam Ahmad ]

In a famous hadith prophet (sws) said: Whoever prays our prayer, faces our qiblah, and eats our jabiha, then he is a Muslim and his blood is secure that we do not fight him.

And therefore the opposite of the hadith is that the one who does not pray our prayer, does not faces our qiblah, does not eat our meat is a Disbeliever.

Prophet (sws) said: Bainal Abdi Wa Bainal Kufri Wal Imani As-Salah. Fa Iza Tarakaha Faqad Ashrak. `` In relation to a servant, the difference between disbelief and Iman is the Salah. If he Abandons it then he has committed Shirk. [ Sahih Targheeb hadith no- 574 ]

Prophet (sws) said: La Tatrukis Salata Muta’ammidah, Fa Innahu Man Tarakas Salata Muta’ammiadan. Faqad Bariat Minhuz Zimmatullahi Wa Rasoolihi. ``Do not leave the prayer intentionally because the one who leaves the prayer intentionally, he is free of the protection of Allah (swt) and His prophet. [Musnad Imam Ahmad also in Sahih Targheeb hadith no- 569 ]

Reported by Tabari that the prophet (sws) said: Man Tarakaha Muta’ammidan Faqad Kharaja Minal Millah. `` Whoever leaves the prayer intentionally, he has left the fold of Islam ( Millah ).

Also Prophet (sws) said: Akaharu Ma Yufkhadu Minad Deen As-Salah. `` The last knot of the Deen, the last protection of the Deen, the last thing to be untied of the Deen is As-Salah. If it is gone then the whole deen is gone.

Imam Ahmad commented on this hadith by saying: With everything if its last of it is gone, meaning all of it is gone. And if the Salah of a person is gone then his whole Deen is gone.

Repored by Imam Ahmad that the prophet (sws) said: There is not a single people of my ummah except that in the Hereafter I will know him. The companion asked him: How will who your ummah is amongst all the creation? So the prophet (sws) replied: Do you not see when you enter into a stable of a horse, inside the stable you find the black horses whose all of it is black, there is no different colour on the horse and also in the same stable you find that there is also horses which have white legs. He said: Can’t you distinguish between them quite easily. They said: Offcource we can distinguish between them. Prophet (sws) said: Indeed my ummah on that day, their faces will be full of Noor from the prostration that they do and also their hands and legs will be white because of their wudu that they do.

So somebody may ask the question that how the prophet (sws) would know the one who does not pray salah, does not make wudu and does not prostrate?

The Answer is that he will not know him because the person does not pray is a kaafir and he is not from the Ummah of Muhammad (sws).
What did the Sahabah say about abandoning the prayer?

►Omar Bin Al Khattab (Ra) said: There is no fortune for a persons Islam who abandons his Salat.
i.e. The person who does not pray for him there is no fortune, no benefit from his Islam, it will not help him at all.

►Ibn Mas’ud (Ra) said: Man Tarakas Salata Fala Deena lahu. `` The person who abandons his prayer, he has no Deen. ``

►Abu Darrda (Ra) said: La Imana Liman La Salatalah, Wala Salata Liman La Wuduwalah. `` There is no belief (Iman) for the person who does not pray and there is no prayer for the person who does not have wudu. ``

►Ali (Ra) said: Ma-llam Yusalli Fahua Kaafir. `` The one who never prayed, he is a Kaafir (Disbeliever). ``

►Jabir Bin Abdullah (Ra) said: Ma-llam Yusalli Fahua Kaafir.
`` Whoever does not pray he is a Disbeliever. ``

►Hammaad Bin Jayd who reported from Ayyub who said: Tarkus Salata Kufrun, La Yukhtalafu Fih. `` The one who Abandons the Prayer is a Disbeliever and there is no disagreement about that.

►Abdullah Ibn Shaqiq Al Uqaili (rh) said: Kaana Ashabu Muhammadin (sws), La Yaraina Shai’am Minal A’mali Tarkuhu Kufru Ghairus Salah.

``The companion of the Muhammad (sws) never saw any action which if you abandon it makes you a disbeliever except the Salah.``

From the above statement we can get two understanding.
It is a Ijmah of all the Sahabah that the person who abandons the prayer, he is a Disbeliever.
This is a greater kufr that they are talking about because the Sahabah they would see many Kufr Asghat (Lesser kufr) but they would never unite upon that.

So it is clear from the understanding of the Sahabah that the person who abandons his five daily prayers is not a Muslim. We should prefer their views over everyone else because they are the ones who accompanied prophet (sws) and we have to believe like they believed in order to become successful.
What did Ahlul Ilm say about Abandoning the prayers.

Ibn Taimiyyah in his Fatawa vol-28, page-308, he said:
The majority of the Salaf, they say that the one who abandons the Salah
(He should be killed as a disbeliever, this is even if he believes and admits that we must pray Salah).

Ibn Hazm in his book al-Muhalla, he said:
It is reported from Omar Bin Al Khattab, from Abdur Rahman Bin Auf, Muaz Bin Zabal, Abu Huraira, from amongst others from the Sahabah (May Allah be pleased with them all) that the one who abandons one single obligatory prayer intentionally and he abandons it, leave it until its time is gone, he is a disbeliever and Murtadd (Apostate) and we have not found a single Sahabah who opposes this.

Hafiz Al Munthiri in his book at-Targheeb, he said:
A group of the Sahabah and after them a group of people also declared disbeliever the one who abandons the prayer intentionally until the time of it is passed. Amongst them are Omar Bin Al Khattab, Abdullah Ibn Mas’ud, Abdullah Ibn Abbas, Muaz Bin Jabal, Jabir Bin Abdullah and Abu Darrda (Ra). And those who are not Sahabah and also reported the same thing are Ahmed Bin Hanbal, Ishhaq Bin Rahawe, Abdullah Bin Mubarak, Nakhi’e, Hakam Bin Uthbah, Ayyub Sakhtiani, Abu Dawud At Tayalisi, Abu Bakar Bin Abu Shaibah, Zhair Bin Harb amongst others.

All of this evidences force us to say that the one who abandons the prayer is a Disbeliever.

Note: We need to remain within the evidences and we do not come out of evidences. We need to follow what the Sahabah, Tabi'een, and Tabi' At-Tabi'een said about it rather then the later ones.

May Allah (swt) give us the correct understanding regarding his Deen and give us the Tawfeeq to follow it. ------Ameen.