Not all witchcraft makes you a kafir according to islamqa?

[lailahailaHuwa]

Assalamu alaykum

I was scrolling through old fatwas on islamqa when I came across this one about the punishment of witches:

"A practitioner of witchcraft may do something that makes him an apostate, so he commits kufr and should be executed for his apostasy. Or he may practice witchcraft by doing something that does not constitute kufr. In the latter case there is a difference of scholarly opinion, but the correct view is that he should also be executed if it is proven that he is a practitioner of witchcraft. This is what the sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) did and enjoined others to do. If he is executed, he should not be washed or shrouded or buried in the Muslim graveyard."

Either way, the witch is to be killed and not given the rights of the muslims upon death (logically). But I didn't know about the first part, that not all sihr is kufr.

Am I misunderstanding it? Is there some witchcraft which keeps you in the fold of Islam?

I do not intend to get an answer so that I or anyone else can practice witchcraft, audhubillah. It is is clearly a grave sin either way worthy of execution. But what is the difference between an apostate witch and a "Muslim" witch?

JzkAllah khair for your answers.

[MyUsernameIs...]

Re: Not all witchcraft makes you a kafir according to islamqa?

The sheikh in my class today mentioned this ...that not all sihr makes one a kafir, according to some scholars depending on what exactly was done. But it is haraam nonetheless.

[lailahailaHuwa]

Re: Not all witchcraft makes you a kafir according to islamqa?

The sheikh in my class today mentioned this ...that not all sihr makes one a kafir, according to some scholars depending on what exactly was done. But it is haraam nonetheless.

Yes, of course, and I do not mean to ask this question to pursue the exactness of the haram, because all of it is haram. It's like asking "is eating the pig's leg less haram than eating the pig's heart?," because both are haram, and the levels of haram doesn't matter.

It just piqued my curiosity because I always thought all sihr made one a kafir

[tumbirs]

But what is the difference between an apostate witch and a "Muslim" witch?

Sihr is a deception, illusion and there are many types. There is no might or any power except with Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى).

A performer uses what Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) gave him to make people believe in him rather than Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) and that causes him to disbelieve, and causes separation between man and his wife by harming their faith that binds their marriage.

It's a worthless trick and harming anyone is not in the best interest of the one seeking a benefit using it, except if Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) should will due to their influences of anarchy.

If Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) should give a man the ability to withstand the extreme cold, by regulating his body by burning fat then he is not like the common people and it is not to be mistaken for shir.

Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) gave Geckos the ability to climb any surface by using van der Waals forces and eventually mankind may learn and acquire this bounty of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى), and it is not to be confused for shir.

Some people may assume they are affected by Shir and accuse others, when they may actually have an illness or a parasite and should ask Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) for guidance and seek treatment.

I'm currently reading: Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah: Distinction Between Illusionary Tricks Involving Deception And Those Involving the Devils [source]

Only Allah () knows best.