Declaring Muslim Rulers as Kafirs
Posted: 16 Jamad-ul-Awwal 1423, 27 July 2002
| Q.) Is it okay to call our rulers like King Fahad, Yasir Arafat, and Parvaiz Musharraf kafirs? |
A.) In principle, it will not be permissible for anybody to brand any person a 'Kafir' until and unless the beliefs of that person are absolutely clear. We are unaware of the beliefs that the above mentioned leaders hold, hence, we cannot comment.
However, the basic rule is this that any person who denies any such law/belief that is established through the Qur'an or Hadith in such a way that this law/belief is absolutely clear and apparent into which there can be no chance of doubt, similarly, this law/belief must be famous, widely known to one and all – then, denying this will render a person as Kafir. If the person has this belief that such a law is obligatory and he believes in it, then even though he does not comply with such a law for his entire life, he will not be a Kafir – he will be a Muslim. (Jawaahirul Fiqh vol.1 pg.27).
And Allah Knows Best.