Is It Disbelief to Call Someone Shaytan?

Answered by Mawlana Ilyas Patel

Question

I hope you are well, Insha Allah. I have an unusual yet essential question for myself which I hope you can answer, Insha Allah. What is the ruling on calling oneself or someone a shaytan? And mostly, what I mean by this is about being naughty or cheeky, not in its literal sense, which most people understand in its context.

I ask this question because, in my culture, you often hear people calling each other shaytan in the sense they are naughty or even themselves sometimes. Is this a statement of kufr if said with the intentions mentioned?

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate

It is not permissible to call or nickname someone with ‘Satan’ no matter how badly they behave. Also, it is not a statement of disbelief (kufr). However, one should strictly avoid calling some such.

The Quran says, “Do not defame one another, nor call each other by offensive nicknames.” [Quran, 49:11]

Sufyan ibn Abdullah (Allah be pleased with him) reported I said, “O Messenger of Allah, (Allah bless him and give him peace) tells me of a matter I can depend upon?” The Messenger of Allah, peace, and blessings be upon him, said, “Say: My Lord is Allah. Then, remain upright.” I said, “O Messenger of Allah, what do you fear most for me?” The Prophet pointed to his tongue and said, “This.” [Tirmidhi]

Check this link as well:
Is It Possible To Leave Islam Due To an Accidental Statement Of Disbelief? – SeekersGuidance
103 – Importance of Speech – Birgivi’s The Path of Muhammad Explained – Shaykh Faraz Rabbani – YouTube
31 – The Tongue and the Majority of Man’s Sins – SeekersGuidance

Why not begin your search for knowledge by signing up for a course on SeekersGuidance?
SeekersAcademy (seekersguidance.org)

I pray this helps with your question.

[Mawlana] Ilyas Patel
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani