Can Misworded Speech About Allah Lead to Disbelief?
Answered by Shaykh Irshaad Sedick
Question
A man said that Allah is a disbeliever, intending that Allah created and predestined all kufr. Does such wording constitute disbelief even if his intent was about divine decree?
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate.
Thank you for your question.
The Ruling on Such Speech
Speaking about Allah in a way that attributes disbelief (kufr) to Him is extremely dangerous and impermissible. Even if the person intended to refer to Allah’s decree over disbelief, as in that He created and permitted it to exist, the wording is gravely inappropriate and can be interpreted as outright blasphemy.
Allah Most High says:
“And do not say about Allah except the truth.” [Quran, 4:171]
The scholars are clear: uttering words that explicitly entail disbelief constitutes disbelief, unless the context leaves no doubt that the person’s meaning was something else and their faith is otherwise sound. However, even then, the person must repent, seek forgiveness, and avoid such expressions entirely.
Divine Decree and Caution in Speech
Allah indeed created all things, including human actions, but He is exalted far above being described as a “disbeliever.” To use such wording confuses the distinction between Allah’s act of creating and the attribute of His creatures. The Creator is not to be described with the qualities of creation.
Imam Tahawi states in his creed: “He created creation with His knowledge, determined their destinies, and set out their lifespans. Nothing was hidden from Him before He created them, and He knew all that they would do before He created them.” [al-‘Aqida al-Tahawiyya]
This shows the proper way of expressing Allah’s decree without falling into offensive or dangerous speech.
Practical Guidance
- Repent immediately: Anyone who has used such wording should repent sincerely and renew their shahada out of caution.
- Choose precise language: Speak of Allah’s decree as “creating all things” and “willing all that occurs,” not in terms that ascribe evil to Him.
- Study sound creed: Consider taking Shaykh Faraz Rabbani’s excellent ‘What Muslims Believe and Why’ course to learn how to speak about our Rabb.
- Guard the tongue: Remember that slips of the tongue can be spiritually ruinous. The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said: “A servant may utter a word without thinking about it, and because of it he will fall into the Fire further than the distance between the east and the west.” [Bukhari; Muslim]
I pray Allah grants us caution in our words, clarity in our beliefs, and sincerity in our repentance.
And Allah knows best.
[Shaykh] Irshaad Sedick
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Shaykh Irshaad Sedick was raised in South Africa in a traditional Muslim family. He graduated from Dar al-Ulum al-Arabiyyah al-Islamiyyah in Strand, Western Cape, under the guidance of the late world-renowned scholar Shaykh Taha Karaan (Allah have mercy on him), where he taught.
Shaykh Irshaad received Ijaza from many luminaries of the Islamic world, including Shaykh Taha Karaan, Shaykh Muhammad Awama, Shaykh Muhammad Hasan Hitu, and Mawlana Abdul Hafeez Makki, among others.
He is the author of the text “The Musnad of Ahmad ibn Hanbal: A Hujjah or not?” He has been the Director of the Discover Islam Centre, and for six years, he has been the Khatib of Masjid Ar-Rashideen, Mowbray, Cape Town.
Shaykh Irshaad has fifteen years of teaching experience at some of the leading Islamic institutes in Cape Town. He is currently building an Islamic podcast, education, and media platform called ‘Isnad Academy’ and has completed his Master’s degree in the study of Islam at the University of Johannesburg. He has a keen interest in healthy Prophetic living and fitness.
