Does Taking Sin Lightly Lead to Disbelief in Islam?

Answered by Shaykh Yusuf Weltch

Question

What does it mean to belittle a sin in a way that leads to disbelief? If I listen to music daily and take the matter lightly but still believe it is haram, does this make me a disbeliever?

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate.

The only thing that would make a Muslim a disbeliever is for them to reject that which they are required to believe to be a Muslim. [Tahawi, al-‘Aqida al-Tahawiyya]

Belittling a revered part of the religion, such as an established obligation (like prayer), is akin to rejection. [Ibn ‘Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar]

Also, to deem something that is unanimously deemed as strictly prohibited (haram) is akin to disbelief. [Ibid.]

Your Case

The situation you mentioned does not fulfill any of the above distinctions and is therefore not disbelief.

Music is an issue in which there is a scholarly difference of opinion. Although many scholars deemed it sinful, for one to do it or to deem it a light matter is not disbelief. Also, there is a difference between deeming something a light matter and mocking or making fun of it. [Ibid.]

Hope this helps
Allah knows best
[Shaykh] Yusuf Weltch
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Shaykh Yusuf Weltch is a teacher of Arabic, Islamic law, and spirituality. After accepting Islam in 2008, he went on to study at Darul Uloom Seminary in New York and completed his studies at Darul Mustafa in Tarim, Yemen.

There, he completed the memorization of the Quran and his study of Islamic Sciences. Throughout his years of study, he was blessed to learn from many great scholars: Habib Umar bin Hafiz, Habib Kazhim al-Saqqaf, Shaykh ‘Umar bin Husayn al-Khatib, and others.

Upon returning, he joined the SeekersGuidance faculty in the summer of 2019.