Takfiri

A Takfiri (from the Arabic word تكفيري) is a Muslim who practices Takfir , which is to be accused of apostasy by other Muslims. The term Takfir derives from the word kafir (impiety) and is described as when "...one who is, or claims to be, a Muslim is declared impure." Those to whom Takfir is applied are considered excommunicated in the eyes of the Muslim community. According to Islamic or Sharia law, they can no longer benefit from the protection of the law, and as such are condemned to death. The severe implications of such punishment has resulted in a rigorous set of rules being formulated under orthodox Islam to determine whether an accused party is guilty of apostasy or not. In principle the only group authorised to declare a Muslim a kafir are the ulema , and this only once all the prescribed legal precautions have been taken. However a growing number of splinter Salafist groups - labelled by some scholars as Salafi-Takfiris - have split from the orthodox method of establishing takfir through the processes of the law, and have reserved the right to declare apostasy themselves. The Ideology of Wahhabi-Salafism and its Consequences, Amadeus Books, 2002

A takfiri ( takfīrī ) is a Muslim who accuses another Muslim (or an adherent of another Abrahamic faith) of apostasy . The accusation itself is called takfir , derived from the word kafir (infidel), and is described as when "one who is, or claims to be, a Muslim is declared impure." The act of accusing other Muslims of being takfiri has become a sectarian slur, particularly since the outbreak of the Syrian Civil War in 2011. In principle the only group authorised to declare a member of an Abrahamic religion a kafir ("infidel") is the ulema , and this is only done once all the prescribed legal precautions have been taken. However, a growing number of splinter Wahhabist / Salafist groups, classified by some scholars as Salafi-Takfiris, have split from the orthodox method of establishing takfir through the processes of the Sharia law. By framing its fight as a preemptive attack on takfiris – those who declare other Muslims to be apostates – Hizbollah has tarred all shades of the opposition, and indeed sometimes all Sunnis, with the same radicalising brush. It has exaggerated, and thereby exacerbated, the sectarianism of the Syrian opposition as well as its own domestic opponents Miller, Johnathan.

A takfiri ( takfīriyy lit. Excommunicational ) is a Muslim who accuses another Muslim (or an adherent of another Abrahamic faith) of apostasy . The accusation itself is called takfir , derived from the word kafir (unbeliever), and is described as when "one who is a Muslim is declared impure." If a person (or a group) claims to be Muslim but denies any of the basic tenets of Islam, then the one who declares them kafir is not counted as takfiri . This is used for groups like the Ahmadiyya , who are considered kafir by many Muslims because they are accused of denying the basic tenet of the Finality of Prophethood . Accusing other Muslims of being takfiris has become a sectarian slur (used most often by Shia Muslims against Salafis , Wahhabis , Sunni terrorists and any general Sunnis who claim that Shia are kuffar , making killing them allowed by Islamic doctrine), particularly since the outbreak of the Syrian Civil War in 2011. In principle, the only group authorised to declare a member of an Abrahamic religion a kafir (unbeliever) is the ulema , and this is only done if all the prescribed legal precautions have been taken. However, a growing number of splinter Wahhabist / Salafist groups, classified by some scholars as Salafi-Takfiris, have split from the orthodox method of establishing takfir through the processes of the Sharia . By framing its fight as a preemptive attack on takfiris – those who declare other Muslims to be apostates – Hizbollah has tarred all shades of the opposition, and indeed sometimes all Sunnis, with the same radicalising brush. It has exaggerated, and thereby exacerbated, the sectarianism of the Syrian opposition as well as its own domestic opponents Miller, Johnathan.

Radical Islamist ideology Takfiri ( , takfīriyy lit. "excommunicational") is an Arabic and Islamic term denoting a Muslim who excommunicates one of his/her coreligionists, i.e. who accuses another Muslim of being an apostate . Since according to the traditional interpretations of Islamic law ( sharīʿa ) the punishment for apostasy is the death penalty , and potentially a cause of strife and violence within the Muslim community ( Ummah ), an ill-founded accusation of takfīr is considered a major forbidden act ( haram ) in Islamic jurisprudence , with one ḥadīth declaring that one who wrongly declares another Muslim to be an unbeliever is himself an apostate. Takfirism has been called a "minority ideology" which "advocates the killing of other Muslims declared to be unbelievers". The term Takfiri has also been pejoritavely deployed by Shia jihadist groups to demonise and justify violence against Sunni Muslims . The accusation itself is called takfīr , derived from the Arabic word kāfir ("unbeliever"), and is described as when "one who is a Muslim is declared impure." An apostate is a murtad . In principle, in mainstream Sunnī Islam , the only group authorized to declare another Muslim a kāfir are the scholars of Islam ( Ulama ), and this is only done if all the prescribed legal precautions have been taken. An ill-founded accusation of takfīr is a major forbidden act ( haram ) in Islamic jurisprudence . Traditionally, the declaration of takfīr was used against self-professed Muslims who denied one or more of the basic tenets of Islam . Throughout the history of Islam , Islamic denominations and movements such as Shīʿa Muslims and the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community have been accused of takfīr and labeled as kuffār ("unbelievers") by Sunnī Muslims , becoming victims of religious discrimination , violence , and persecution perpetrated against them over the centuries. In the history of Islam , a sect originating in the 7th century CE known as the Kharijites carried out takfīr against both Sunnī and Shīʿa Muslims , and became the main source of insurrection against the early caliphates for centuries. Since the latter half of the 20th century, takfīr has also been used for "sanctioning violence against leaders of Islamic states" who do not enforce sharia or are otherwise "deemed insufficiently religious". This arbitrary application of takfīr has become a "central ideology" of insurgent Wahhabi - Salafi jihadist extremist and terrorist groups , particularly al-Qaeda and ISIL/ISIS/IS/Daesh , who have drawn on the ideas of the medieval Islamic scholars Ibn Taymiyyah and Ibn Kathir , and those of the modern Islamist ideologues Sayyid Qutb and Abul A'la Maududi . The practice of takfīr has been denounced as deviant by the mainstream branches of Islam and mainstream Muslim scholars such as Hasan al-Hudaybi (d. 1977) and Yusuf al-Qaradawi . P. ; Lewis, B.; Pellat, Ch. ; Bearman, P. Encyclopaedia of Islam, Second Edition . In McAuliffe, Jane Dammen (ed.). Encyclopaedia of the Qurʾān . "Theology of Violence-oriented Takfirism as a Political Theory: The Case of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS)". In Cusack, Carole M. ; Upal, M. Handbook of Islamic Sects and Movements . The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Modern Islamic World . The Washington Institute for Near East Policy . Religions . 10 (8: "The Return of Religious Antisemitism?"). University of Tehran . • Ghasemi, Faezeh (2017). Carnegie Endowment for International Peace . State Responses to Minority Religions . Partisans of Allah: Jihad in South Asia . Terror's Source: The Ideology of Wahhabi-Salafism and its Consequences .

Term describing Muslims who engage in excommunication Takfiri is an Arabic and Islamic term denoting a Muslim who excommunicates one of their coreligionists—i.e., who accuses another Muslim of being an apostate , or murtadd , 'one who turns back'. According to the traditional interpretations of Islamic law ( Sharia ), the punishment for apostasy is death Potentially a cause of strife and violence within the Muslim community ( ummah ), an ill-founded accusation of takfir is considered a major forbidden act ( haram ) in Islamic jurisprudence , with one hadith declaring that one who wrongly declares another Muslim to be an unbeliever is themself an apostate. Takfirism has been called a "minority ideology" that "advocates the killing of other Muslims declared to be unbelievers ". The accusation itself, takfīr , is derived from the Arabic word kafir ('unbeliever') and described as when "one who is a Muslim is declared impure". In principle, in mainstream Sunni Islam , the only group authorized to declare another Muslim a kāfir are the scholars of Islam ( ulama ); this is done only if all the prescribed legal precautions have been taken. Traditionally, the declaration of takfīr was used against self-professed Muslims who denied one or more of the five pillars of Islam . Throughout the history of Islam , Islamic denominations and movements, such as Shia Islam and Ahmadiyya Islam, have been accused of takfīr and labeled as kuffār ('unbelievers') by Sunni leaders, becoming victims of religious discrimination , religious violence , and religious persecution . The term Takfiri has also been pejoratively deployed by Shia jihadist groups to demonise and justify violence against Sunnis. In the history of Islam, a sect originating in the 7th century CE known as the Kharijites carried out takfīr against both Sunnī and Shīʿa Muslims, becoming a dominant source of intra-Islamic insurrection against caliphates for centuries. Since the latter half of the 20th century, takfīr has also been used for "sanctioning violence against leaders of Islamic states " who do not enforce Sharia or are otherwise "deemed insufficiently religious". This arbitrary application of takfīr has become a "central ideology " of insurgent Wahhabi - Salafi jihadist extremist and terrorist groups, particularly al-Qaeda and Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), which have drawn on the ideas of the medieval Islamic scholars Ibn Taymiyyah and Ibn Kathir , and those of the modern Islamist ideologues Sayyid Qutb and Abul A'la Maududi . The practice of takfīr has been denounced as deviant by mainstream branches of Islam and Muslim scholars, such as Hasan al-Hudaybi (died 1977) and Yusuf al-Qaradawi . There are <ref group=lower-alpha> tags or templates on this page, but the references will not show without a template or template (see the help page ). The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Modern Islamic World . Contending with Terrorism: Roots, Strategies, and Responses . Salafi-Jihadism: The History of an Idea . Religions . 10 (8: "The Return of Religious Antisemitism?"). University of Tehran . • Ghasemi, Faezeh (2017). Carnegie Endowment for International Peace . State Responses to Minority Religions . Partisans of Allah: Jihad in South Asia .