'Abdullah ibn 'Umar reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "If a man says to his brother, 'You are an unbeliever,' it is true for one or the other of them."
Hadith Text
'Abdullah ibn 'Umar reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "If a man says to his brother, 'You are an unbeliever,' it is true for one or the other of them."
Source Reference
Book: Al-Adab Al-Mufrad
Hadith: Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 439
Scholarly Commentary
This profound hadith establishes a critical principle in Islamic creed and interpersonal conduct. The Messenger of Allah warns against hastily declaring takfir (accusation of disbelief) against fellow Muslims.
The statement "it is true for one or the other of them" means that either the accusation is correct - in which case the accused is indeed outside the fold of Islam - or the accuser has committed a grave sin by falsely accusing a believer of kufr, thereby making the accusation rebound upon himself.
Scholars explain that declaring a Muslim to be a kafir without legitimate Islamic proof constitutes major disbelief, as it involves falsely testifying about Allah's judgment upon His servants. This prohibition protects communal harmony and prevents the fragmentation of the Muslim ummah through baseless accusations.
The term "brother" in the hadith emphasizes the fraternal bond between Muslims, making such accusations particularly reprehensible. This teaching cultivates caution in speech and promotes an attitude of husn al-dhann (positive assumption) toward fellow believers.