The Prohibition of Abusing and Killing Muslims

This profound hadith from Sahih al-Bukhari (Book: Afflictions and the End of the World, Reference: 7076) establishes two grave prohibitions in Islam. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ explicitly delineates the severe spiritual consequences of harming a fellow Muslim, categorizing verbal abuse as Fusuq and murder as Kufr.

Commentary on "Abusing a Muslim is Fusuq"

Fusuq (فسق) linguistically means to deviate or transgress. In Islamic terminology, it signifies a major sin that causes one to deviate from obedience to Allah. While not equating to outright disbelief (Kufr), Fusuq represents a severe spiritual corruption.

Scholars explain that verbal abuse includes cursing, slandering, backbiting, and using foul language against a Muslim. This prohibition extends to mocking, belittling, or insulting another believer, as such behavior violates the brotherhood of faith and damages societal harmony.

Commentary on "Killing Him is Kufr"

The declaration that killing a Muslim is Kufr (كفر) requires careful scholarly understanding. Classical commentators differentiate between two interpretations: some scholars understand this as the major Kufr that takes one out of Islam, while others interpret it as a "lesser Kufr" - meaning an act of gross ingratitude resembling disbelief.

Imam al-Nawawi explains that the preferred interpretation is that unjustly killing a Muslim is among the greatest of major sins, approaching the boundary of disbelief without necessarily making the perpetrator an apostate, unless they believe such killing is permissible.

Legal and Spiritual Implications

This hadith establishes the sanctity of Muslim life and honor. The severe warning serves as a deterrent against violence and verbal abuse within the Muslim community.

The scholars emphasize that repentance is required for both offenses. For verbal abuse, one must seek forgiveness from the offended party. For killing, in addition to worldly legal consequences, sincere repentance and compensating the victim's family are obligatory.

Broader Ethical Application

While specifically addressing Muslim-to-Muslim relations, the principles extend to dealings with non-Muslims. The preservation of life and prohibition of abuse represent universal Islamic values that govern all human interactions.

This teaching reinforces the concept that faith manifests through treatment of others, making the protection of human dignity and life fundamental to Islamic practice.