What should be our view towards those who make takfir of Hazrat Aisha (رضي الله عنها)? Can a layman Muslim make takfir of the person who does so?
The mother of the believers, Lady ʿĀ’isha Siddīqa (رضي الله عنها) is an inhabitant of Paradise [jannati] beyond all doubt, and verily is the beloved companion of Muhammad, the Messenger of Allāh (صلى الله عليه وآله وصحبه وسلم) in the ākhira also. Whomsoever brings her grief, brings grief to the Messenger of Allāh.
It is written in Bahār e Sharīʿat Part 1 :–
“Those who – Allāh forbid – sully their foul mouths by slandering the mother of the believers, Siddīqa the daughter of Siddīq (رضي الله عنها), the beloved of the beloved of the Lord of the worlds with the wretched accusations of Ifk are beyond all doubt disbelievers and apostates [kāfir wa murtad]. And those Rāfidī and Tabarrā’ī individuals who make false accusations other than this are of corrupt religion and destined for the fire of hell.”
Thus, in the situation posed in the question – when an individual makes takfīr of Lady ʿĀ’isha (رضي الله عنها) who is verily and beyond all doubt jannati – such an individual is an disbeliever [kāfir] and apostate [murtad] himself.
The Messenger of Allāh (صلى الله عليه وآله وصحبه وسلم) said – “Whenever an individual accuses another of being a disbeliever, it is true with regards one of them. If the one addressed is a disbeliever, thus it is, otherwise it returns to the one who said so, and he shall become a disbeliever.”
It is necessary for the one who has made takfīr [of Lady ʿĀ’isha] to publicly repent and display remorse, and thereafter to renew his īmān and Islam, and if he was married to remarry.
As the individual making takfīr [of Lady ʿĀ’isha] was indeed out of the fold of Islam, there is no issue in calling him a disbeliever – and Allāh knows best – indeed, to believe such an individual to be a disbeliever is necessary.
[Muftī] Kawthar ʿAlī Ridawī
Markazī Dār al-Iftā’, Bareilly Sharīf
3 Dhī al-Hijja 1434
Answered checked and verified by – [Tāj al-Sharīʿa, Mufti ʿAllāmah]
Faqīr Muhammad Akhtar Ridā.
