Islamic Personality


By Taquidin Nabhani

1. What does Personality consist of and what are the important factors?

Personality in every man consists of his mentality and his disposition (Nafsiyyah). His outward appearance, body, tidiness and all other aspects are irrelevant to his personality. These are only superficial appearances. It would be superfluous for anyone to think that any of them are a factor of personality or that they affect personality. This is because man is distinguished with his mind, and it is his conduct that is indicative of his elevation or degradation. Since the conduct of man in this life is in accordance with his concepts, his conduct is thus inevitably entwined with his concepts beyond separation. Conduct is the actions of man, which he performs in order to satisfy his instincts and organic needs. He inevitably acts in accordance with the inclinations that he has towards satisfaction. Consequently, his concepts and his inclinations are the backbone of his personality.

2. What are concepts? What makes them? What are their results?

Concepts are the meanings of thoughts, not the meanings of statements. A statement denotes a meaning that may or may not exist in reality,

Concepts are the meanings whose reality is comprehended by the mind, whether it be a tangible reality existent outside the mind or a reality that is accepted as existent outside it, provided this acceptance is based on tangible reality. Apart from this, the meanings of words and sentences are not called concepts; they are mere information.

The formation of concepts occurs as the result of associating reality with information or information with reality, and as the result of the crystallisation of this formation according to the basis or bases against which information and reality are measured when their association takes place, i.e. according to the person's understanding of the reality and the information when he associates them, i.e. according to his comprehension of them., Thus, a person acquires a mentality that understands words and sentences and comprehends meanings and their identified reality, and then it makes its judgement on this reality. So, mentality is the mode of comprehending things or understanding them. In other words, it is the mode in which the reality is associated with information, or in which information is associated with reality by measuring it against one basis or a number of specific bases. From this stem the discrepancies between mentalities, such as the Islamic mentality, the communist mentality, the capitalist mentality, the anarchist mentality and the monotonous mentality. As regards their results, these concepts determine the conduct of man towards the comprehended reality. They also determine his position in terms of inclination towards the reality turning towards it or away from it. In addition they provide him with a particular inclination and a specific taste.

3. What are inclinations? What causes them, and what effect do they have?

The inclinations are the drives, which motivate man to seek satisfaction, entwined with concepts he has about the things that are assumed to provide satisfaction. These inclinations are the outcome of the vital energy that pushes him to satisfy his instincts and organic needs, and the association between this energy and the concepts. These inclinations alone, i.e. the drives entwined with the concepts about life constitute man's Nafsiyyah (disposition). Nafsiyyah is the mode of satisfying instincts (paternal & maternal needs, love, care,o wning wealth etc) and organic needs(food,drink etc). In other words, it is the mode in which the drives for satisfaction are entwined with concepts. Thus it is a combination of the inevitable association that takes place naturally within man between his drives and the concepts he has about things entwined with his concepts about life.

4. What are the important influences in effecting a specific formation of personality?

It is of this Aqliyyah (mentality) and this Nafsiyyah that the Shaksiyyah (personality) consists. Although cognition or comprehension is innate in man and is definitely existent within every human, the formation of mentality is performed by man. Although inclinations are innate in man and are definitely existent within every man, but the formation of disposition (Nafsiyyah) is performed by man. Since the existence of a basis or a number of bases against which information and reality are measured in the process of association is what crystallises the meaning so that is becomes a concept; and since the combination that occurs between the drives and the concepts is what crystallises the drive so that it becomes an inclination. Thus the basis or bases against which man measures information and reality in the process of association has the most important influence in effecting a specific formation of personality. If this basis or bases according to which mentality is formed is the same basis or bases according to which Nafsiyyah (disposition) is formed, man achieves a personality that is distinguished with a specific colour. But if the basis or bases according to which mentality is formed is other than the basis or bases according to which disposition is formed, one's mentality will be different from his disposition. Because he would then be measuring his inclinations against a basis or bases that are deep rooted in him. Thus he would be entwining his drives with concepts other than those which formed his mentality. The result is that he becomes a personality that lacks distinctiveness, a personality with variance and discrepancy, one whose thoughts are different from his inclinations. Because he understands words and sentences and comprehends events in a mode different his inclination towards things.

Consequently, the treatment of personality and its formation can only be achieved through the establishment of one basis for both man's mentality and disposition. That is, the basis against which he measures information and reality when he associates them should become the same basis according to which drives and concepts are associated. Thus, personality is formed according to one basis and one criterion, and as a result becomes a distinctive personality.

5. What does Personality consist of, what are the important factors and does Islam provide a specific personality for man which is distinct from all others?

The 'Aqeedah (creed), treated his thoughts, making it an intellectual basis upon which his thoughts are built and according to which his concepts are formed. He distinguishes true thought from false when he measures it against the Islamic 'Aqeedah and builds it on the 'Aqeedah in its capacity as an intellectual basis. So his mentality is formed over this 'Aqeedah. This intellectual basis, the 'Aqeedah, thus provides him with a distinct mentality and a true criterion for thoughts. It thus safeguards him against erroneous thought; he expels false thought and remains honest in his thought and sound in his comprehension.

At the same time, man's actions, which stem from his instincts and organic needs are properly treated by Islam with Shari'ah rules, which emanate from the 'Aqeedah itself. The Shari'ah rules regulate but do not suppress instincts, they harmonise between them, not leaving them free without restriction. They enable him to satisfy all his needs in a harmonious manner that leads to tranquillity and stability. Islam has made the Islamic 'Aqeedah an intellectual one, thus making it suitable as an intellectual basis against which thoughts can be measured. It also made its 'Aqeedah a comprehensive idea about man, life, and the universe. This comprehensive idea has solved for him all of his complexities whether internal or external. This made it suitable as a general concept, i.e. a criterion that is used naturally when the association between drives and concepts occurs, that is a criterion according to which inclinations are formed. So, Islam provided man with a definite basis, which represented a definite criterion for both concepts and inclinations that is for mentality and disposition at the same time. Thus Islam formed the personality in such a special way so that it is distinct from other personalities.

We conclude that Islam forms the personality by means of the Islamic creed. This Islamic 'aqeedah forms both his Aqliyyah (mentality) and Nafsiyyah (disposition).

6. What is the Islamic Mentality?

The Islamic mentality is the one that thinks on the basis of Islam, i.e. that takes Islam and only Islam as the general criterion for thoughts related to life. It is not the mentality that is merely knowledgeable or pensive. Rather, the mere fact that a person actually and practically takes Islam as the criterion for all thoughts makes his mentality Islamic.

7. What is the Islamic Nafsiyyah?

The Islamic Nafsiyyah (disposition) is the one that makes all its inclinations based on Islam, i.e. that makes Islam the only general criterion for all satisfactions. It is not the one, which is merely ascetical or stringent. Rather, the mere fact that a person actually and practically makes Islam the criterion for all satisfactions makes his disposition Islamic. A person with this mentality and this disposition thus becomes an Islamic personality, irrespective of whether he is knowledgeable or ignorant, and irrespective of whether he confines himself to observing the fard (obligatory) and mandoub (recommended) rules and refrains from the haram (prohibited) actions, or he observes besides this, other recommended acts of obedience and avoidance of suspicious acts. In both cases, a person is an Islamic personality because anyone who thinks on the basis of Islam and makes his desires conform to Islam is an Islamic personality.

8. Is it important for the Muslim to strengthen his Islamic culture and mentality?

Islam ordered the Muslim to learn more Islamic culture, so that this mentality grows and becomes capable of measuring any thought. Islam also demanded performing matters beyond the fard (obligatory) actions and demanded the avoidance of matters more than the haram (prohibited actions) in order that this disposition is strengthened, so that it becomes capable of deterring any inclination that is incompatible with Islam. But all this is intended to enhance this personality and to set it to proceed towards a sublime pinnacle.

9. Can the Islamic personality vary in strength amongst man?

The common knowledgeable who act in accordance with Islam and the educated who confine themselves to performing the fards (compulsory rules) and refraining from the harams (prohibited actions) are all Islamic personalities. These types of personality only vary in strength but are all Islamic personalities. What matters when judging whether someone is an Islamic personality is whether he takes Islam as the basis for his thinking and inclinations. It is according to this that Islamic personalities, mentalities, and nafsiyyahs (dispositions) become disparate.

10. Is it correct to envisage the Islamic personality as akin to an angel?

Those who envisage an Islamic personality as an angel commit a grave misjudgement. Their harm in society is enormous, because they look for angels amongst people and never find them; they do not find an angel even in themselves. They thus despair and give up hope for Muslims. Those idealistic people verily serve as proof that Islam is utopian, impossible to implement, and is a host of admirable ideals that man cannot implement or endure. Consequently, they repulse people from Islam and render many people too paralysed to act; although Islam came in order to be implemented in practice.

11. How realistic is it to develop an Islamic personality?

Islam is realistic, i.e. it deals with realities and it is not difficult to implement. It is within the potential of every man, no matter how weak his thinking is and how strong his instincts and needs are. Such a man can implement Islam upon himself smoothly and easily after he has comprehended the Islamic Aqeedah and become an Islamic personality. This is because he definitely becomes an Islamic personality merely by making the Islamic Aqeedah the basis for his concepts and inclinations and maintaining this criterion.

The only task that he has to perform afterwards, is to strengthen his personality with the Islamic culture in order for his mentality to grow, and with recommended acts of obedience to strengthen his Nafsiyyah, so that he is on the path to a sublime pinnacle, which he would not only reach but also surpass towards ever-elevating peaks. This is due to the fact that Islam has treated man's mentality with its Aqeedah when it made this Aqeedah the intellectual basis on which to build his thoughts about life. So, he distinguishes true from false thought when he measures thoughts against the Islamic Aqeedah and builds them on it because it is an intellectual basis. Thus, he safeguards himself against erroneous thought, avoids false thought and remains true in his thought and sound in his comprehension.

12. How does Islam treat man's inclinations?

Islam has treated man's inclinations with Shari'ah rules when it treated his actions, which emanate from his instincts and organic needs. This treatment is sensitive; it regulates instincts but does not harm them by attempting to destroy them. It does not leave them free and unrestricted but puts them in harmony. It enables man to satisfy all his needs in a harmonious manner that leads to tranquillity and stability. So, a Muslim who embraces Islam through ration and evidence and fully implements Islam upon himself and understands correctly the rules of Allah (Subhaanahu wa ta'ala), this Muslim is an Islamic personality distinct from all others. He achieves the Islamic mentality when he makes the Islamic Aqeedah the basis for his thinking. And he achieves the Islamic Nafsiyyah when he makes this Aqeedah the basis for his inclinations. Hence, the Islamic personality is characterised with special attributes that distinguish the Muslim and mark him amongst people; he is as outstanding amongst them as a mole on the face. These attributes that characterise him are an inevitable result of his observance of Allah's commands and prohibitions and of performing his actions in accordance with these commands and prohibitions as a result of his awareness of his relationship with Allah (Subhaanahu wa ta'ala). Thus, his aim from observing the Shari'a is nothing but to please Allah (Subhaanahu wa ta'ala).

13. What are the qualities of the one who achieves the Islamic Personality?

After a Muslim has achieved an Islamic mentality and nafsiyyah, he becomes qualified for cadetship and leadership simultaneously. He combines mercy and toughness, luxury and asceticism. He truly understands life, so he seizes this worldly life, allocating for it only its due significance and he gains the hereafter by striving for it. Accordingly, he is not dominated by any of the attributes of the worshippers of worldly life. He does not drift with religious monomania or Indian asceticism. Simultaneously, he is a hero of Jihad and a resident of a prayer chamber. He humbles himself when he is a master. He combines within him leadership and jurisprudence, trade and politics. His most sublime attribute is that he is a servant of Allah's, his Creator. Therefore, you see him humble in his prayer; he refrains from futile talk; he pays his Zakaah; he lowers his gaze; he observes his trusts; he honours his pledge; he keeps his promise; and he performs Jihad.

Thus is the Muslim.
Thus is the believer.
Thus is the Islamic personality, which Islam forms and by which it makes a person most righteous amongst people.

Allah (Subhaanahu wa ta'ala) described this personality in the Holy Qur'an with a number of ayahs (verses) when He described the companions of the Prophet (pbuh) and when he described the servants of Allah Most Gracious and when He described those who perform Jihad.

''Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah; and those who are with him are strong against Unbelievers, but compassionate amongst each other,'' [29:48].

And:

''The vanguard (of Islam), the first of those who forsook (their homes) and of those who gave them aid, and (also) those who follow them in all good deeds, well-pleased is Allah with them as are they with Him,'' [100:10]

And:

''The believers must (eventually) win through. Those who humble themselves in their prayers; who avoid vain talk; who are active in deeds of charity'' [1-4:23]

And:

''and the servants of Allah Most Gracious are those who walk on the earth in humility, and when the ignorant address them, they say, ''Peace!'' Those who spend the night in adoration of their Lord, prostate and standing.'' [63-64:25]

And:

''But the Messenger, and those who believe with him strive and fight with their wealth and their persons: for them are (all) good things: and it is they who will prosper. Allah has prepared for them Gardens under which rivers flow, to dwell therein: that is the supreme felicity'' [88-89:9]

And:

''Those that turn to Allah in repentance; that serve Him and praise Him; that wander in devotion to the cause of Allah; that bow down and prostrate themselves in prayer; they enjoin good and forbid evil; and observe the limits set by Allah; these do rejoice. So proclaim the glad tidings to the Believers'' [112:9]



14. What is the correct basis on which the Personality Formed?

When man cognises or comprehends things, i.e. when he comprehends them, in a specific mode, he achieves a specific mentality. When the drives for satisfaction, which have crystallised through their inevitable association with the concepts about things, are entwined by man with specific concepts about life, he achieves a specific nafsiyyah. When his concepts about life unite in controlling him when he cognises things and when he inclines to things as well, he achieves a specific personality. Therefore, personality is making the direction one has in cognising things and in inclining to them as one direction built on one basis. Thus the formation of personality is the establishment of one basis for both thinking and inclinations in man. Such a basis may be one or multiple, when it is multiple, that is if multiple guidelines were made bases for thinking and inclinations, one would have a personality, but it would be colourless . If the basis were one, that is if one principle was made the basis for thinking and inclination, one would have a specific personality of a specific colour. This is how man should be and this also should be targeted in the process of culturing individuals.

Although every general idea could be a basis for thinking and inclination, but such an idea could only be a basis for a limited number of things but not for all things. Nothing qualifies for a comprehensive basis for all things except a comprehensive idea about man, life and the universe. This is because it is the intellectual basis on which every thought is built, and because it determines every viewpoint in life. And because it is only the intellectual creed, which is fit to refer to with regard to thoughts that regulate life's matters and those that affect man's conduct in life.

Nevertheless, the fact that the comprehensive idea, i.e. the intellectual creed is exclusively fit as a general and comprehensive basis for thinking and inclinations, in no way this means that it is the correct basis. It only means that it is fit to be a basis, irrespective of correctness or incorrectness. What indicates the correctness or incorrectness of such a basis is its compatibility with man's fitrah (innate nature). If an intellectual creed was compatible with man's fitrah , it would be a correct creed, and , consequently, it would be a correct basis for thinking and inclinations, i.e. for the formation of personality. If it were incompatible with the fitrah, it would be a false creed and thus a false basis. Creed's compatibility with fitrah means its acknowledgement of the impotence and the need to depend on the Creator (The Governor) that are in man's fitrah, in other words its compatibility with the instinct of sanctification.

The Islamic Aqeedah is the only intellectual creed that acknowledges what is in man's fitrah, namely sanctification. This is because other creeds are either compatible with the instinct of sanctification by way of emotion not by way of ration, thus being non-intellectual creeds, or they are intellectual creeds but do not acknowledge what is in man's fitrah , i.e. they do not acknowledge the instinct of sanctification.

Therefore, the Islamic Aqeedah is the only correct creed. And it is the only creed that is fit to be the correct basis for thinking and inclinations. Hence, the formation of personality by man should be based on the intellectual creed as a basis for his thinking and inclinations. Since the Islamic creed (Aqeedah) is the sole correct intellectual creed and thus the sole correct basis, the formation of personality should take place by making the Islamic Aqeedah alone the sole basis for man's thinking and inclinations, in order for him to be an Islamic personality, i.e. to be a lofty and distinct personality. Hence formation of the Islamic personality is only accomplished by building both the thinking and the inclinations of the individual on the basis of the Islamic Aqeedah. By so doing, the Islamic personality is formed.

15. How is the Islamic personality maintained and developed

For this personality to remain based on the Islamic Aqeedah, there is no guarantee, since deviation from the Aqeedah might occur in man's thinking; it might occur in his inclinations as well. This deviation may be in the form of misguidance (kufr) or in the form of fisq (transgression). Therefore, a constant observance of building the thinking and inclinations on the basis of the Islamic Aqeedah maintained at every moment in life in order for the individual to remain an Islamic personality. After the formation of this personality, work is focused on developing it by developing the mentality and by developing the nafsiyyah. As regards the nafsiyyah, it is developed through worshipping the Creator and drawing nearer to Him through acts of obedience, and by constantly building every inclination towards any thing on the Islamic Aqeedah. Development of the mentality, on the other hand, is achieved through the explanation of thoughts built on the Islamic Aqeedah and conveying them in Islamic culture.

16. Is this the same method employed by the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) in forming the Islamic personality?

This is the method for forming the Islamic personality and the method for developing it. It is one and the same method employed by the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam). He used to call people for Islam by calling them for the Islamic Aqeedah. Once they have embraced Islam, he strengthened this Aqeedah in them and ensured that they were committed to building their thinking and inclinations on its basis, as was reported in the Athar (material conveyed by the Sahaabah),''None of you shall be believer unless his disposition is in accordance with what I brought to you,'' and ''None of you shall be believer unless I am the intellect with which he comprehends.'' He then proceeded to convey the Quranic ayahs of Allah (Subhaanahu wa ta'ala) that were being revealed to him and to explain the ahkaam (rules) and to teach Islam to the Muslims. At his hands, and as a result of following him and adhering to what he conveyed, lofty Islamic personalities second only to the prophets were formed. We thus conclude that the starting point with the individual is the establishment within him of the Aqeedah; then, thinking and inclinations are built on it; afterwards, effort is exerted in performing acts of obedience and acquiring thoughts.

17. Does behaviour contradicting the attributes of a committed Muslim make him a non-Islamic personality or ostracise the person from Islam?

Many Muslims exhibit acts that are incompatible with their Islamic Aqeedah. Many Islamic personalities exhibit some behaviour that contradicts with their Islamic personalities. Some think that the acts, which are incompatible with the Islamic Aqeedah, ostracise the person from Islam, and that the behaviour contradicting the attributes of a committed Muslim divests him of his Islamic personality.

The truth is that gaps in the conduct of a Muslim do not divest him of his Islamic personality. This is because a person may inadvertently fail to associate his concepts with his Aqeedah; or he may be ignorant of the contradiction between such concepts and his Aqeedah or his Islamic personality; or Satan may overwhelm his heart and thus cause him to distance himself from this Aqeedah in one of his acts. So he would act in a manner that is incompatible with his Aqeedah or that contradicts the attributes of a Muslim adherent to his deen or against the commands and prohibitions of Allah (Subhaanahu wa ta'ala). He would do all this or some of it when he still embraces the Aqeedah and employs it as the basis for his thinking and inclinations. Thus it is incorrect in such cases to say that the person has abandoned Islam, or that he has become a non-Islamic personality. Because as long as the Islamic Aqeedah is embraced by him, he remains a Muslim, although disobedient in one of his acts. As long as one adopts the Islamic Aqeedah as the basis for his thinking and inclinations, he is an Islamic personality, even if he commits fisq (transgression) in a given instance of his behaviour. This is because what matters is the embracing of the Aqeedah and the adopting of it as the basis for thinking and inclinations, even though there are gaps in acts and behaviour.

A Muslim is not ostracised from Islam unless he relinquishes the embracement of the Islamic Aqeedah whether by speech or action. He is not divested of his Islamic personality unless he distances himself from the Islamic Aqeedah in his thinking and inclinations, i.e. if he does not take it as a basis for his thinking and inclinations. If he distances himself from it, he is no longer a Muslim. And if he does not distance himself from it he remains a Muslim. Therefore one can be a Muslim because he does not deny the Islamic Aqeedah, but in spite of being a Muslim he is not an Islamic personality. This is because despite his embracement of the Islamic Aqeedah he does not take it as a basis for his thinking and inclinations. This is due to the fact that the association of concepts with the Islamic Aqeedah is not mechanical in such a way that the concept does not function except in accordance with the Aqeedah. Rather it is a social association that is open to separation and back to restoration. Therefore no wonder that a Muslim commits a disobedience and violates the commands and prohibitions of Allah in one of his acts. Such a person might see the reality incompatible with associating behaviour with the Aqeedah. Or he might imagine that it was in his interest to do what he did but then he repents and comprehends the error of what he did and returns to Allah (Subhaanahu wa ta'ala). Such a violation of Allah's commands and prohibitions does not deny him his Aqeedah but it does deny him his commitment to the Aqeedah in this precise act. Therefore an 'aasi (disobedient person) or a faasiq (perpetrator of transgression) is not considered a murtadd (apostate), but he is considered a Muslim 'aasi only in the act in which he was disobedient, and he is punished for this act only. He remains a Muslim as long as he embraces the Aqeedah of Islam. So, it should not be said that he is a non-Islamic personality for the mere instance when he erred inadvertently, or when he was overwhelmed by Satan, as long as his adoption of the Islamic Aqeedah as a basis for his thinking and his inclinations is intact and free of any doubt.

The Sahaabah (companions of the prophet) were involved in a number of incidents at the time of the prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) where a companion of the prophet would violate a command or prohibition. Such violations did not deny him his being a Muslim and it did not compromise his Islamic personality. This is because they were humans not angels. They are just like all other people and they are not impeccable because they are not prophets. Hatib ibn Abi Balta'ah conveyed to the Kafirs of Quraish the news of the prophet's intention to invade them, although the prophet was cautious to maintain the secrecy of the invasion. The prophet twisted the head of Al-Fdl Ibn Al-'abbas when he saw him gazing, in a manner indicating inclination and desire, at a woman who was talking to the prophet. In the year of the conquest (of Mecca), the Ansar spoke about the prophet and said that he had abandoned them and returned to his kinsfolk despite his vow not to do so. The senior Sahabah fled the fight at Hunain and left the prophet with only few of his companions. These were only some of the incidents which the prophet did not consider undermining to the Islam of the perpetrators or blemishing to their Islamic personality.

This alone is sufficient evidence that gaps in conduct do not ostracise the Muslim from Islam, nor do they divest him of his Islamic personality. Yet, this does not imply the permissibility of disobeying Allah's commands and prohibitions, since it is indisputable that disobeying them ranges between haraam (prohibited) and makrooh (disliked). Nor does this imply that an Islamic personality is free not to conform to the attributes of a committed Muslim since all this is indispensable for the formation of an Islamic personality. Yet this does imply that Muslims are humans and that Islamic personalities are humans not angles. Thus if they erred they would be treated in accordance with the dictates of Allah's rule if their fault is punishable. But it should not be said that they became non-Islamic personalities.

The basis for judging whether someone is an Islamic personality is the intactness of his Islamic Aqeedah and the building of his thinking and inclinations on it. As long as the basis is intact and the building of thinking and inclinations is exclusively on the Islamic Aqeedah, rare inadvertent errors, i.e. gaps in conduct do not compromise his Islamic personality.

18. What are the factors that would make a person a non-Islamic personality and ostracise him from Islam?

But if a person's Aqeedah becomes faulty, this person is ostracised from Islam even if his deeds were built on the rules of Islam, because they would not then be built on belief but on something other that belief, either on habit, conformity to people, the benefit of such deeds or any other matter. If the building process becomes faulty due to his use of benefit as the basis on which to build his behaviour, or the use of the intellect as the basis on which to build his behaviour, the person would remain a Muslim due to the intactness of his Aqeedah. But he would no longer be an Islamic personality, even if he was among the carriers of the Islamic Da'wa or if all his behaviour is in conformity to the rules of Islam. This is because the building of thinking and inclinations on the Islamic Aqeedah due to belief in it is what makes an Islamic personality.

Therefore, those who love Islam and want it to be dominant and victorious but do not build their thinking on its thoughts and rules but rather on their own minds, interests or desires, they should be wary of such a deed because it distances them from being Islamic personalities; even if their Aqeedah is intact and even if they were highly knowledgeable of the thoughts and rules of Islam. Attention should be drawn to the fact that embracing the Islamic Aqeedah means belief in all of the prophet's message, as a whole, and belief, in the detailed, matters whose evidence is definite, and that the acceptance of all this be matched with contentment and submission. It should be known that mere knowledge is insufficient and that revolt against a most minor matter proven definitely as part of Islam ostracises the person and detaches him from the Aqeedah. Islam is an indivisible whole as far as belief and acceptance is concerned. Thus Islam can only be accepted as a whole; relinquishment of a fraction of it is kufr (disbelief). Hence the belief in the separation of deen from life or from the state is indisputable kufr.

''Those who deny Allah and His Messengers, and (those who) wish to separate Allah from His Messengers, saying , 'We believe in some but reject other' and those who wish to take a course midway, They are in truth (equally) unbelievers''[150-151: 2 Annisa'].