What is the difference between sheltering a perpetrator of a hadth (innovation/heresy), which warrants a curse, and concealing a perpetrator of a hadd (punishment/crime) who desires to repent? Is sheltering a perpetrator of a hadth done after the ruler's knowledge? Does this apply to all sins, or is it limited to hudud? And does it include all hudud?
The two hadiths: "May Allah curse whoever shelters a muhdith" and "Whoever introduces an hadath in it shall incur the curse of Allah, the angels, and all people," interpret hadath and muhdith in several ways, including:
1. Committing crimes against people and oppressing them, or innovating in religion.
2. Someone who commits a crime against another, and sheltering him means protecting him from his adversary.
3. Someone who commits a crime and flees to someone who prevents him from retribution.
4. The term hadath includes both innovation (bid'ah) and causing discord among Muslims (fitnah).
5. Hadath refers to injustice and the unjust person, or it is broader than that, encompassing transgressions against Allah's limits that necessitate punishment. Thus, whoever stands in the way of establishing the obligatory punishment upon an aggressor is among those who shelter a muhdith.
This differs from someone who has committed a sin and wishes to repent and conceal himself, as this is commendable.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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