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What is the ruling on a Muslim who withholds judgment regarding a Muslim who resorted to unlawful courts after his wife was raped, and is his resorting to them considered coercion? What is the ruling on a Muslim if he prostrates to an idol out of fear for his wealth or himself, while intending the prostration for Allah? And is it permissible to prostrate to an idol without coercion, intending the prostration for Allah?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

Muslims should be keen to gain deep understanding of Tawhid (monotheism) and supplicate with the prophetic prayer: "O Allah, I seek refuge in You from associating partners with You knowingly, and I seek Your forgiveness for what I do not know." Students of knowledge should educate communities on matters of creed, and strive diligently in seeking knowledge and inviting to it with patience and sincerity. It is not permissible to declare a Muslim an infidel except for clear disbelief proven by a text from revelation or by consensus. Scholars warn against declaring a specific person an infidel unless proof has been established and misinterpretation has been ruled out. Not everyone ignorant of something in religion becomes an infidel, and Allah forgave one who believed He would not resurrect him due to his ignorance. One does not exit Islam due to a sin or a misinterpretation, except by agreement or an established Sunnah that has no contradiction.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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