The Shahadah, or Testimony of Faith, enters one into the fold of Islam, providing its conditions are fulfilled, conversely there are matters which can remove one from the fold of Islam, if all mitigating factors are removed and all conditions are present. These matters are known as the Nullifiers of Islam.

It is incumbent upon every Muslim to familiarise himself with those matters which can nullify his faith just as it is obligatory upon him to learn those matters which maintain and increase his faith.

Of the many nullifiers of Islam, the scholars make mention of ten which are most commonly perpetrated by people.

Below is a translation of the Nullifiers of Islam by the Scholar, Reviver and Mujtahid, Muhammad b. ‘Abd al-Wahhab (d. 1206/1791).

Alternatively, click here for a PDF version: The Nullifiers of Islām by Shaykh Muhammad b ‘Abd al-Wahhab Arabic and English

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Giver of Mercy

Have knowledge [of the fact] that the nullifiers of Islam are ten nullifiers:

First: associating partners in the worship of Allah, He the Exalted said: {Indeed Allah does not forgive that partners are associated with Him and He forgives what is less than that to whoever He wills}, and He said: {Indeed, whoever associates partners with Allah, He has forbidden Paradise for him and his abode will be the Fire. And there is no helper for the oppressors}.

And from it [is]: sacrificing to other than Allah, like the one who sacrifices to the jinn or to the grave.

Second: whoever makes intermediaries between him and Allah, supplicating to them, asking them for intercession and depending upon them, he has disbelieved by consensus.

Third: whoever does not declare the polytheists to be disbelievers, or doubts their disbelief, or considers their way to be correct, has disbelieved.

Fourth: whoever believes that guidance, other than that of the Prophet, is more complete , or that the judgement of others is better than his judgement, like those who give preference to the judgement of al-tawaghit (those worshipped besides Allah while being pleased with it) over his judgement, then he is a disbeliever.

Fifth: whoever hates something that the Messenger came with – even if he acts in accordance with it – has disbelieved.

Sixth: whoever mocks something of the religion of the Messenger, or a reward of Allah, or His punishment, has disbelieved. The evidence is His saying the Exalted: {Say, “Is it Allah and His verses and His Messenger that you were mocking? Make no excuse; you have disbelieved after your belief. If We pardon one faction of you – We will punish another faction because they were criminals}.

Seventh: witchcraft – and from it [is]: Averting (al-Sarf) and Inclination (al-‘Atf) – so whoever does it or is pleased with it has disbelieved. The evidence is His saying: {…Yet these two never taught anyone without first warning him, “We are sent only to tempt- do not disbelieve.”}.

Eighth: Supporting the polytheists and assisting them against Muslims. The evidence is His saying the Exalted: {And whoever is an ally to them among you – then indeed, he is [one] of them. Indeed, Allah guides not the wrongdoing people}.

Ninth: Whoever believes that some people are exempt from the Shari’ah of Muhammad, just as al-Khadir was exempt from the Shari’ah of Musa, then he is a disbeliever.

Tenth: shunning the religion of Allah the Exalted by not learning it nor acting in accordance with it. The evidence is His saying the Exalted: {And who does more wrong than he who is reminded of the verses of his Lord; then he turns away from them? Indeed We, will take retribution, from the criminals}.

There is no difference in all of these nullifiers between the one who is joking, the serious and the fearful, except for the coerced.

All of them are from the gravest forms of danger and from those which are most commonly perpetrated. Thus it is necessary for the Muslim to be wary of them and fear them for himself.

We seek refuge in Allah from the causes of His anger and His grievous punishment.

May the praise and security of Allah be upon the best of His creation, Muhammad, and upon his family and his Companions.