The Sign of Doctrinal Disbelief

Doctrinal disbelief (kufr) is with the heart and practical disbelief is with the body; that is, what is performed with the limbs returns to doctrinal disbelief (kufr) and faith (īmān), and what takes place with the limbs - whether the tongue or other organs - pertains to practical (not doctrinal) disbelief and faith. Sometimes the action of the limbs is a complete indicator of the action of the soul; in this case, one can attribute the judgment of what is indicated to the indicator (in the case of definitive and complete indication). For example, denial or confession by the tongue is a sign of doctrinal disbelief (kufr) and faith (īmān), just as prostration in worship is a sign of doctrinal worship. Thus, speech or prostration, which are actions of the external organs, due to definitive and complete indication of the action of the internal organ, will justify the attribution of disbelief (kufr) and faith (īmān). And if one who affirms the Trinity (tathlīth) is a disbeliever (kāfir): “Those who say that God is the third of three have indeed disbelieved” is for this reason, otherwise the one who believes in the Trinity (tathlīth) is a disbeliever (kāfir).

Note:

1. The aforementioned detail is based on the understanding that the intended meaning of “saying” (qawl) is not intellectual opinion but rather speaking with the tongue, otherwise saying (qawl) in the sense of intellectual opinion is itself doctrinal disbelief (kufr), not an indicator of it.

2. The threat of punishment in case of not desisting: “And if they do not desist from what they say, a painful punishment will surely afflict those among them who disbelieve” refers to saying (qawl) in the sense of not desisting from false belief (iʿtiqād), because if belief in the Trinity (tathlīth) is maintained, painful punishment is applicable, even if there is no verbal expression of it. Thus, the intended meaning of “the necessity of desisting from saying” is precisely ceasing from false belief (iʿtiqād).