Beware of Istikhfaaf

Istikhfaaf

Istikhfaaf is to trivialize any act of the Deen. It means to regard anything of Islam to be insignificant.

Consider an act such as consuming marrow (dodi). Rasulullah ﷺ loved eating marrow. Once Imaam Abu Yusuf (Rahmatullah alayh) whilst giving dars of Hadith, said:

“Rasulullah ﷺ loved eating dubbaa’ (marrow).”

A man interjected and said:

“I don’t like it.”

Imaam Abu Yusuf (Rahmatullah alayh) ordered the man to be executed. However, the man immediately made Taubah and recited Kalimah Shahaadat.

(Al-Urfush-Shazi of Allaamah Kashmiri)

The Fiqhi Perspective

What is the Fiqhi rule pertaining to eating dubbaa’? If someone does not like dubbaa’, is he to be executed? What is the Fiqhi category for refraining from eating dubbaa’?

Is it a Kabeerah sin, a Sagheerah sin, Makrooh Tahreemi or Makrooh Tanzihi?

Eating dubbaa’ is permissible. Abstention from it is not at all sinful. If someone eats it with the intention that it was loved by Rasulullah ﷺ, he will be rewarded. But there is no sin for not eating dubbaa’.

The Danger of Istikhfaaf

What then had inflamed Imaam Abu Yusuf (Rahmatullah alayh) so much that he ordered the execution of the man?

It was the attitude of Istikhfaaf which is kufr.

So beware of this attitude which effaces Imaan.

Source: Al-Haq Bulletin 83, Page 21 (Content reproduced according to the original wording contained in the bulletin image.)