He is Not From Amongst Us (Laysa Minnā)

By Mawlana Muhammad Omarji

During his lifetime, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) guided his followers by enjoining good and prohibiting evil. This was achieved through various methods, such as, mentioning virtues and promises or admonishments and punishments.

Below we will list those actions which are mentioned in aḥādīth containing a specific style of admonishment where the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) warned from certain actions with the phrase “he is not from amongst us” (laysa minnā); meaning, that these acts are of such an abominable nature that it’s perpetrator has been described and labelled, by the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), as someone who is not deserving of being part of his nation, style and way of life. In simple words, it is a phrase, to express his severe dislike and contempt for the action and overwhelming remorse over the doer.

There are many opinions as to what “he is not from amongst us” (laysa minnā) refers to, which will be discussed further on; however, after studying all the aḥādīth in which the phrase “he is not from amongst us” (laysa minnā) is found, we can conclude that this phrase entails a very broad scope for meaning and interpretation. As a result, we find this phrase used for an individual who has left the fold of Islam altogether, while in other instances; it is used when a mere a virtuous deed is omitted. Thus, the best way forward is that the interpretation of “he is not from amongst us” (laysa minnā) is left open to interpretation and a meaning specified according to the action and circumstance. If, for instance, only one interpretation was chosen, it would be difficult to gather all the aḥādīth under that interpretation.

When we study the vast collection of aḥādīth, we find the following actions mentioned with the phrase “he is not from amongst us” (laysa minnā):

1. To act contrary to the way of the Messenger of Allah ‎(may Allah bless him and grant him peace).
2. To not show affection to the young.
3. To not respect the elders.
4. To not hold the people of knowledge in high esteem.
5. To commit sorcery
6. To have sorcery committed.
7. To not recite the Qur’an in a melodious tone.
8. To wail and cry excessively upon someone’s death.
9. To mourn excessively.
10. To not get married despite having the means.
11. Calling towards partisanship and tribalism or do die for its cause.
12. To imitate the non-Muslims.
13. To cheat in horse racing.
14. To practice divination.
15. To have divination practiced.
16. To take ill-omen.
17. To have an ill-omen taken.
18. To grow the moustache excessively.
19. For women to imitate men.
20. For men to imitate women.
21. To deny predestination.
22. To refrain from hitting a snake with the fear of its retribution.
23. To raise a weapon against a believer or to frighten him.
24. To shave the beard and moustache as a way of mourning the deceased.
25. To rip the collar when mourning.
26. To make a false claim.
27. To fight for ones tribe.
28. To abstain from enjoining good.
29. To abstain from prohibiting evil.
30. To rob or unlawfully usurp someone’s wealth.
31. To not pray witr ṣalāh.
32. To take oath on something other than Allāh.
33. To flatter or behave obsequiously with influential or wealthy individuals.
34. To learn the art of archery and warfare and then forget it.
35. To turn the wife against the husband of the husband against the wife.
36. To turn the slave against the master.
37. To engage in marital relations with an expecting prisoner of war.
38. To not remove hair from around the private parts.
39. To not clip the nails.
40. To turn the servant against the master.

Apart from the above, in Sūrah al-Anʿām, Verse 159, Allāh has also disassociated from the way of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) those who divide up their religion and become factions.

An amazing point to note about the above list of actions is that majority of them are related to social conduct and the rights of servants. This is a clear indication of the degree to which Islam has guided its followers towards maintaining good social relations.

Below we will discuss and cite the opinions of ḥādīth scholars to help us understand the broad meaning of “he is not from amongst us” (laysa minnā).

Opinion of Imam Tirmidhī

Imam Tirmidhī states that, “laysa minnā”, he is not from amongst us, means that he is not upon our methodology and [taught] etiquette.” (Sunan al-Tirmidhī)

Opinion of Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar ʿAsqalānī

Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar ʿAsqalānī explains the phrase “laysa minnā” in the following words:

“Laysa minna (he is not from amongst us) means, not from our methodology or our way. It does not suggest that the one who does it is expelled from religion. The objective of addressing in this manner was to intensify condemnation over the occurrence of such things. For example, when a father rebukes his son he may say may, I have nothing to with you and you have nothing to do with me; meaning, you are not on following my way and wish. (Fatḥ al-Bārī)

Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar ʿAsqalānī has then quoted the statement of Ibn al-ʿArabī:

“He is not on our complete religion, i.e. he has left a branch from the branches of religion, while he still possesses the fundamentals of religion.” (Fatḥ al-Bārī)

Opinion of ʿAllāmah Nawawī

ʿAllāmah Nawawī mentions in his commentary of Ṣahīḥ Muslim:

“The meaning of “laysa minna” according to scholars is that the one engages in that act is not from those who are guided to our way or not from the followers of our knowledge, actions and noble character, like a father says to his son when he does not comply to his wishes, you are not from me. This is the interpretation for all aḥādīth which have the phrase “laysa minnā” mentioned in it. (Sharḥ Ṣahīḥ Muslim)

Opinion of Mullā ʿAlī Qārī

Mullā ʿAlī Qārī writes regarding the interpretation of “laysa minnā” [he is not from amongst us]:

“Laysa minnā, means that he is not from our followers, or people who abide by our methodology and religion.” (Mirqāt al-Mafātīḥ)

He further writes:

“The phrase (laysa minnā) is often used in matters which are not of an obligatory nature, for example, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “He who washes his private parts after passing wind is not from us. [No filth normally comes out when passing wind. Thus, there is no need to wash one’s private parts after passing wind. Rather, the scholars have mentioned that doing so while thinking it to be necessary is a reprehensible innovation (bidʿa).]” Similarly, he said, “Whoever turns away from my sunnah is not from me.” This was said with regards to a person who possesses the ability of getting married but still delays, while getting married is a sunnah and not obligatory. In some instances, the phrase (laysa minnā) is used to for matters of an obligatory nature, like Allāh states in the Qur’an:

“As to those who divide up their religion and become factions, you, (O Prophet) are not associated with them in anything.” (Surat al-An’ām: 159)

Opinion of ʿAllāmah Abdur Raḥmān Mubārakpūrī

ʿAllāmah Mubārakpūrī has mentioned the same interpretation of “laysa minnā” which Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar ʿAsqalānī has mentioned. (Tuḥfat al-Aḥwadhī)

In another place, he has defined “laysa minnā” in the following words:

“(Laysa minnā means) he is not from those who obey my command.” (Tuḥfat al-Aḥwadhī)

He further quotes the meaning of “laysa minnā” mentioned by MullāʿAlī Qārī:

“(Laysa minnā means that) such a person is not from our path and group.” (Tuḥfat al-Aḥwadhī)

He has also mentioned in another place it’s (laysa minnā) meaning:

“(Laysa minnā means) He is not from the followers of our methodology or one who respects or gives consideration to following our commands.” (Tuḥfat al-Aḥwadhī)

May Allāh give us true understanding and the ability to refrain from the aforementioned acts.

 

(Adapted from Wo Ham Mein se Nahīn by Mawlānā Muhammad Uwais Sarwar. Published by Bayt-ul-ʿUlūm)

Courtesy of Baḥr-ul-Midād Publications