Q: What is the ruling on the following categories of people in terms of belief and disbelief?1- Who says that he does not believe in the Noble Qur'an or in a verse of it. (Part No. 2; Page No. 15) 2- A person who says that he believes his mind only.3- A person who says to another, 'You committed apostasy' by going out with a girl displaying her charm.4- A person who says: 'I am in no need for such-and-such Tafsir (exegesis of the meanings of the Qur'an).5- A person who acts as Imam for his family in Friday Prayer at home and delivers a sermon claiming that he offers Friday Prayer at home. Is his Prayer valid?6 - A person who says to another, 'Why do you not let the sideburns grow instead of the beard?' Does he scorn the Sunnah? The Prophet (peace be upon him) says: Let the beards grow. 7- If a person committing the previous sins is persistent and denies to repent, does he become a disbeliever for his rejection to the Qur'an and Sunnah?

A: First: A person who says that he does not believe in the Noble Qur'an or in a verse thereof or that he believes only his mind regardless of the Shari`ah, should be told that this saying is an act of disbelief. If he persists in saying it, he is apostate from Islam. The Muslim rulers shall invite him to repent; otherwise, he should be executed, for the belief in the Qur'an is an article of faith. Denying one Ayah of the Qur'an is similar to denying the whole Qur'an. The person who believes his mind only to the rejection of Shari`ah is considered a disbeliever in the Noble Qur'an and the Messenger (peace be upon him). (Part No. 2; Page No. 16)  Second: Going out with a girl displaying her charm is not an act of disbelief; it is a sin, for it is a means to illicit relations. A person who goes out with the girl displaying her charms should be advised. May Allah guide him. Third: The books of Tafsir are numerous. Some of them should not be read while some are reliable references to understand the Qur'an such as those written by Ibn Jarir Al-Tabary and Ibn Kathir. To give the true legal decision concerning this point, the relevant Tafsir denied by the person should be specified. Fourth: The person who leads his family in Friday Prayer at home, should repeat it as Zuhr Prayer. The Friday Prayer they offer at home is invalid, for it is obligatory for men to offer Friday Prayer with their Muslim brothers in the Masjid (mosque). As for women, they do not have to offer Friday Prayer at the Masjid but they should offer it as Zuhr Prayer. In case they pray at the Masjid, it will be sufficient for them instead of Zuhr Prayer. Fifth: As for shaving the beard, we have issued a Fatwa in this regard as follows: Shaving the beard is unlawful, according to the report narrated by Ahmad, Al-Bukhari, Muslim, and others, on the authority of Ibn `Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Do the opposite of what the pagans do. Keep the beards and cut the moustaches short. Similarly, it is narrated by Ahmad, Muslim, on the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Trim closely the mustache, and grow beard, and thus act against the fire-worshippers. Persisting in shaving the beard is a major sin. A person who shaves the beard should be advised and warned against this, especially if he is occupying a religious leadership position. (Part No. 2; Page No. 17) Consequently, if the person who shaves his beard is an Imam for people in congregational Prayer and refuses to accept advice on this, he has to be dismissed if possible with no Fitnah (Division among Muslims) in consequence. Otherwise, it is obligatory to pray behind other righteous men if possible as a way of correcting the one shaving his beard if no Fitnah will follow. If it is difficult to do so, then it is permissible to pray behind the Imam shaving his beard to help the congregational Prayer to continue. If praying behind another Imam will cause Fitnah, a person may pray behind a beardless Imam to avoid Fitnah thus opting for the lesser of the two evils.May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.