al-Tawassut wal-Iqtisad
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- Editions
- Dar Ibn al-Qayyim lil-Nashr wa-al-Tawzi‘
al-Tawassut wal-Iqtisad fi anna al-kufr yakun bil-qawl aw al-amal aw al-i‘tiqad (Arabic: التوسط والاقتصاد في أن الكفر يكون بالقول أو العمل أو الاعتقاد, lit. 'Moderation and Economy Regarding Disbelief Occurring Through Word, Deed, or Belief') is a theological treatise on faith and the nullifiers of Islam by the contemporary scholar Alawi al-Saqqaf, first published in 1420 AH (1999 CE) .
Subject and Content
The treatise addresses the Sunni theological definitions of faith (iman) and disbelief (kufr), establishing that just as faith comprises internal belief, verbal statement, and physical action, major disbelief can also occur through explicit statements or physical deeds on their own, and is not restricted solely to inward convictions, denial, or intentional istihlal (deeming the unlawful lawful) .
To demonstrate this position, the author compiles passages and legal rulings from over one hundred Muslim scholars—both classical and later figures—across all four Sunni schools of jurisprudence (Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi'i, and Hanbali) affirming that specific outward statements and actions constitute disbelief directly . The text also clarifies the theological position of Ahl al-Sunna regarding the established impediments to excommunication (mawani' al-takfir)—namely ignorance, mistake, misinterpretation (ta'wil), and coercion (ikrah)—explaining that whoever knowingly and willfully persists in an overt act or word of disbelief after the establishment of proof is declared an apostate, even if the motive was worldly desire .
Composition and Reception
The treatise originally carried the working title al-Mukaffirat al-qawliyya wal-amaliyya min khilal aqwal al-ulama ('Nullifiers of Word and Deed Through the Statements of the Scholars') . It was submitted in draft form to the Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia, Abd al-Aziz ibn Baz, who reviewed it, praised it as a valuable work, and recommended its publication and dissemination for the benefit of Muslims .
Ibn Baz suggested specific editorial adjustments, including the removal of a passage citing Ibn Muflih's al-Furu' concerning al-Targhib and the omission of quotations from al-Dusuqi to avoid ambiguity . Before final publication, the author adopted the retitled phrasing al-Tawassut wal-Iqtisad to make clear that the work concerned actions expelling one from the religion rather than expiations of everyday sins (mukaffirat al-dhunub), expanded the introduction to outline the standard Sunni doctrine of faith, inserted a citation from Ibn Balban, and added Ibn Baz's commentary on al-Bujayrimi .
The first edition was published in a single volume in 1420 AH (1999 CE) by Dar Ibn al-Qayyim in Dammam, Saudi Arabia .
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