Question
I work in a factory where my boss was a Qadiani person. He was very advanced in terms of ethics and helped me out during every tough situation. However, over time, I began to disagree with him because of his beliefs, yet despite that, our relationship remained the same until he moved to another place. Regardless of our differences, he told me that I could reach out to him anytime I had a problem. In my field, he’s the only person I know the most, and Allah is my witness that since he left the factory, I have been very distressed. But I’ve never called him; my salary is in the thousands while his is in the millions. He calls me, but I just make small talk and hang up.
(1) The question is, we are both Facebook friends, and my acquaintances tell me that as long as I don’t unfriend him, I will remain a nonbeliever. Is that really true?
(2) My friends say I should post curses on Qadianis and Mirza from my ID. I don’t do that because his comments start coming in. Is there a risk to my faith if I don’t make such posts, even though I genuinely consider Mirza and his followers to be the worst of infidels?
(3) We’ve spent almost 8 years together, eating and drinking together and being together everywhere. Now, my relationship with him is almost non-existent, just out of necessity. Sometimes my posts really upset him because there was a time when I’d tell him, “Sir, what’s this? If you disagree with someone, say they’re a nonbeliever publicly and curse their religious leader on Facebook.” But now, my sincere friends and others say I have to do that to protect my faith. Yet despite all the hatred, I want to avoid posting too harshly. If he calls sometimes, I want to be able to pick up. Is there any flexibility for that?
(4) Is there a possibility for me to delete my Facebook account instead of just unfriending him?
I apologize for the lengthy question and hope you can provide separate answers to all my questions!
Answer:
It’s important to clarify that the Qadianis are outside the fold of Islam and considered apostates and misbelievers because they deny the finality of Prophethood of Muhammad Mustafa Ahmad Mujtaba, peace be upon him. Despite this, they deceitfully present themselves as Muslims and exploit naive Muslims’ faith. It is not permissible, either morally or religiously, to associate with Qadianis, exchange gifts, or seek their assistance. Friendship with them is extremely dangerous for one’s faith, as their tactic is to pose as sympathizers and supporters of simple Muslims while gradually undermining their beliefs. Thus, having any friendship or considering them helpers is highly risky for faith. If that Qadiani individual has done you favors with company funds and according to company policy, it may be acceptable, but if those favors were personal and from his own money, you should return those favors if possible, to avoid establishing a relationship, or give them to a poor person. Nonetheless, continue to pray for him, asking Allah to guide him and grant him the ability to embrace Islam!
- If you consider the denial of the finality of Prophethood and the accursed Ghulam Ahmad Qadiani as reasons for being outside the fold of Islam, labeling him a liar and his followers as apostates and heretics, then you are not outside Islam. However, if he does not repent, you should unfriend him, as this is the requirement of having complete faith in the finality of Prophethood.
- It is a religious and moral duty for Muslims to expose the deception and fraud of the cursed Mirza Qadiani, so that naive Muslims can be aware of this fitnah and avoid getting involved with them or becoming their easy target. Therefore, expressing the disbelief of the cursed Mirza Qadiani on Facebook should not be done out of fear of hurting a certain Qadiani’s feelings; that’s a sign of danger. For this reason, whenever there is an opportunity, it is a Muslim’s religious obligation to highlight Qadiani wickedness and deception in order to counter this fitnah. However, it is not necessary to only post curses.
- If instead of just unfriending this person, you delete your Facebook account altogether, that’s an option too. As for using Facebook, you can use it for religious purposes and the protection of the sanctity of Prophethood, avoiding things like images of living beings. Using Facebook for trivialities and nonsense isn’t permissible. The guideline regarding Facebook use is that any action which may lead to discord and corruption later on should be avoided, especially if it takes a religious turn; then extra caution is necessary. Moreover, just as creating or taking videos and photos is forbidden, reposting or spreading videos or images made by someone else is also prohibited in Sharia. Furthermore, Facebook provides a platform for expressing opinions where people with false beliefs and ideologies try to undermined the faith of weak believers, even working in an organized manner for this purpose, so it’s wise to avoid jumping into a pool where there’s a risk of drowning. Yes, if someone is so strong in their faith and beliefs that instead of being influenced by others, they can guide others, then they may use this platform within the limits of Sharia. Only Allah knows best.