Question:

According to Ibn Hazm, can a person be a Muslim and a disbeliever (kafir) at the same time?

Answer:

Ali Ibn Ahmad Ibn Hazm Al-Andalusi writes:

وأما حديث حذيفة فساقط لأنه من طريق الوليد بن جميع وهو هالك ولا نراه يعلم من وضع الحديث فإنه قد روى أخبارا فيها أن أبا بكر وعمر وعثمان وطلحة وسعد بن أبي وقاص رضي الله عنهم أرادوا قتل النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم وإلقاءه من العقبة في تبوك وهذا هو الكذب الموضوع الذي يطعن الله تعالى واضعه فسقط التعلق به والحمد لله رب العالمين

“As for the saying of Hudhaifah, it fails, because in his chain is Walid Ibn Jumai’ and he is condemned to destruction, although we do not think he knows who produced the saying, because he narrated traditions that Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, Talhah and Sa’id Ibn Abi Waqqas tried to murder the prophet and throw him down from the mountain pass in Tabuk, and this is a lie, whereby the one who produced it is blaspheming God, so thank God it is not allowed to refer to it.” [Al-Muhalla, Volume 12 page 160]

فصح أنهم أظهروا الإسلام فحرمت بذلك دماؤهم في ظاهر الأمر وباطنهم إلى الله تعالى في صدق أو كذب فإن كانوا صادقين في توبتهم فهم أصحابه حقا عند الناس ظاهرهم وعند الله تعالى باطنهم وظاهرهم فهم الذين أخبر رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم أنهم لو أنفق أحدنا مثل أحد ذهبا ما بلغ نصيف مد أحدهم وإن كانوا كاذبين فهم في الظاهر مسلمون وعند الله تعالى كفار

“It is true that outwardly (Zahir) they were Muslims, so that outwardly (Zahir) it was forbidden to shed their blood and inwardly (Batin) they are to be left to God, whether it is a matter of sincerity or dishonesty, because if they were sincere in their repentance, then outwardly (Zahir) they are both among the people true companions of the Prophet (s. ) as well as inwardly (Batin) and outwardly (Zahir) with God and those about whom the Messenger (s.) stated that even if one of us would donate a mountain of gold in the size of Uhud, he would not even reach half of them, but if they were dishonest, then outwardly (Zahir) they are Muslims and disbelievers (Kafir) with God.” [Al-Muhalla, Volume 12 page 159]