Tag: Q n A

Praise be to Allah.Abstract numbers do not exist except in the mind
Abstract numbers are not connected to anything tangible, and they exist only in the mind. We did not arrive from past eternity to zero or anything else.
What you have learned about mathematics does not mean that it exists in reality; rather it is something in the mind that is purely hypothetical.
Note: Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said in as-Safadiyyah (2/279): “These philosophers very often get it wrong, as they think that what exists in their minds [what is hypothetical] actually exists in reality, such as the mistake made by the first of them, Pythagoras, and his followers regarding abstract absolute comparative numbers, as they thought that they existed in reality, in isolation from items and things.” 
It says in Dar Ta‘arud an-Naql wa’l-‘Aql (4/173): “These abstract quantities and numbers only exist in people’s minds and words.”
The visible universe has a beginning
We and the entire visible universe have a defined beginning. Allah created the Throne and the Pen, then He created the heavens and the earth, as He, may He be glorified, says (interpretation of the meaning):
{And it is He who created the heavens and the earth in six days – and His Throne had been upon water.} [Hud 11:7]
Muslim (2653) narrated that ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘As said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) saying: “Allah wrote the decrees of creation fifty thousand years before He created the heavens and the earth.” And he said: “And His Throne is above the water.”
This has to do with our creation and the visible universe , the heavens and the earth, as we believe that Allah, may He be exalted, is the First before Whom there is nothing, and that He never stopped creating, and that it is possible that before our universe there were other universes, and before them were other universes, until past eternity. In other words, Allah, may He be glorified, creates creation after creation. This is the famous issue of the sequence of creations.
Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 
“The Lord, may He be glorified, is perfect in His attributes, names and actions. Therefore it is inevitable that His attributes will have an impact on the universe. He is merciful, and it is impossible that there could be mercy without there being anyone to whom mercy is shown. He is the provider, so there must be those to whom He grants provision. He is oft-forgiving, most forbearing, most generous and most kind to His slaves; He gives and withholds, gives abundantly, lowers and raises, honours and humiliates. These names and attributes require things to which they apply, and on which they have an impact. So there must be creatures who are subjected to the impact of these names and attributes otherwise these attributes will become idle and irrelevant, so there should be creation to reflect the impact of these names and attributes.” (Shifa al-‘Alil. 2/143)
Shaykh Muhammad Bukhayt al-Muti‘i, the former Grand Mufti of Egypt, said:
“There is no proof to suggest that it is not possible that there has been a sequence of creations from past eternity, even when the famous view suggests that this sequence is impossible. Believing that there is a sequence of creations after creations from eternity does not contradict ‘aqidah (Islamic belief), unless we say that a particular creation has no beginning, in the sense that there is no beginning to its existence. This is something that no one has ever said; rather everyone agrees that everything other than Allah, may He be exalted, that existed or exists now, is contingent, meaning that it came into existence after it did not exist, regardless of whether the sequence of creation has a particular time at which it started in the past and a particular time at which it will end in the future, or it, or it does not have a particular time either in the past or in the future, or it does not have one of them.
Do you not see that there is consensus that the delights of paradise are infinite and will not cease to exist at any point in the future, after they had been contingent in the sense that they existed after they did not exist? So it does not matter if you say that there is no end to it, in the sense that the delights of paradise will not cease to exist and will not have an end. But if we say that there is no end to them (the delights of paradise), in the sense that their existence is necessary because of what they are, then that constitutes disbelief.
Similarly, when we refer to the past, we may say that there was a series of creations that had no beginning, in the sense that the sequence of creations does not have a starting point in the past, yet each of them existed after it did not exist. 
If we say these creations have no beginning to their existence and no starting point, that suggests that they existed from eternity, and this constitutes disbelief (kufr).
You should read two books: al-Qawl al-Mufid and Hawashi al-Kharidah.” (Nihayat as-Sul fi Sharh Minhaj al-Usool, 2/103)
And Allah knows best.

Praise be to Allah.Islam is the only acceptable religion
Allah, may He be Exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
{Indeed, the religion in the sight of Allah is Islam.} [Al `Imran 3:19]
Here He, may He be Glorified and Exalted, tells us that there is no religion that is acceptable to Him except Islam, which means submitting, surrendering and humbling oneself before Allah, may He be Exalted, worshipping Him alone, and believing in Him and in His Messengers, and what they brought from Allah. For each Messenger Allah prescribed a system of law and a method, until He sent the last of them, Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) He sent him to all people, so after him, Allah will not accept any religion from anyone except Islam, which is the religion that he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) brought.
Were the previous Prophets Muslims?
The believers who followed the previous prophets were all Muslims in the general sense of the word, and they will enter Paradise by virtue of their Islam. If any of them lived until the coming of our Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), nothing will be accepted from him except following our Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
Qatadah (may Allah have mercy on him) said in his commentary on the verse: “Islam means testifying that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and affirming what [the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)] brought from Allah, which is the religion of Allah that He prescribed and with which He sent His messengers, and to which He guided His allies. He will not accept any other religion and will not grant reward except for it.
Abu Al-`Aliyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Islam means sincere devotion to Allah alone , and worshipping Him without associating anything else with Him.” (Tafir At-Tabari  6/275)
Commentaries on: {Indeed, the religion in the sight of Allah is Islam}
Ibn Katheer (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
“In the verse (interpretation of the meaning): {Indeed, the religion in the sight of Allah is Islam}, Allah, may He be Exalted, tells us that there is no religion that He will accept from anyone except Islam, which means following the Messengers and that with which Allah sent them at various times, until they ended with Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), at which point all paths to Him were barred except that of Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). So whoever meets Allah after He sent Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) with any religion other than his, it will not be accepted, as Allah, may He be Exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
{And whoever desires other than Islam as religion – never will it be accepted from him, and he, in the Hereafter, will be among the losers..} [Al `Imran 3:85]
and He says in this verse, telling us that the only religion that is acceptable to Him is Islam :
{Indeed, the religion in the sight of Allah is Islam.} [Al `Imran 3:19]” (Tafsir Ibn Kathir 2/25)
Ibn Al-Jawzi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
“Az-Zajjaj (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Din (religion) is a word which refers to everything that Allah has prescribed for people to worship Him thereby and has commanded them to adhere to it, and He will reward them for it.
Our shaykh, ‘Ali ibn ‘Ubaydillah (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Din refers to what a person adheres to and commits himself to for the sake of Allah, may He be Glorified and Exalted.
Ibn Qutaybah (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Islam means entering into submission , by submitting to Allah and following His commands, and it also means surrendering.” (Zad Al-Masir  1/267)
As-Sa‘di (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
“The words {the religion in the sight of Allah}, mean: the religion besides which  there is no other religion that Allah approves of and will accept is Islam, which means submitting to Allah alone, outwardly and inwardly, by adhering to what He prescribed on the lips of His Messengers. Allah, may He be Exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning): {And whoever desires other than Islam as religion – never will it be accepted from him, and he, in the Hereafter, will be among the losers.} [Al `Imran 3:85] So whoever follows a religion other than Islam has not truly submitted to Allah, because he has not followed the path that He prescribed on the lips of His Messengers.” (Tafsir As-Sa`di  p. 964)
Ibn ‘Uthaymin (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
“Islam, in the general sense of the word, means worshipping Allah by doing what He prescribed from the time when Allah sent the Messengers until the onset of the Hour, as He, may He be Glorified and Exalted, has stated in many verses, which indicates that the teachings of all earlier Prophets were Islam or submission to Allah, may He be Glorified and Exalted.
Allah, may He be Glorified and Exalted, says tells us that Ibrahim said (interpretation of the meaning):
{Our Lord, and make us Muslims [in submission] to You and from our descendants a Muslim nation [in submission] to You.} [Al-Baqarah 2:128]
Islam in the specific sense of the word, after the sending of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), is limited to that with which Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was sent, because that with which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was sent abrogated all previous religions. Thus the one who follows him is a Muslim and the one who goes against him is not a Muslim. The followers of the Messengers were Muslim at the time of their Messengers, so the Jews were Muslims at the time of Musa (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and the Christians were Muslims at the time of ‘Isa (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) But when the Prophet Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was sent and they disbelieved in him, then they were not Muslims.
This Islamic religion is the religion that is acceptable to Allah and will benefit the one who follows it. Allah, may He be Glorified and Exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
{Indeed, the religion in the sight of Allah is Islam.} [Al `Imran 3:19]
{And whoever desires other than Islam as religion – never will it be accepted from him, and he, in the Hereafter, will be among the losers.} [Al `Imran 3:85]
This Islam is the Islam of which Allah reminded Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and his ummah that He had blessed them with it, when He, may He be Exalted, said (interpretation of the meaning):
{This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favour upon you and have approved for you Islam as religion.} [Al-Ma’idah 5:3]” (Sharh Thalathat Al-Usul, p. 20)
Shaykh Salih Al-Fawzan (may Allah preserve him) said:
“The religion of the Prophets (blessings and peace of Allah be upon them) is one religion, even though the systems of law vary. Allah, may He be Exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
{He has ordained for you of religion what He enjoined upon Noah and that which We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], and what We enjoined upon Abraham and Moses and Jesus – to establish the religion and not be divided therein.} [Ash-Shura 42:13]
{O messengers, eat from the good foods and work righteousness. Indeed, I, of what you do, am Knowing.
And indeed this, your religion, is one religion, and I am your Lord, so fear Me.} [Al-Mu’minun 23:51-52]
The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “We Prophets, our religion is one and the Prophets are like brothers from different mothers.”
The religion of the Prophets is the religion of Islam, and Allah will not accept any other. It is submission to Allah by affirming His oneness, submitting to Him in obedience, and shunning shirk (association of others with Allah) and its people.
Allah tells us that Nuh said (interpretation of the meaning):
{and I have been commanded to be of the Muslims.} [Yunus 10:72]
And He tells us that Ibrahim said (interpretation of the meaning):
{I have submitted [in Islam] to the Lord of the worlds.} [Al-Baqarah 2:131]
And He says regarding Musa (interpretation of the meaning):
{And Moses said, “O my people, if you have believed in Allah, then rely upon Him, if you should be Muslims”} [Yunus 10:84]
And He says the Messiah (interpretation of the meaning):
{And [remember] when I inspired the disciples, “Believe in Me and in My messenger Jesus.” They said, “We have believed, so bear witness that indeed we are Muslims [in submission to Allah].} [Al-Ma’idah 5:111]
Allah, may He be Exalted, says regarding the previous Prophets and the Torah (interpretation of the meaning):
{The prophets who submitted [to Allah] judged by it for the Jews.} [al-Ma’idah 5:44]
And Allah tells us that the Queen of Saba’ (Sheba) said (interpretation of the meaning):
{My Lord, indeed I have wronged myself, and I submit with Solomon to Allah, Lord of the worlds.} [An-Naml 27:44]
Thus Islam is the religion of all the Prophets; it is submission to Allah alone, and the one who submits to Him and to anyone else is a polytheist (one who associates others with Allah), whilst the one who does not submit to Him is arrogant. Both those who associate others with Allah and those who are too arrogant to worship Him are disbelievers.
Submission to Allah includes worshipping Him alone, and obeying Him alone. That means obeying Him at all times, by doing what He has enjoined at that time. When Islam first began, Allah commanded the Muslims to face towards Bayt Al-Maqdis (Jerusalem, when praying), then after that, He enjoined them to face towards the Ka`bah. The one who did either action, at the time when it was enjoined, is a Muslim, for religion is obedience, and both actions were acts of worship for Allah, which may take various forms, which in this case had to do with the direction in which the worshipper faced.
Likewise, the religion of the messengers is one, and even though the systems of law and ways, and rituals, may have differed, that does not mean that the religion was not one. This is even applicable in the system of law brought by one Messenger – as we have seen in the change of the Qiblah from Bayt Al-Maqdis to the Ka`bah in the system of law brought by Prophet Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
So the religion of the prophets is one , even though their systems of law varied. Allah may have prescribed something at one time, for a reason, then prescribed something else at another time, for a reason. So doing what was abrogated, before it was abrogated, was an act of obedience to Allah, but after it was abrogated, it became obligatory to do that which superseded it. So the one who adheres to that which has been abrogated and does not do that which superseded it is not following the religion of Islam, and he is not following any of the Prophets. Hence the Jews and Christians disbelieved, because they adhered to a system of law that had been changed and abrogated.
Allah, may He be Glorified and Exalted, prescribed for each nation that which was appropriate to its situation and its time, which would rectify its condition and serve its best interests. Then Allah abrogated whatever He willed of those systems of law because their time had come to an end, until He sent His Prophet Muhammad, the last of the Prophets, to all the people on earth, for the rest of time until the Day of Resurrection, and He ordained for him a system of law that is comprehensive and is suited to every time and place, which cannot be altered or abrogated. So all the people of Earth have no option but to follow him and believe in him (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) Allah, may He be Exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
{Say, [O Muhammad], “O mankind, indeed I am the Messenger of Allah to you all”.} [Al-A`raf 7:159]” (Al-Irshad ila Sahih Al-I`tiqad, p. 194)
And Allah knows best.

Praise be to Allah.Firstly:
We congratulate you, our sister, for Allah having guided you to Islam, and we ask Allah to bless you with His care and support, and to make you steadfast. We appreciate what you are going through of major challenges, and we understand very well the great impact that they have on you and what they are causing you of distress. We hope that Allah will give you the strength to overcome these challenges, and will reward you immensely for all that you are going through.
Secondly:
Undoubtedly it is important to plan strategically to live independently and have financial independence, and that should be among your future goals. As you are studying in order to be able to help your mother, that (i.e., continuing your studies) should be one of your plans, so that you will be able to support yourself (by working after you graduate) in a place far away from your family’s supervision and pressure. Undoubtedly there are some details of your situation of which we are not aware, and we cannot say that you should do such and such, or not do such and such, in precise terms.
We can only say that complete freedom to practice your religion and perform the obligatory acts of worship, and keep away from family pressure and the challenges of concealing your religion, is something that you must begin to plan to attain, even if the plans are slow and will only be achieved in the long term.
Thirdly:
One of the important tricks that have been used by people in circumstances similar to yours is that they started by claiming that they were losing interest in [their former] religion and its rituals, because families usually react violently to a change of religion, but their reaction is less serious if their daughter pretends to have lost interest in [their] religion and its rituals.
We do not know precisely how successful this trick will be in your case, but we suggest that you can try it.
Fourthly:
With regard to the issue of prostrating, there is a permissible way out that may be suggested so that you can pass this terrible and painful test. This is by doing this prostration when you are forced to do it, but you can intend in your heart that you are prostrating to Allah, may He be glorified. Thus it will be a prostration to Allah in front of the idol, but it will not be a prostration to the idol.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said: Outward actions that constitute disbelief, such as prostrating to idols and reviling the Messenger, and the like, are disallowed because they are indicative of inward disbelief.
But if it so happens that a person prostrated in front of an idol but he did not intend in his heart to prostrate to it – rather he intended in his heart to prostrate to Allah – then it does not constitute disbelief, and that may be permitted if a person is living among polytheists and fears for his life, so he goes along with them in outward actions, intending in his heart to prostrate to Allah. This is like what was narrated, that some of the scholars of the Muslims and scholars of the People of the Book did that with some people who were polytheists, then they called them to Islam and those people became Muslim as a result; they did not show that they were different from them in the beginning.”(Majmu‘ al-Fatawa  14/120).
So if you are compelled to do this prostration, let your intention be that it is prostration to Allah, and the fact that the idol is present in the place where you are prostrating to Allah will not harm you, and neither will their thinking that you are prostrating to their idol, so long as you are in these extenuating circumstances. We ask Allah to grant you relief soon, and a way out from this environment that is hostile to your religion.
Whatever the case, you should understand that so long as your heart is at peace with faith and comfortable with it, there is no blame on you for anything that you say or do under compulsion, and that will not affect the soundness of your faith. This is a great concession granted by the Lord of the Worlds, the Most Merciful of those who show mercy, to the weak and oppressed among His slaves, those who have no control over their affairs. So if they find themselves doing some practices of disbelief under pressure from the disbelievers who are forcing them to do that, they do not become disbelievers or go beyond the bounds of Islam, and they are not sinning by doing such things. Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
{Whoever disbelieves in Allah after his belief… except for one who is forced [to renounce his religion] while his heart is secure in faith. But those who [willingly] open their hearts to disbelief, upon them is wrath from Allah, and for them is a great punishment} [an-Nahl 16:106].
For more information on this topic, please see the answer to question no. 150748 .
Fifthly:
As you now realise, there is no blame on you if your family put pressure on you to prostrate to their idols or to join them in any of their rituals of disbelief. There is no blame on you if you do as much of that as will ward off their harm from you, and will protect you from their persecution, so that they will not become suspicious about your having become Muslim.
In that case, what we advise you to do – and we do not see any other solution right now – is not to tell any of them about your religion, because they will not compromise with you and they will not accept your situation, especially in your society, which is very hostile towards Islam and Muslims.
Therefore you must take precautions by doing your acts of worship and rituals of your religion in secret, away from their gaze, and whatever you are unable to do because you are being watched by your disbelieving family or your community that is hostile towards you and your religion, there is no blame on you regarding that, and that obligation is waived in your case, for Allah does not burden any soul with more than it can bear.
In the answer to question no. 324751 , we said to a new Muslim woman who persecution:
What you must do is do whatever you are able to of that, without exposing yourself to trouble or persecution, until Allah grants you relief and a way out.
Whatever you are able to do in secret of prayers and other acts of worship, do it.
Whatever you are unable to do of that, then Allah is Oft-Pardoning, Most Generous; He has commanded His slaves to do whatever of His commands and acts of worship they are able to do, and He has not obliged them to do that which they are unable to do.
Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
{So fear Allah as much as you are able} [at-Taghabun 64:16]
{The Messenger has believed in what was revealed to him from his Lord, and [so have] the believers. All of them have believed in Allah and His angels and His books and His messengers, [saying], “We make no distinction between any of His messengers.” And they say, “We hear and we obey. [We seek] Your forgiveness, our Lord, and to You is the [final] destination.”
Allah does not burden any soul with more than it can bear. It will have [the consequence of] what [good] it has gained, and it will bear [the consequence of] what [evil] it has earned. “Our Lord, do not impose blame upon us if we have forgotten or erred. Our Lord, and lay not upon us a burden like that which You laid upon those before us. Our Lord, and burden us not with that which we have no ability to bear. And pardon us; and forgive us; and have mercy upon us. You are our protector, so give us victory over the disbelieving people.”} [al-Baqarah 2:285-286].
We have also previously given advice in several questions to people who have gone through the same situation as you, which you should read so that you can learn how to conduct yourself in your current, difficult circumstances. Please see the answer to question no. 192411 .
And Allah knows best.

Praise be to Allah.Who are the Awliya’ of Allah? 
The awliya’ of Allah (allies of Allah ) – clearly and briefly – are people of faith and piety, who are constantly aware that Allah, may He be exalted, is watching them in all their affairs, so they adhere to His commands and heed His prohibitions.
Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
{Unquestionably, [for] the allies [awliya’] of Allah there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve,
Those who believed and were fearing Allah, For them are good tidings in the worldly life and in the Hereafter. No change is there in the words of Allah. That is what is the great attainment} [Yunus 10:62-64].
Al-Hafiz Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) said in Tafsir Al-Qur’an al-‘Azim (4/278):
“Here Allah, may He be exalted, tells us that His awliya’ are those who believe and fear Him, as their Lord describes them. So everyone who fears Allah and is mindful of Him is a wali (singular of awliya’). {There will be no fear concerning them} regarding what awaits in the future of the terrors of the resurrection, {nor will they grieve} for what they have left behind in this world.
‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud, Ibn ‘Abbas and more than one of the early generations said: The awliya’ of Allah are those who, if you see them, they remind you of Allah. This was narrated in a marfu‘ hadith.
It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Among the slaves of Allah are some whom the prophets and martyrs will envy.” It was said: Who are they, O Messenger of Allah, so that we may love them? He said: “They are people who love one another for the sake of Allah, not because of ties of trade or kindred. Their faces will be light on thrones of light. They will not fear when the people fear and they will not grieve when the people grieve.” Then he recited the words, {Unquestionably, [for] the allies [awliya’] of Allah there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve} [Yunus 10:62]. Narrated by Abu Dawud with a jayyid isnad. It was classed as sahih by Al-Albani in As-Silsilah as-Sahihah (7/1369).”
Degree of wilayah 
The degree of wilayah [being a wali of Allah] varies according to a person’s faith and fear of Allah (taqwa). Every believer has a share of wilayah, love of Allah and closeness to Him, but this share varies according to his righteous deeds, both physical actions and deeds of the heart, by means of which he draws closer to Allah. Based on that, it is possible to divide the degrees and ranks of wilayah into three levels:

The one who wronged himself. This refers to the believer who commits sin. He will have a degree of wilayah commensurate with his level of faith and righteous deeds.
The one who is moderate. This refers to the believer who adheres to the commands of Allah and heeds His prohibitions, but he does not strive in doing supererogatory acts. He is of a higher level of wilayah than the first one.
The one who is foremost in good deeds. This is the one who does supererogatory acts as well as obligatory duties, and attains the highest level of worshipping Allah, may He be exalted, by doing deeds of the heart. This is one of the highest levels of wilayah.

There can be no doubt that prophethood is the highest and loftiest level of wilayah and being an ally of Allah, may He be glorified and exalted.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said in Majmu‘ al-Fatawa (10/6):
“People are of three levels: the one who wrongs himself, the one who is moderate, and the one who is foremost in good deeds.

The one who wrongs himself is the one who sins by failing to do what is enjoined or doing what is prohibited.
The one who is moderate is the one who does obligatory deeds and refrains from haram deeds.
The one who is foremost in good deeds is the one who draws close to Allah by doing whatever he can of obligatory and recommended (mustahabb) deeds, and refraining from haram and disliked (makruh) deeds.

Even though the one who is moderate or the one who is foremost in good deeds may commit some sins, they will be erased from their record, either by means of repentance – for Allah loves those who repent and He loves those who purify themselves – or by means of good deeds which erase bad deeds, or by means of calamities that expiate bad deeds, or by other means. Both categories, those who are moderate and those who are foremost in good deeds, are among the awliya’ of Allah whom He mentions in His Book when He says (interpretation of the meaning): {Unquestionably, [for] the allies [awliya’] of Allah there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve} [Yunus 10:62]. Thus the definition of the ‘awliya’ of Allah is the believers who fear Him and are mindful of Him.
But these awliya’ may be divided into a general group, namely those who are moderate, and an elite group, namely those who are foremost in good deeds, even though those who are foremost in good deeds are the highest levels, such as the prophets and those who are strong and true in faith (siddiqs).
The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) mentioned these two categories in a hadith which was narrated by al-Bukhari in his Sahih from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), who said: “Allah says: ‘Whosoever shows enmity to an ally of Mine has declared war on Me. My slave draws not close to Me with anything more loved by Me than the obligatory religious duties I have enjoined upon him, and My slave continues to draw close to Me with supererogatory deeds so that I will love him. So when I love him, I will be his hearing with which he hears, his vision with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes, and his foot with which he walks. So by My help and guidance he will hear, by My help and guidance he will see, by My help and guidance he will strike, and by My help and guidance he will walk. Were he to ask [something] of Me, I would surely give it to him, and were he to seek refuge in Me, I would surely grant him it. I do not hesitate to do anything as I hesitate to take the soul of My believing slave, for he hates death and I hate to hurt him, but there is no escaping it.’”
As for the believer who wrongs himself, he attains wilayah commensurate with the level of his faith and piety, just as he has the opposite of that commensurate with the level of his bad deeds, because an individual may do both good deeds that earn reward and bad deeds that incur punishment, so it is possible that he may be both rewarded and punished. This is the view of all the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), the leading scholars of Islam, and Ahl as-Sunnah wa’l-Jama‘ah, who say that no one who has an atom’s weight of faith in his heart will abide forever in the Fire.”
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymin said in Fatawa Muhimmah (p. 83):
“Whoever is a believer and fears Allah is a wali (ally) of Allah, and whoever is not like that is not a wali of Allah. If he has a little faith and fear of Allah, then he has some measure of wilayah.”
Is Wilayah exclusive to some particular class of people?
Wilayah is not a monopoly, and it is not exclusive to some particular class of people. It cannot be inherited and it cannot be awarded like a medal. Rather it is a divinely granted status that begins in the heart with love and veneration of Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, and is reflected in a person’s behaviour, so that that individual attains the love and wilayah of Allah, may He be exalted.
Can the Wali of Allah do haram deeds?
Wilayah does not mean that a person can do haram deeds or omit obligatory duties; rather if a person does that, it indicates that his wilayah is lacking. By the same token, it does not allow anyone else to exaggerate about those whom they call awliya’ – who may not even deserve that – and elevate them to the level of prophethood, to the extent that they would not refuse any instruction that they give them, and would not debate any view or opinion that they suggest. All of that comes under the heading of exaggeration which Allah, may He be exalted, has forbidden, for it is one of the greatest causes of people falling into shirk (association of others with Allah).
Some people have overstepped this mark and fallen into major shirk because of a failure to properly understand the meaning of wilayah and the status of the awliya’. Hence you see them calling upon the awliya’ instead of Allah, making sacrifices and other offerings to them, and circumambulating their tombs.
Is it permissible to call the awliya’ the “friends of Allah (ashab Allah)”?
With regard to calling the awliya’ the “friends of Allah (ashab Allah),” there is nothing to suggest that this is a sound way of describing them.
The best of the ‘awliya’ of Allah, may He be exalted, are the messengers and prophets, then the Companions of Prophet Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), then those who came after them, then those who came after them. We do not know that the phrase “ashab Allah (friends of Allah)” was given to any of them.
Rather it was soundly narrated from the Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) that they are called Ahl al-Quran (the people of the Quran) or Ahl Allah (the people of Allah).
Imam Ahmad (11870) and Ibn Majah (215) narrated that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Allah has His own people among mankind.” They said, O Messenger of Allah, who are they? He said, “The people of the Quran, the people of Allah and those who are closest to Him.” (Classed as sahih by al-Albani in Sahih Ibn Majah)
The people of the Quran are those who have memorised it, recite it and act in accordance with its teachings.
The people of Allah are His awliya’ (allies) who are as close to Him as a man is to his own family.
And Allah knows best.

Praise be to Allah.Is seeing the Angels possible?
Seeing the angels, in a form other than their true form in which Allah created them, is possible. It is proven that a number of the Companions saw the angels in human form , as was also proven among nations who came before us.
Can we see the Angles in their real form?
As for seeing the angels in their real form , there is no report regarding that except reports which say that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) saw Jibril [in his real form] twice, and he was stunned by what he saw of his great size in his real form.
It was narrated that `Umar ibn Al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Whilst we were with the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) one day, a man came to us whose garment was exceedingly white and whose hair was exceedingly black, and there were no signs of travel on him, and none of us knew who he was. He came and sat before the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), resting his knees against his and placing his hands on his thighs. He said: O Muhammad, tell me about Islam…. And the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “O `Umar, do you know who that questioner was?” I said: Allah and His Messenger know best. He said: “That was Jibril, who came to you to teach you your religion.” (Muslim, 8)
It was narrated that Sa`d ibn Abu Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: On the day of Uhud, I saw on the right of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and on his left two men wearing white garments, fighting fiercely to defend him, and I never saw them before or since. (Muslim, 2306) These two men were angels .
Al-Suyuti (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “Al-Nawawi said: From this Hadith, we understand that seeing the angels is not only for the prophets; rather the Companions and the Awliya’ (extremely pious people) have seen them, and they did not fight only on the day of Badr.” (Sharh Al-Suyuti `ala Muslim 5/317)
Another example is Jibril (peace be upon him) appearing to Maryam (peace be upon her), and the Hadith about the angel who appeared to the bald man, the leper and the blind man, and other sound texts.
Can we see the Jinn?
Seeing the jinn – also in a form other than their real form – is also possible. Examples of that include the following:
It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) appointed me to guard the Ramadan zakah. Someone came and started taking some of the food. I grabbed hold of him and said, ‘I am going to take you to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)!’ He said, ‘Let me be, for I am in need and I have children and am in great need.’ So I let him go. … At the end of the hadith it says: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: `He indeed told you the truth, although he is a liar. Do you know who you have been speaking with for the past three nights, O Abu Hurayrah?’ I said, ‘No.’ He said, `That was a devil.’” (Muslim, 2187)
Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “What we learn from this Hadith… is that the devil may appear in different forms, so it is possible to see him. The words of Allah (interpretation of the meaning), {Indeed, he sees you, he and his tribe, from where you do not see them} [Al-A`raf 7:27] refer to when he is in his original form with which he was created.” (Fat-h Al-Bari by Ibn Hajar  4/489)
Thus we know that seeing the angels and the jinn in a form other than their real form is possible and does happen.
Can babies see the Angels?
As for suggesting that only children can see that, we do not know of any text which speaks of that. This is a matter of the unseen, and we cannot say anything about it except on the basis of evidence, and there is no evidence to deny or affirm that.
And Allah knows best.

Praise be to Allah.I put this question to our shaykh, ‘Abd ar-Rahman al-Barrak (may Allah preserve him) and he said:
If the speaker means the Qur’an which is the word of Allah, and not recitation, then this comes under the heading of idle speech, because the virtue that results from the words of Allah is by the grace of Allah, such as if one said: By the grace of Allah then by virtue of His beautiful names. That does not make sense, so it is better not to say it.
But if he meant recitation which is a person’s action, then it may mean something, but it is better to attribute the blessing to Allah alone.
And Allah knows best.

Praise be to Allah.Is Islamic `Aqidah Theoretical?
Islamic `Aqidah is not a theoretical and philosophical method; action is an essential part of this `Aqidah. Hence the Ahl As-Sunnah agreed that faith consists of words and deeds, or speaking with the tongue, believing in the heart and acting with the physical faculties. 
Whoever believes in Allah as his Lord and God, will worship Him and obey Him by praying, giving Zakah and so on. 
Whoever believes in the Last Day and its reckoning and reward or punishment, will be motivated thereby to do that which Allah has commanded and abstain from that which He has forbidden. 
Whoever believes that Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is the Messenger of Allah will therefore obey him, follow his Sunnah and propagate his religion.  
Thus the principles in which a person believes are translated into actions and words and efforts. The stronger that faith grows in his heart, the more its effects will be seen outwardly. 
Hence the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “In the body there is a piece of flesh which, if it is sound, the entire body will be sound, and if it is corrupt, the entire body will be corrupt. It is the heart.” Narrated by Al-Bukhari, 52; Muslim, 1599)
Al-Hasan Al-Basri (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “Faith is not the matter of wishes or outward appearances, rather it is that which settles in the heart and is confirmed by one’s actions.” 
Shaykh Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 
“If the heart is sound in terms of faith, knowledge and feelings, then this will inevitably lead to the soundness of physical actions, such as verbal statements and deeds. As the leading scholars of Hadith said: Words and deeds, both inward and outward. What is outward must follow what is inward, so if what is inward is sound then what is outward will also be sound, and if it (the former) is corrupt, (the latter) will also be corrupt. Hence one of the Companions said concerning the one who prayed carelessly: If his heart had been humble and focused, his body would have been humble and focused.” (Majmu` Al-Fatawa, 7/187)
Books on `Aqidah
With regard to books which one may read about `Aqidah , there are many, the greatest of which are the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), in which there is protection and salvation for those who adhere closely to them. The scholars were concerned with explaining and propagating sound `Aqidah , and they wrote innumerable books on this topic. Among the most famous of these books are the following: 

As-Sunnah by `Abdullah ibn Ahmad ibn Hanbal
At-Tawhid by Ibn Khuzaymah
Sharh Usul I`tiqad Ahl As-Sunnah by Al-Lalka’i
`Aqidat As-Salaf wa As-hab Al-Hadith by Al-Sabuni
Al-`Aqidah Al-Wasitiyyah by Ibn Taymiyah [available in English translation]
Al-`Aqidah Al-Tahhawiyyah wa Sharhuha by Ibn Abu Al-`Izz Al-Hanafi
Lawami` Al-Anwar Al-Bahiyyah by Al-Safarini
Ma`arij Al-Qubul by Hafiz Hakami
Al-Irshad ila Sahih Al-I`tiqad by Shaykh Salih Al-Fawzan – this is an easy and useful book. 

How to apply `Aqidah in real life
With regard to applying this `Aqidah in real life, this is done by learning it, propagating it, calling others to it, and refuting those who go against it with wisdom and beautiful preaching. This is how `Aqidah is spread and its effects made manifest so that all people may benefit from it. 
How to learn `Aqidah
The way in which `Aqidah may be learned is to learn it directly from those who believe in it and act accordingly. This is the soundest and best way for those who are able to do it. For those who are far away from scholars, they should refer to their commentaries, writings and tapes, as well as asking about confusing matters and anything they do not understand. 
If a person follows some of the teachings of Islam and neglects others, by failing to do some of the obligatory duties or by committing some of the acts that are forbidden, this is a shortcoming in his faith and a weakness in his belief and his love for his Lord and His religion. This is undoubtedly a fault in his `Aqidah. 
Hence one of the basic principles of Ahl As-Sunnah wal-Jama`ah is that faith increases by doing acts of worship and decreases by doing acts of sin. These shortcomings and faults may erase faith altogether, so that the person becomes an apostate from Islam, such as if he stops praying. Please see question no. 5208  and 2182 . 
With regard to sins that do not reach the level of disbelief, such as withholding obligatory Zakah or looking at prohibited things and so on, these are things which cause faith to decrease. 
What is the correct `Aqidah?
The Muslims need people to explain pure, correct `Aqidah to them, that is based on the Quran and Sunnah according to the understanding of the righteous Salaf. That is because of the widespread existence of ignorance, innovations (Bid’ah), myths and deviant schools of thought. 
Every Muslim must be sincere towards himself first of all, by learning correct `Aqidah from trustworthy sources, then by propagating it and teaching it to the people, by means of lessons and lectures, books, publications and magazines, thus fulfilling the duty to convey the message as Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): 
“(And remember) when Allah took a covenant from those who were given the Scripture (Jews and Christians) to make it (the news of the coming of Prophet Muhammad and the religious knowledge) known and clear to mankind, and not to hide it.” [Al-`Imran 3:187] 
“Let there arise out of you a group of people inviting to all that is good (Islam), enjoining Al-Ma‘roof (i.e. Islamic Monotheism and all that Islam orders one to do) and forbidding Al-Munkar (polytheism and disbelief and all that Islam has forbidden). And it is they who are the successful.” [Al `Imran 3:104] 
“Say (O Muhammad): ‘This is my way; I invite unto Allah (i.e. to the Oneness of Allah — Islamic Monotheism) with sure knowledge, I and whosoever follows me (also must invite others to Allah, i.e. to the Oneness of Allah — Islamic Monotheism with sure knowledge). And Glorified and Exalted be Allah (above all that they associate as partners with Him). And I am not of the Mushrikun (polytheists, pagans, idolaters and disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah; those who worship others along with Allah or set up rivals or partners to Allah.)’” [Yusuf 12:108]
And Allah knows best.

Praise be to Allah.Mockery – which may also imply showing disrespect or making fun of something – in some cases constitutes major disbelief (kufr akbar) which puts a person beyond the bounds of Islam. In other cases, it comes under the heading of evildoing, and in some cases it may come under both headings.
1. If it is mocking Allah, may He be exalted, or the Quran, or the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), then it is disbelief (kufr) that puts a person beyond the bounds of Islam. This is indicated by the verses in which Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
{And if you ask them, they will surely say, “We were only conversing and playing.” Say, “Is it Allah and His verses and His Messenger that you were mocking?”
Make no excuse; you have disbelieved after your belief} [At-Tawbah 9:65-66].
The scholars are unanimously agreed on that.
2. If it is mocking people themselves and their worldly actions that have nothing to do with religion, then it comes under the heading of evildoing (fisq), concerning which Allah, may He be exalted, said (interpretation of the meaning):
{O you who have believed, let not a people ridicule [another] people; perhaps they may be better than them; nor let women ridicule [other] women; perhaps they may be better than them} [Al-Hujurat 49:11].
3. As for the possibility that it may be both disbelief (kufr) that puts a person beyond the bounds of Islam and evildoing (fisq), this refers to mocking the Muslim for his religious commitment and his appearance that is in accordance with the Sunnah. If the mockery is because of the religious teaching that the Muslim is adhering to, then it constitutes disbelief that puts a person beyond the bounds of Islam. If it is mocking the Muslim himself because, for example, he is not religious enough to show that he is a committed Muslim, or because he goes to extremes or is very strict in implementing the Sunnah in a manner that is not supported by the religious texts, then this comes under the heading of evildoing, because it is mocking a person and is not mocking the religion.
Shaykh ‘Abd al-Aziz ibn Baz (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked:
If someone mocks the religion by mocking the beard or shortening of the thobe, is that regarded as disbelief (kufr)?
He replied:
It depends. If his aim is to mock the religion, then it constitutes apostasy, as Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
{Say, “Is it Allah and His verses and His Messenger that you were mocking?”
Make no excuse; you have disbelieved after your belief} [At-Tawbah 9:65-66].
But if it is mocking the person himself for other reasons, such as if it has to do with his beard or his shortening of his thobe, and what is meant by mocking him is that he is too strict, or it is mocking other things, such as his strictness in this regard and his lenience regarding other issues that he knows are part of religious teachings, and his aim is not to mock the religion, rather the intention is to mock the person for shortening his thobe or for other reasons, if his intention is to mock the religion and show disrespect to the religion, then this constitutes apostasy. We ask Allah to keep us safe and sound.
After that, he was asked:
What if he says: I say that to people to make them laugh, by way of joking?
He replied:
This is not permissible; it is an evil deed and the one who does it is taking a risk, and if his aim is to mock the religion, then it constitutes disbelief (kufr).”(Fatawa ash-Shaykh Ibn Baz 28/365, 366).
Based on that, we may say regarding the topic of the question:
If the speaker’s aim is to mock the ruqyah itself, then it constitutes disbelief which puts him beyond the bounds of Islam, because he is mocking the Quran.
If his aim is to mock the person himself, because he is not qualified to recite ruqyah, or because he is claiming to treat the problem by means of the Quran, but in reality that is not the case, so the mockery is directed at the person himself, it does not constitute disbelief; rather it is evildoing and is haram.
If he claims that he did not intend to mock anyone, rather he wanted to joke and make people laugh, then he is taking a risk, because there is no room for joking about such matters.
And Allah knows best.

Praise be to Allah.Shaykh `Abd Al-`Aziz ibn `Abdullah ibn Baz (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 
“Note that Allah has commanded all people to enter Islam and to adhere to it and to beware of whatever is contrary to it. He sent His Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) to call mankind to that. He tells us that those who follow him will be guided and that those who turn away from him have gone astray.
In many verses He warns against the means that lead to apostasy and all forms of polytheism and disbelief .
The scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) have said, when discussing apostasy, that a Muslim may apostatize from his religion by doing many acts that nullify Islam, which makes it permissible to shed his blood and seize his wealth, and which will put him beyond the pale of Islam. 
Among the most serious and most common of these things are ten which were mentioned by Shaykh Muhammad ibn `Abd Al-Wahhaab and other scholars (may Allah have mercy on them all). 
We will mention them in brief here, so that you and others can beware of them, in the hope that you will be safe and sound. We will also explain a little about them after mentioning each one.  

Shirk or associating others in worship with Allah . Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“Verily, Allah forgives not (the sin of) setting up partners (in worship) with Him, but He forgives whom He wills, sins other than that, and whoever sets up partners in worship with Allah, has indeed strayed far away.” [An-Nisa’ 4:116] 
“Verily, whosoever sets up partners (in worship) with Allah, then Allah has forbidden Paradise to him, and the Fire will be his abode.” [Al-Ma’idah 5:72]
That includes praying to the dead, seeking their help, making vows and offering sacrifices to them or to the jinn or to the grave. 

Whoever sets up intermediaries between himself and Allah and calls upon them, asks them to intercede, and puts his trust in them, is a disbeliever according to scholarly consensus. 
Whoever does not regard the polytheists as disbelievers, or doubts that they are disbelievers, or regards their way as correct, is a disbeliever. 
Whoever believes that anything other than the teaching of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is more complete than his teachings , or that the rulings of anyone else are better than his rulings – such as those who prefer the rule of false laws to his rulings – is a disbeliever. 
Whoever hates any part of that which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) brought, even if he acts in accordance with it, is a disbeliever, because Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“That is because they hate that which Allah has sent down (this Quran and Islamic laws); so He has made their deeds fruitless.” [Muhammad 47:9]

Whoever makes fun of anything in the religion of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), or makes fun of any texts that refer to rewards or punishments, is a disbeliever. The evidence for that is the verse (interpretation of the meaning): 

“Say: Was it at Allah, and His Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) and His Messenger that you were mocking?
Make no excuse; you disbelieved after you had believed.” [At-Tawbah 9:65-66]

Witchcraft – including spells to turn one person against another or to make someone love another. Whoever does this or approves of it is a disbeliever. The evidence for that is the verse (interpretation of the meaning): 

“but neither of these two (angels) taught anyone (such things) till they had said, `We are for trial, so disbelieve not (by learning this magic from us).’” [Al-Baqarah 2:102]

Supporting the polytheists and helping them against the Muslims. The evidence for that is the verse in which Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“O you who believe! Take not the Jews and the Christians as Awliya’ (friends, protectors, helpers), they are but Awliyaa’ of each other. And if any amongst you takes them (as Awliya’), then surely, he is one of them. Verily, Allah guides not those people who are the Dhalimun (polytheists and wrongdoers and unjust)” [Al-Ma’idah 5:51]

Whoever believes that some people are allowed to operate outside the law of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) just as Al-Khidr operated outside the law of Musa (peace be upon him) is a disbeliever, because Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers.” [Al `Imran 3:85]

Turning away from the religion of Allah, not learning it and not acting in accordance with it. The evidence for that is the verse (interpretation of the meaning): 

“And who does more wrong than he who is reminded of the Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) of his Lord, then turns aside therefrom? Verily, We shall exact retribution from the Mujrimon (criminals, disbelievers, polytheists, sinners).” [As-Sajdah 32:22]
With regard to all of these acts that nullify Islam, it makes no difference whether a person is joking, serious or afraid, unless he is forced to do it. All of them are very serious, and they all happen a great deal. 
The Muslim should beware of them and fear falling into them. We seek refuge with Allah from the things that may incur His wrath and painful punishment. May Allah send blessings and peace upon the best of His creation, Muhammad, and upon his family and companions. 

The fourth category includes those who believe that the systems and laws devised by men are better than the Shari`ah of Islam, or equal to it; or that it is permissible to refer to them for judgements and rulings, even if he believes that referring to Shari`ah is better; or that the Islamic system is not fit to be applied in the twentieth century; or that it was the cause of the Muslims’ backwardness; or that it should be limited to a person’s relationship with his Lord and not have anything to do with the other affairs of life 
The fourth category also includes those who think that carrying out the ruling of Allah by cutting off the hand of the thief or stoning the married adulterer is not appropriate in the modern age. 
That also includes: everyone who believes that it is permissible to rule according to something other than the laws of Allah with regard to interactions, hudud punishments or other matters, even if he does not believe that that is better than the ruling of Shari`ah, because by doing so he is regarding as permissible something that Allah has forbidden according to consensus, and everyone who regards as permissible something that Allah has forbidden and is well known to be forbidden in Islam, such that no Muslim has any excuse for not knowing that it is forbidden, such as adultery , alcohol and Riba , and ruling by something other than the Shari`ah of Allah, is a disbeliever according to the consensus of the Muslims. 

We ask Allah to help us all to do that which pleases Him, and to guide us and all the Muslims to His Straight Path, for He is All Hearing, Ever-Responsive. May Allah send blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions.

Praise be to Allah.Swearing that one will be a disbeliever in order to make oneself do something or refrain from something is reprehensible speech, and it is not permissible.
Al-Bukhari (1363) and Muslim (110) narrated from Thabit ibn ad-Dahhak (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: Whoever swears deliberately and falsely that he belongs to a religion other than Islam is as he said.”
Abu Dawud (3258) and Ahmad (23006) narrated that Buraydah said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever swears an oath and says ‘I have nothing to do with Islam’, if he is lying it will be as he said, and if he is telling the truth he will not return to Islam soundly.” Classed as sahih by al-Albani in Sahih Abi Dawud.
If he swore that he would become a disbeliever, intending it literally and meaning what he said, then he is a disbeliever, because he meant it.
But if he swore that he would become a disbeliever if he did something, so as to stop himself from doing it and make that thing off-putting to himself, then he did it, he does not become a disbeliever as a result of doing it, but he must offer expiation for breaking an oath (kaffarat yamin).
If he said that he would become a Jew, or a Christian, or a Zoroastrian, or that he would have nothing to do with Islam, or that he would become a communist if he did such and such; or he swore by Allah that he would stop doing something, and that if he went back to it then he would die as a disbeliever, and the like, then this is an oath, and he must offer expiation if he breaks his oath, but he does not become a disbeliever thereby, according to scholarly consensus, as was narrated by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him), who said:
If he said that he would become a Jew or a Christian if he did such and such, or that if he did such and such he would become a disbeliever, and the like, then the leading scholars are agreed that if he breaks his oath, he does not become a disbeliever; rather he must offer expiation for breaking an oath according to Abu Hanifah and Ahmad, according to the well-known view narrated from him. According to Malik and ash-Shafa‘i, he does not have to do anything, unlike the case if he said, “If you give me the money, I will become a disbeliever.” In this case, he becomes a disbeliever on that basis; in fact he became a disbeliever immediately [as soon as he said these words], because he meant it and intended that he would become a disbeliever if that condition was fulfilled [and his oath was broken].”(Majmu‘ al-Fatawa  33/199).
Ibn ‘Allan (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
“then he is as he said” means: if he wanted to change his religion and was determined that he would do that if he did that thing [concerning which he swore that oath], then he becomes a disbeliever immediately, because deciding to disbelieve constitutes disbelief. But if his intention was to make sure that he would not do that thing, and he intended never to do the thing mentioned in his oath, then it is a sin and he must ask Allah for forgiveness for it.”(Dalil al-Falihin (8/394); see also: al-Mawsu‘ah al-Fiqhiyyah  7/300-303).
See also the answer to question no. 174658 .
If he said that and then died:

If he did not do the thing concerning which he swore that oath, then there is no blame on him and nothing is required of his heirs.
If he did do it, and died before he could offer expiation for his oath, then his heirs must offer expiation on his behalf from his wealth (the estate).

It says in Mughni al-Muhtaj (6/192):
If someone dies owing expiation, then the least expensive option must be given from his estate. End quote.
And Allah knows best.