This means that one who pretends to be a Muslim—whenever he says something that is not heard except from a disbeliever, or does something that is not done except by a disbeliever—is considered a hypocrite, not an apostate. This is because an apostate is a disbeliever who openly acknowledges his disbelief after Islam, and—based on mutawatir reports—killing him under this title, before or after repentance, is permissible, according to what Allah’s caliph on the Earth sees fit. However, a hypocrite is a disbeliever who does not openly acknowledge his disbelief, but rather considers himself a Muslim to protect his life. As a rule, killing him under the title of disbeliever is not permissible; because the rule is that one who says he is a Muslim is to be taken at his word, and the reckoning of his deeds lies with Allah. Yes, if the hypocrite’s blasphemous statement or action is evident and is an example of fighting against Allah and His Prophet and spreading corruption on the Earth, then it is permissible to kill him as a fighter against Allah and His Prophet and a corrupter on the Earth, not as a disbeliever. In such a case, he is given ghusl and the funeral prayer—just as is done for Muslims—and he is buried in the cemetery of Muslims. Of course, it is not appropriate for Allah’s caliph to personally perform these tasks; as Allah has said to him: ﴿وَلَا تُصَلِّ عَلَى أَحَدٍ مِنْهُمْ مَاتَ أَبَدًا وَلَا تَقُمْ عَلَى قَبْرِهِ ۖ إِنَّهُمْ كَفَرُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَمَاتُوا وَهُمْ فَاسِقُونَ﴾[1]; “And never perform prayer over any of them upon his death, nor stand at his grave; for they disbelieved in Allah and His Prophet and died while they were sinful.”

[Recognizing the Polytheist[2]]

Based on this, one who considers himself a Muslim is not regarded as a polytheist due to what he does, even if it is something like calling upon the dead; for calling upon the dead is not considered polytheism if it is done with the belief that they can be beneficial by the permission of Allah. This is because Allah has the power to provide benefit through a dead person, just as He has the power to do so through a living person. Rather, He has the power to bring the living out of the dead and the dead out of the living; as He has said: ﴿يُخْرِجُ الْحَيَّ مِنَ الْمَيِّتِ وَيُخْرِجُ الْمَيِّتَ مِنَ الْحَيِّ وَيُحْيِي الْأَرْضَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهَا﴾[3]; “He brings the living out of the dead and brings the dead out of the living and gives life to the Earth after its death.”