Calling a Muslim “Sardar-ji”

Question

A certain man only occasionally keeps up the prayer; he also affirms the Oneness of God and the messengership, but his attitude towards major and minor sins is unsatisfactory. In such a state, what is the ruling on referring to him by the nickname “Sardar-ji” (a common form of address for a Sikh), when the Holy Qur’an explicitly says: [ar]وَلَا تَنَابَزُوا بِالْأَلْقَابِ[/ar] (“and do not insult one another by nicknames”)? What is to be done with the one who says “Sardar-ji”?

Answer

A Muslim, even though a grave sinner, remains a Muslim; repentance from minor and major sins is also obligatory. In our usage “Sardar-ji” is said of a Sikh. If the usage there is the same, and this is also what ‘Umar means, then calling a Muslim “Sardar-ji” is not permissible. ‘Umar must repent of saying so and ask Zayd’s forgiveness; otherwise the sin will remain on him.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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