Insolence towards a Scholar of Religion

Question

If a person, out of obstinacy and malice, lays some lie or slander on a scholar and uses insolent words about the scholar — for instance, “fasiq” or “fajir” — what is the ruling on that person according to the Muhammadan Sacred Law?

Answer

Laying a slander is a major sin, and calling a religious person a fasiq and a fajir is also a grave sin. If he belittles a scholar of truth on account of his religious knowledge, it is extremely dangerous — so much so that some jurists have declared such a person a kafir.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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