The ruling of *takfir* (declaring someone an infidel) is a legal ruling, a reportative one. It is to apply the ruling of disbelief to someone whose Islam has not been established, or to someone whose Islam has been established but has committed an act that nullifies it. Although this is legally obligatory, it is not part of the fundamentals of religion, nor is it innate like monotheism.

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said (in *Minhaj al-Sunnah*): "...Indeed, disbelief and transgression are legal rulings, not among the rulings that the intellect can determine independently..."

To include the *takfir* of polytheists as part of the fundamentals of religion, and to hold that one who excuses them is an infidel, or that one who refrains from declaring an infidel an infidel, while attributing themselves to Islam (due to ignorance or misinterpretation), claiming that they have not fulfilled the fundamentals of religion – all of this is misguidance and innovation in the religion of Allah.

The ruling of *takfir* is not among the "meanings of monotheism," nor is it among the "meanings of disbelief in *taghut* (idolatry/false deities)," which is a pillar of monotheism. The meaning of disbelief in *taghut* is to disavow *taghut*, to hate it, to believe in its falsehood, and to shun its worship. This is the meaning of disbelief in *taghut*, and it is entirely different from the legal ruling of *takfir*. Let one be mindful of this, so as not to fabricate lies against Allah.

I ask Allah Almighty to guide us all to the truth and to the straight path. And praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds. And may Allah bless Muhammad, his family, and his companions, and grant them peace.