Regarding the Narration of Ibn Abbas “Kufr Duna Kufr”

What has reached us from Ibn Abbas from his saying “Kufr Duna Kufr” is not reliable. It is narrated in Al-Haakim in his Mustadraaq (Vol. 2/313) by the way of Hisham Ibn Hujaayr on the authority of Tawoos who heard it from Ibn Abbas. However, Hisham is declared Da’eef by Yahya Ibn Ma’een and Imam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal.

On the other hand it is narrated to us from Abdur-Razaaq in his Tafseer on the authority of Mu’aamr who heard from Ibn Tawoos that his father said he asked Ibn Abbas about Allah’s saying: {“And whosoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed such are the Kafirun.”} 

Ibn Abbas said it was Kufr and this is what is preserved from Ibn Abbas. Showing that there is no doubt about this Ayah, and proving that what is meant by this diselief is Kufr Al-Akbar. So how can some claim Islam when they put aside and substitute the Sharee’ah, and make alliances with the Jews and Christians and imitate them!?

As for what is narrated by Ibn Jareer in his Tafseer on the authority of Ibn Abbas who said, {“It is not like the one who disbelieves in Allah and the last day..”} what is meant here does not mean that ‘Ruling by other than what Allah revealed’ is Kufr duna Kufr. Whoever says it does mean this, then it is upon him to bring his proof and evidence to substantiate his allegation.

It is clear from Ibn Abbas’s words that Kufr Al-Akbar is of different classifications, and some forms are more severe than others. For example, the Kufr of the one who doesn’t believe in Allah and the Last Day, is more extreme than the Hakim [Ruler] who doesn’t rule by what Allah revealed. It is clear that Kufr of the Hakim who ‘Rules by other than what Allah revealed’ is less severe than the one who doesn’t believe in Allah and the Last day. Still, we cannot say that this Hakim remains a Muslim and that his ruling is simply Kufr Al-Asghar. We say he has left the religion because of putting aside and removal of the Sharee’ah, and according to Ibn Katheer, there is Ijmaa aout this. See “Al-Bidayah Wa-Nihayah” (Vol. 13/119)

[At-Tibyan Sharh' Nawaqidh Al-Islam by Muhammad Ibn Abdul Wahhab; explanation and footnotes by Sulmayman al-Alwaan, Pg. 38]