Rage resembling madness is excused

12-11-2007 | IslamWeb

Question:

My 67-year-old father suffered from a blood clot. When he becomes nervous, he does not care about anyone’s feelings. He can distinguish between things, speak normally and pray, but whenever I forbid an evil at home and engage in a heated discussion with him, he blasphemes Islam. When he is nervous, he does not know anyone. However, when he calms down, he glorifies Allaah The Almighty and praises the Messenger of Allaah and the religion. Is he considered an apostate?

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Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and messenger.

 

If your father’s rage reaches the point where he cannot control his mind and says irrational things like someone who is insane, then he is not held accountable for what he says. However, if his anger does not reach that level, then what he says makes him an apostate. We previously clarified this ruling in Fataawa 17875 and 86975.

It is important to note that enraging one’s father is a very serious matter especially if it leads him to do what you have mentioned. Therefore, it is important that you try not to make him angry.

Allaah Knows best.