As-Salamu Alaykum wa Rahmatullah. A student of knowledge fell into some sins and was was visited by Jinn who show him disturbing things but claim to be Muslim. He admits that it is the Plot of Shaytan yet still entertains their conversations, obeys them when they command him to do things, tries to convience others that he's the Awaited Mahdi and that he will rebuild Noah's Ark among other things. He spends hours studying magic and makes the Haram, Halal for himself. Furthermore, he ignores the Hadith that prove he cannot be the Awaited Mahdi, refuses help from both doctors and scholars and tells his family and friends that hes glad these Jinn came and that its a good thing. Since he's been released from the hospital as being mentally sound, our question is, does such a person disbelieve? How should we deal with such an individual who refuses help? Jazak Allah Khayran.

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. {C}

It is not permissible for a Muslim, especially a student of knowledge, to obey the devils, enjoy their commands, or believe what they say because the jinn are not trustworthy, and what they say cannot be trusted. They are liars and deceivers, and even those amongst them who claim to be Muslims, we cannot know whether they are saying the truth or are lying.

It is forbidden to learn magic according to the agreement of all the scholars, as Ibn Qudaamah said in his book Al-Mughni.

Rather, according to the view of many scholars, the one who learns magic and practices it goes out of the fold of Islam; this is the view of the Maaliki and Hanbali Schools of jurisprudence.

The evidence that one becomes a non-Muslim is the Saying of Allah (which means): {And they followed [instead] what the devils had recited during the reign of Solomon. It was not Solomon who disbelieved, but the devils disbelieved, teaching people magic and that which was revealed to the two angels at Babylon, Haaroot and Maaroot. But the two angels do not teach anyone unless they say, "We are a trial, so do not disbelieve [by practicing magic]."} [Quran 2:102]

Al-Baaji (from the Maaliki school) said regarding this verse: {so do not disbelieve}: “This means that one disbelieves by learning magic.” [End of quote]

Ibn Qudaamah said in his book Al-Mughni: “{We are a trial, so do not disbelieve}; means, do not learn it (magic), otherwise you will disbelieve (by learning it).” [End of quote]

Based on this, it is feared that this person became a disbeliever by learning magic, and by his claim that it is lawful for him (to learn it), because whoever considers what is forbidden to be lawful is a Kaafir (non-Muslim), as well as the magician according to the most preponderant opinion.

As regards how to deal with such a person, then it is by advising him, discussing the matter with him, and refuting his misconceptions with Islamic evidence.

Shaykh Ibn Taymiyyah said in his book Majmoo' Al-Fataawa:

"Whoever shuns some acts of worship out of arrogance and because of listening and obeying others in that, then he has not fulfilled the statement: “La Ilaaha illa Allah” (None has the right to be worshipped but Allah), in this case. Those who have taken their scholars and monks as lords because they obeyed them in making lawful whatever Allah has forbidden, and forbidding whatever Allah has made lawful, then they are of two categories:

- The First Category: They know that they (the scholars and monks) have changed the religion of Allah and yet they follow them in this change, and thus deem lawful whatever Allah has forbidden, and deem forbidden whatever Allah has made lawful, because of following their leaders, while they know that they have contradicted the religion of the Prophets; then this is disbelief. Allah and His Messenger considered this to be Shirk, even if they did not pray to them (the scholars and monks) and prostrate to them. Those who follow others in what is not in conformity with the religion, while knowing that it is contrary to the religion, and believe in what they say, and do not believe in what Allah and His Messenger say, then they are Mushrik (associated partners with Allah) like them.

- The Second Category: They have a firm belief in prohibiting what is prohibited and in the lawfulness of what is permissible, but they obeyed them (the scholars and monks) in the disobedience of Allah, like any Muslim who commits sins while believing that they are sins; this category of people take the same ruling of the sinners.” [End of quote]

As regards that person’s claim that he is the Mahdi, then Imam Ahmad and Ibn Majah and others reported from ‘Ali that the Prophet said: “The Mahdi is one of us, the people of the Household (of the Prophet ). Allah will rectify him in a single night." Ahmad Shaakir and Al-Albaani classified this Hadeeth as authentic.

Al-Qaari said commenting of this narration: “The term ‘Allah will rectify him in a single night” means, he will reform his affairs and raise his status in one single night, or in one hour of the night, as the people who have binding authority will agree, at that time, that he will become the Khaleefah (Caliph).” [End of quote]

Some scholars concluded from this Hadeeth that the Mahdi himself will not know that he is the Mahdi until people give him the pledge of allegiance, as stated by the author of Hilyatul-bashar fi Taareekh Al-qarn Ath-thaalith ‘Ashar: “What is concluded from the saying of the Prophet about the Mahdi that ‘Allah will rectify him in one single night’, is that the Mahdi himself will not know that he is the awaited Mahdi before the time when Allah decrees for him to emerge.’" [End of quote]

Allah knows best.