Praise be to Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah. To proceed:
A severe warning has been reported concerning those who give priority to pleasing people over pleasing Allah. It is stated in the hadith: “Whoever seeks the pleasure of people at the cost of Allah’s displeasure, Allah will be displeased with him and will cause the people to be displeased with him.” This indicates the seriousness of giving priority to pleasing created beings over obeying the Creator.
When does pleasing people amount to disbelief?
If a person pleases people by committing a statement or action that constitutes disbelief, while doing so knowingly, deliberately, and voluntarily, and the conditions for declaring disbelief are fulfilled while its impediments are absent, then that person may fall into disbelief because of that act—not merely because he intended to please people.
Nevertheless, declaring a specific individual to be a disbeliever is not for everyone to do. It is governed by precise Islamic guidelines. A particular person is not declared a disbeliever until the relevant conditions are fulfilled and the impediments are absent, such as matters relating to knowledge, intent, free choice, and the absence of ignorance, misinterpretation, or coercion.
What if the sin does not amount to disbelief?
If the act is a sin that does not reach the level of disbelief—such as failing to lower one’s gaze, lying, listening to prohibited things, or other major or minor sins—and a person commits it out of fear of what people may say or in pursuit of their approval or status, then he is sinful and disobedient to Allah, but he does not leave Islam merely because of that.
Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama‘ah agree that a Muslim does not become a disbeliever merely by committing sins and acts of disobedience, unless he regards them as permissible or commits an act that nullifies Islam.
Is fear of what people say an excuse?
A Muslim must not give priority to pleasing people over pleasing Allah, neglect an obligation, or commit something prohibited merely out of fear of criticism or of being accused of being overly strict or backward.
A Muslim’s standard should be seeking the pleasure of Allah Almighty while treating people well, without allowing this to lead to disobedience to Allah.
Weakness of faith, love of praise, or fear of criticism may cause a person to fall into such a sin. Therefore, a Muslim should strive against his own desires and repent to Allah if he falls into it.
Conclusion
Whoever pleases people at the cost of Allah’s displeasure has committed a serious matter and is subject to the warning mentioned in the Sunnah. However, he is not judged to be a polytheist or disbeliever merely because of that. If the act he committed constitutes disbelief, its ruling depends on whether the conditions for declaring disbelief are fulfilled and its impediments are absent. But if it is a sin that does not amount to disbelief, such as failing to lower one’s gaze or other sins, then he is sinful and disobedient, but remains a Muslim unless he regards the sin as permissible or commits one of the nullifiers of Islam.
And Allah knows best.