Allah t'aala writes in Al-Qur'an:
"Already He has sent word to you in The Book, that when you hear the signs of
Allah disbelieved and held in ridicule, you should not sit with them unless
they enter into a different discussion; surely then (if you did sit with
them) you would be like them; surely Allah will collect the hypocrites and defiers of faith in hell. "4:140
The 5th Da`ii, Syedna Ali (r.a.) explains this aayat (verse) by saying that 'the holding of the signs of Allah in ridicule' is to vilify Allah's chosen people and His deen, and if a Mumin socialises with them, he will develop an affinity with them which will lead him to hell.
Allah t`aala states further:
"And incline not towards those who do wrong lest the Fire sieze you... "11:113
Syedna Al-Qaadi al-Nu`maan (r.a.) explains that those who do wrong means those who are the enemies of the Awliya of Allah, and it is necessary for Mumineen to practice bara'at with such people to avoid Fire seizing you.
Bara'at is the other side to the coin of walayat - one is not complete without the other. To become barii means to make oneself free or clean of something and bara'at is a dissociation from those people or elements that would corrupt or pollute one's faith and conviction.
Conceptually and practically baraat entails a total and utter cutting of ties, communication and any form of interaction with those persons who harbour an enmity to the subject of our walayat; Aqamola (tus) and everything he represents.
Bara'at has to be maintained at many levels and includes abstaining from even merely listening or reading the words of such people. One doesn't pick up a bottle of wine for any reason, one doesn't touch a packet of pork - we are disgusted by it - similarly one doesn't listen or read their words because they are no less abhorrent.
The words of the munafiq come in many garbs and guises but, like all those who are dishonest, the outward appearance will rarely reflect the truth of their intentions. It is not merely poetry to say that they are snakelike - soft on the outside but harbouring the same deadly venom within.One need only to look carefully at the story of Adam nabi to see how.
They may tell you they are there to help and answer your questions, this mere claim being designed to imply that it is not possible to find those answers within the official realms of D`awat. They have one aim and one aim only - the same aim of Shaitaan (l.a.) himself as he was being cast out from paradise when he proclaimed he would lead mankind astray.
Many of us want answers to our questions and truly we should go seeking them. But does that mean looking for them in the wrong places? When the only aim is to disprove and slur the truth how is it possible that the innocent will find it there?
Think for a moment what one says before Bismillah; "A'uuzo billahe mina-l-Shaitaan-il-rajeem" which means asking Allah for sanctuary from Shaitaan, the asking for sanctuary comes first then the Bismillah... Similarly walayat for the pure has to be prefaced by bara'at from the impure.
Bara'at is essential - for the protection of those that still require knowledge for their firmness of conviction and for the continued wellbeing of those who have acquired such conviction. This bara'at entails total abstinence from the words and invitations of munafiqeen in whatever form they may take - be it the printed word or electronic media or the rumours that creep in from the fringes of jamaats.
Bara'at is as integral to walaayat (faith and conviction in Rasulallah (s.a.), Molana Ali (a.s.), A'immat Tahereen (a.s.) and Duaat Mutlaqeen) as taharat is to namaaz and zakaat is to wealth or fasting is to the body. All are forms of purification without which the other is invalid.
Bara'at is the other side of the coin of walayat - one side cannot possibly be shiny whilst the other side is dull.