Are the Habashis like other apostate sects? How can one deal with them, especially if they are members of one’s family like a father or a sister?

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 is His slave and Messenger.

As regard to your question about how the Habashis are to be treated, we say that they are to be treated the same way that Ahlus-Sunnah wa'l Jamaa‘ah (the Sunni mainstream) any treat heretical innovators. In other words, anyone who is active among them in calling people to adopt their religious innovations and who are feared to have a negative influence on Muslims must be avoided and people must be warned about them. However, the commoners among them should be treated kindly and offered advice in order to make the truth clear to them. As a matter of fact, in this issue, the Sharee‘ah does not differentiate between family members and others. Nonetheless, one’s father must be treated kindly in all cases and should be advised softly and leniently.

Allaah Knows best.