Part 59

Mughirah Abu Hashim Ibn Magsam al-Dabbi (2-133 A.H.) was a distinguished jurist and a scholar of hadith. [Kitab al-Iman MZ, p. 218.]

The man who disputed with him claimed that the verse in which Allah says: "The desert Arabs say: ‘We believe.’ Say: ‘You have no faith; but you [only] say; We have submitted our wills to Allah . . .”” (49:14) refers to istislam, surrender. To this Ibrahim replied no, it refers to Islam.

To refute the second opinion, one may say that the pious ancestors, who said that hypocrites who go out of Iman into Islam, did not say that they had no belief at all. Indeed, this is what the Kharijites and the Mu‘tazilites claimed. Orthodox Muslims said that sinners came out of Hell via intercession because they had some Iman, which made it possible to exit the Hellfire. However, they are not called believers. For absolute Iman is that whose possessor deserves reward and enters Paradise, and those sinners did not. However, they are included among those addressed with the words “you who believe.” Such a call is addressed to those who

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believe, even if their belief is not perfect. Indeed, they are called in order to perfect their Iman. And if so, then how could they have perfected their Iman before the call? Indeed, being addressed as “you who believe” differs from the statement “the true believers are... ,” as in Allah’s saying: “Only those are believers who have believed in Allah and His Messenger, and have never since doubted, but have striven with their belongings and their lives . . .” (49:15) and the like. Accordingly, the call to “you who believe” includes hypocrites who outwardly profess Iman. And if so, then how could one who is not a hypocrite fail to be included in this address, even though he is not considered truly from among the believers? Indeed, Orthodox Muslims agree on the fact that whoever is not a true believer is called a Muslim. Such a Muslim has Iman that prevents him from abiding in Hell forever. This is agreed upon by Orthodox Muslims; however, would such a person still be called by the name of Iman? This question is what they really disputed. Some said he is called a Muslim and not a “believer” and some said that he is a “believer.”

The reality is that such a person is a believer with diminished Iman. He is a believer because of his Iman, but he is sinful because he committed a grave sin; thus he will not be granted absolute Iman. However, the Book and the Sunnah deny that he possesses absolute Iman. Such a person will be included in the Iman that Allah and His Messenger commanded, and it [Iman] is required of him as it is with others. The discussion here is focused on the absolute Iman that is necessary for such a person and others. There are three groups of people who are addressed as believers: the true believers, the hypocrites who overtly pretend to be believers (and who will go to Hell in the Hereafter), and those who have converted to Islam although the essence of Iman has not yet entered their hearts [either because they are new converts to Islam or because they have not comprehended the core or the essence of belief in their hearts]. Instead, they have achieved part of Islam and Iman, for which they will be rewarded. Or, they might have neglected their obligations, because of which they will be punished even though they have not committed major sins. Such people are like the desert Arabs mentioned in the previous verse. They are alike in that they said: “we believe” but they did not practice any of what they were commanded, either inwardly or outwardly. Moreover, the essence of Iman had not entered their hearts, nor did they struggle in the way of Allah. However, they do have some degree of both belief and Islam, for which they deserved to be rewarded. At the same time, they

may have been remiss in performing some of their religious obligations, and although they committed no major sins for which they deserved punishment, they were subject to potential punishment for neglecting to observe religious duties. Such people resembled the desert Arabs mentioned in the verse above since like them they stated that they had believed, although they had not done what they were commanded, either inwardly or outwardly. Thus, neither had the essence of belief entered their hearts nor had they strived in the way of Allah even though the Prophet (pbuh) had called upon them to do so. On this account they may be classed among those who have committed major sins for which they are under threat of divine retribution; such as those who pray, give zakah, and strive in the way of Allah, while continuing at the same time to commit major sins. Such individuals are not thereby excluded from Islam; however, a formal dispute may arise concerning them as to whether it can be said that they are believers. If Allah wills, we shall discuss this question in what follows.

As for the Kharijites and the Mu‘tazilites, neither considered these types Muslims or believers, since both sects considered Islam and Iman as one thing. Thus if they ceased to have Iman, they did not have Islam, but the Kharijites said that they are unbelievers, and the Mu‘tazilites said that they are neither Muslims nor unbelievers; that they are a state in between. They refer to them as manzilah bayna al-manzilatayn, they are in an in-between state. The proof that the Islam mentioned in the verse above is the type of Islam that they will be rewarded for and that they are not hypocrites, is the saying of Allah: "The desert Arabs say: ‘We believe.’ Say: ‘You have no faith, but you [only] say.’ ‘We have submitted our wills to Allah, for not yet has faith entered your hearts. But if you obey Allah and His Messenger, He will not decrease anything in reward of your deeds . . .”” (49:14). This indicates that if they obey Allah and His Messenger with this kind of Islam, Allah will reward them for their obedience. However, the work of the hypocrite in the Hereafter will be futile.

Moreover, they have been described as having attributes that differ from those of the hypocrites. For the hypocrites are described as having unbelief in their hearts, and as concealing within themselves the opposite of what they manifest outwardly. Allah says: “And there are some people who say: ‘We believe in Allah and the Last Day,” while in fact they believe not. They [think to] deceive Allah and those who believe, while they only deceive themselves, and perceive [it] not. In their hearts is a disease [of doubt and hypocrisy] and Allah has increased their disease

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...” (2:8-10); and “When the hypocrites come to you [Oh, Muhammad], they say: ‘We bear witness that you are indeed the Messenger of Allah.’ Allah knows that you are indeed His Messenger and Allah bears witness that the hypocrites are liars indeed” (63:1). Hence, the hypocrites are described in the Qur’an as being liars who utter with their mouths what is not in their hearts, and that in their hearts they carry unbelief for which they deserve divine retribution. However, these individuals [i.e., the desert Arabs mentioned in the verse quoted above] have not been described in this way whatsoever; but when they claimed to have belief, Allah said to the Messenger: “. . . Say: ‘You have no belief, but you [only] say.’ “We have submitted our wills to [Islam], for not yet has Iman entered your hearts. But if you obey Allah and His Messenger, He will not decrease anything in reward

Denying that someone does not have absolute, complete belief does not require that he be considered a hypocrite. This may be seen in the following verses. Allah says: “They ask you [Oh, Muhammad] about the spoils of war. Say: ‘The spoils are for Allah and the Messenger.’ So fear Allah and adjust all matters of difference among you, and obey Allah and His Messenger, if you are believers” (8:1); and “The believers are only those who, when Allah is mentioned, feel a tremor in their hearts and when His Verses are recited unto them, they increase in their belief; and they put their trust in their Lord. Those who offer prayers and spend out of what We have provided for them, it is they who are the believers in truth . . .” (8:24). But of course, one’s not being a true believer in the sense described here does not mean that he is a hypocrite who will be regulated to the lowest reaches of Hell. Rather, it simply means that he has not achieved the required belief such that he may not be said to be a true believer, just as one might not be able to apply other names to someone due to his having neglected some duties pertaining to such a designation. Similarly, the desert Arabs described above were said not to have the required belief even though they were Muslims; nevertheless, they do possess enough belief to merit some reward.