Part 78

Ishaq related to us that we were informed by Waki‘, on the authority of Sufyan, on the authority of Mu‘ammar, on the authority of Ibn Tawi, on the authority of his father, on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbas, who said: “People such as those [mentioned in the verse quoted above] have a degree of unbelief, but not like that of people who have blasphemed Allah, His Angels, His Books, and His Messengers.”

It was also related to us by Waki‘, on the authority of Sufyan, on the authority of Mu‘ammar, on the authority of Ibn Tawis, on the authority of his father, who said: “I asked Ibn ‘Abbas: Is the one who does not make judgments based on what Allah has reveals considered an unbeliever?” He replied: “He has a degree of unbelief in his heart, but not like that of someone who has blasphemed Allah, denying the Day of Judgment, Allah’s Angels, His Books, and His Messengers.”

It was related by Muhammad Ibn Yahya and ‘Abd al-Razziq, on the authority of Sufy&n, on the authority of [an unnamed] man, on the authority of Tawas, on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbas, who said: “This refers to a kind of unbelief that does not exclude one from the [Muslim] community.”

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It was related to us by Ishaq, who said: “We were informed by Waki‘, on the authority Sufyan, on the authority of Sa‘id al-Makki, on the authority of Tawiis, who said: ‘It is not an unbelief that excludes one from the [Muslim] community.””

Ishaq also related to us, saying: “Waki‘ informed us, on the authority of Ibn Jurayj, on the authority of ‘Ata’, who said: ‘Some types of unbelief are less weighty than others, just as some types of injustice are less serious than others, and some types of sin are less grave than others.’”

THE Two KINDS OF WRONG

Muhammad Ibn Nasr reported that they [al-Marwazi’s companions] said that ‘Ata’ was correct in saying that an unbeliever may be called a wrongdoer, but so may a disobedient Muslim. Hence there are two kinds of wrongdoing, one of which excludes the one who commits it from the Islamic community, and the other of which does not. Allah says: “Those who believe and confuse not their beliefs with wrong . . .” (6:82). He also says: “. . . For polytheism is indeed the highest wrongdoing” (31:13). Further support comes from the saying of Ibn Mas‘iid when the verse, “It is those who believe and confuse not their beliefs with wrong,” was revealed. He said: “When this verse was revealed, the Companions of the Prophet (pbuh) found it difficult to abide by it, and asked in astonishment: ‘Oh, Messenger of Allah, who of us has not wronged himself?’” To this the Prophet (pbuh) replied: “It is not that. But have you not heard the saying of the righteous slave [Luqman]: ‘... For polytheism is indeed the highest wrongdoing” (31:13). This indicates that wrongdoing here means shirk, polytheism.

believe and confuse not their beliefs with wrong . . .” (6:82). Do not we do wrong?” To this Ubayy replied: “Oh, Commander of the Faithful, it is not as you suppose, Allah says: ‘. . . For polytheism is indeed the highest wrongdoing” (31:13). Hence the word “wrongdoing” refers to shirk, polytheism.

Two KINDS OF SIN

Furthermore, Muhammad Ibn Nasr said: “There are two kinds of sin. One that excludes one from the Islamic community, such that he is called an unbeliever, and one that does not.” To clarify this, Allah mentions Iblis by saying: “. . . He [Iblis] fasaqa, disobeyed, the command of His Lord . . .” (18:50). This disobedience or fisq, sin, is regarded as unbelief. Of unbelievers Allah also says: “As to those who sin, their abode will be the Fire . . .” (32:20). What is intended here is the unbelievers, as indicated in the same verse. Allah says: “.. . Every time they wish to get away therefrom, they will be forced thereto, and it will be said to them: ‘Taste you the Penalty of the Fire, which you used to deny” (32:20). However, Allah calls al-qadhif, the slanderer, from among the Muslims by the name of fasiq, sinner, without excluding him from Islam. Allah says: “And those who launch a charge against chaste women and produce not four witnesses [to support their allegations], flog them with eighty stripes; and reject their evidence ever after: for such men are sinners” (24:4). He also says: “. . . If anyone undertakes that duty [goes on a pilgrimage], let there be no obscenity, nor committing sin, nor dispute unjustly at the pilgrimage . ..” (2:197). Muslim jurists have interpreted the word fusiiq, sin, cited in the last-mentioned verse to mean alma ‘Asi; acts of disobedience to Allah.

They [al-Marwazi’s companions] also said that since there are two kinds of wrong and two kinds of sin, so also are there two kinds of unbelief: one that does not exclude a person from Islam, and one that does. The same applies to shirk, polytheism. One type is shirk in the tawhid, unity of Allah, which excludes one from the community [of Muslims]; the other type is shirk in ‘amal, work, and does not exclude one from the community [of Muslims], and this is riya’, hypocrisy. An example of the latter kind of shirk, polytheism, is given in the verse where Allah says: “. .. Whoever expects to meet his Lord, let him work righteousness, and in the worship of his Lord, admit no one as a partner” (18:110). What is intended

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here is to pretend to do righteous works. The Prophet (pbuh) says: “al-tirah, gambling, is shirk, polytheism.”

Muhammad Jbn Nasr said that these are two doctrines that are reported to have been taught by Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, as well as other transmitters of prophetic traditions who were in agreement with his views. Al-Shalinji Isma‘il Ibn Sa‘id related that he asked Ahmad Ibn Hanbal about the person who by his own volition and effort persists in committing grievous sins, yet at the same time does not neglect to pray, give zakah or fast during Ramadan. The question is: Does someone in such a condition persist [in being a Muslim]? He replied that such a person does continue [to be a Muslim]. As the prophetic hadith says: “The fornicator is not a believer as long as he commits fornication,” which implies that he ceases to be a believer, but not to be a Muslim. We also have the related saying: “He who drinks wine is not a believer as long as he drinks it, and he who steals is not a believer as long as he steals,” as well as the statement made by Ibn ‘Abbas concerning the following verse. Allah says: “. .. And whosoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed, those are the unbelievers” (5:44). I asked him [Ibn “Abbas]: “What kind of unbelief is referred to here?” To which he replied: “It is the sort that does not exclude one from the [Muslim] community, as some people’s belief is weaker than or inferior to others. Likewise there are degrees of unbelief, until it reaches a degree about which there is no room for disagreement.” And concerning the saying, “The fornicator is not a believer as long as he commits fornication,” Ibn Abi Shaybah said: “Such a person does not have complete belief, but rather has a belief that is lacking.” And he said: “I asked Ahmad Ibn Hanbal about Islam and belief, to which he replied: ‘Belief is both a saying and a work, while Islam is verbal testimony.”” And this is the view of Abu Khaythamah. Ibn Abi Shaybah said: “There is no Islam without belief, nor any belief without Islam.”

We have already discussed the fact that these two entities are inseparable, even though neither is interchangeable with the other. Moreover, we have accounts by more than one person concerning the unanimous agreement among Orthodox Muslims and hadith scholars on the teaching that belief is both words and works.

In his book entitled a/l-Tamhid, Abu ‘Umar Ibn ‘Abd al-Birr said: “Orthodox Muslims and jurists unanimously agree upon the fact that Iman is both words and

works, and that no work [is accepted] without a [good] intent.” According to them, Iman increases and decreases. It increases through acts of obedience and decreases through acts of disobedience. Moreover, they [Orthodox Muslims] regard all kinds of obedience as Iman, except Abu Hanifah and his companions, who argued that acts of obedience are not called Iman, for Iman is assent and verbal testimony. Some of his companions also add knowledge to the constituents of Iman.

He [Abu ‘Umar] added that all of the jurists [except Abu Hanifah and his companions] of Hijaz, Iraq, Syria, and Egypt, such as Malik Ibn Anas, al-Layth Ibn Sa‘d, Sufyan al-Thawri, al-Awza ‘i, al-Shafi‘l, Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, Ishaq Ibn Rahwiyah, Abu ‘Ubayd al-Qasim Ibn Sallam, Da’ iid Ibn ‘Ali, and al-Tabari, and whoever followed in their footsteps, said that Iman is words and works. It is a saying by the tongue, which is a verbal testimony, and belief in the heart and work with the bodily parts with good intent. They added that whichever of the religious obligations or desirable acts serve to help one obey Allah are considered part of Iman, which increases via obedience and diminishes via disobedience. Accordingly, sinners are regarded as imperfect believers. They have imperfect Iman because they committed grave sins. Support for this is found in the saying of the Prophet (pbuh): “A fornicator who fornicates is not a believer so long as he commits fornication.” This hadith regards a fornicator as an imperfect believer, but does’ not [totally] negate his Iman. This is because it is unanimously agreed that a fornicator, a thief, and a drinker of alcohol are permitted to inherit if they pray toward the Qiblah and accept the call of Islam. And also [they may inherit] due to their nearness to the believers who are not in the same condition as they are. Therefore, he [Abu ‘Umar] remarked that the majority of Malik’s companions regarded Iman and Islam as one thing.