The View Of Ahlus Sunnah & The Murji\'ah Regarding Iman (Faith ...

Taken From Ahlu Sunnah Wal Jamaah.Com The View Of Ahlus Sunnah & The Murji’ah Regarding Iman (Faith) Increasing & Decreasing By Abdul Kareem Ibn Ozzie

This article has been written in order to refute the Murji’ah creed and because Ahlus Sunnah of today (the Salafis) are accused by some groups of Muslims as being the Neo Murjiah (the Murji’ah of this era). Therefore this article should inshallah help to provide evidence that Ahlus Sunnah of today are free from the Murji’ah creed and opposed to it inshallah. The Murji’ah (are a deviated sect that appeared during the era of the taabieen (this was mentioned by Shaykh Uthaymeen in his introduction to his explanation of Aqeedah al Wasitiyyah), they latter split into many sub sects. The Murji’ah deviated in their understanding of iman (faith), they (every sect of the Murji’ah) incorrectly assert that iman does not increase with good actions and it does not decrease with sins. This means the Murji’ah claim that the abandonment of obligatory duties (like the five daily prayers, zakat and fasting in the month of Ramadan etc), doing forbidden actions does not decrease iman nor does it harm it (i.e. the doer still has perfect complete iman) and doing good actions whether obligatory or recommended do not increase a persons iman. This has lead the Murji’ah to believe that Muslims do not vary in regards to their iman so in their opinion all Muslims have equal iman which is complete and perfect as sin nor good deeds affect any Muslims iman. So the Murji’ah hold the prophet Mohammed has the same iman as a Muslim person who repeatedly does major sins in private and in public. What a shocking observed believe which came about because the Murji’ah hold iman does not increase with good actions and it does not decrease with sins.

Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jamaah correctly believe, that iman does increase with good actions and it does decrease with sins thus all Muslims differ in their iman, based on how many good actions they do and how many sinful actions they stay away from or repent from. Below are some verses from the Quran which prove iman can increase or decrease. Allah says, “He it is Who has sent down tranquility into the hearts of the believers so that they may increase in Iman.” {Al-Fath: 4} Allah says, “And when His verses are recited to them it increases them in Iman.” {Al-Anfâl: 2} Allah says, “…some of them (hypocrites) say, “Which of you has had his Iman increased by it?” As for those who believe it has increased their Iman and they rejoice.”{AtTawbah: 124} Imam Al-Lalika’i has narrated with an authentic chain from alBukhari who said: “I met more than one thousand men from the scholars of al-Amsar and I did not see anyone from amongst them differ regarding Iman…that it increases (with good actions) and decreases (with sinful actions).” Sharh Usul I’tiqad Ahlus-Sunnah wa’l-Jama’ah by Abu Qasim al-Lalika’i (5/889) and this is as Ibn Hajr has mentioned it in Fath ul-Bari (5/889) with this meaning. Imam Al Barbahari said "and whoever says ‘Iman is saying (of the tongue) and action (of the limbs and the heart), increases (with good actions) and decreases (with sinful actions)’ he has departed from Irjaa' altogether, top to bottom" Sharh Al Sunnah, page 123, No. 161 Imam Abu ‘Amr bin ‘Abdul Barr stated in at-Tamhid: “The people of Fiqh and Hadeeth are united upon the fact that…Iman

according to them increases with obedience and decreases with disobedience…” At-Tamhid, vol.9, p.238 Imam Ahmed was asked about the one who said "Iman increases and decreases" and he replied " such a person is free from Irjaa' " Al Sunnah for Abd Allah ibn Ahmed Ibn Hanbal, 1/307/600