Itiqad Aimmat al-Hadith - Abu Bakr al-Isma’ili - (76)

rising against them by the sword or fighting in civil strife. They hold that the rebellious faction should be fought alongside a just imam, if such an imam exists and meets their stipulated conditions in this regard.

[The Abode of Islam]

They regard the land as an abode of Islam, not an abode of disbelief as the Muʿtazilah maintain, so long as the call to prayer and the call to commence it are openly proclaimed and its inhabitants can perform the prayer in safety.

[People’s Deeds Do Not Entitle Them to Paradise Except by Allah’s Grace]

They hold that no one can attain Paradise, whatever deeds he may perform, except through Allah’s grace and mercy, which He bestows upon whomever He wills. A person’s doing good and undertaking acts of obedience stem only from Allah’s grace. Had He not bestowed that grace upon him, no one would have any argument against Allah or any excuse. As Allah said:

“Were it not for Allah’s grace and mercy upon you, not one of you would ever have been purified. But Allah purifies whomever He wills.” [Al-Nūr: 21]

“Were it not for Allah’s grace and mercy upon you, you would have followed Satan, except for a few.” [Al-Nisāʾ: 83]

And He said:

الخروج بالسيف عليهم، ولا قتال الفتنة، ويرون قتال الفئة الباغية مع الإمام العادل، إذا كان ووجد على شرطهم في ذلك. [دار الإسلام] ويرون الدار دار الإسلام لا دار الكفر كما رأته المعتزلة، ما دام النداء بالصلاة والإقامة ظاهرين وأهلها ممكنين منها آمنين. [أعمال العباد لا توجب لهم الجنة إلا بفضل الله] ويرون أن أحدا لا تخلص له الجنة، وإن عمل أي عمل، إلا بفضل الله ورحمته التي يخص بهما من يشاء، فإن عمله للخير وتناوله الطاعات إنما عن فضل الله الذي لو لم يتفضل به عليه لم يكن لأحد على الله حجة ولا عذر، كما قال الله: ﴿وَلَوْلَا فَضْلُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَتُهُ مَا زَكَا مِنْكُمْ مِنْ أَحَدٍ أَبَدًا وَلَكِنَّ اللَّهَ يُزَكِّي مَنْ يَشَاءُ﴾ [النور: ٢١] ﴿وَلَوْلَا فَضْلُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَتُهُ لَاتَّبَعْتُمُ الشَّيْطَانَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا﴾ [النساء: ٨٣] وقال: