The third group said: “The texts containing warnings of punishment are established texts, applicable to those who deserve them. Yet whoever deserves this punishment is subject to Allah’s will, for Allah Most High says:

“Indeed, Allah does not forgive association with Him, but He forgives what is less than that for whom He wills.” [Surah al-Nisa 4:48]

With regard to the family of the Messenger ﷺ, people have divided into two extremes and a middle position:

One group went to great excess concerning the family of the Messenger, until some of them went so far as to claim divinity and lordship for certain members of the Prophet’s household, and that they have control over the affairs of the universe. This group is led by the Rafidah.

Another group did the opposite: they hated them, insulted them, and disparaged them. This group is led by the Nawasib, among whom are the Khawarij, for the Khawarij fought Ali ibn Abi Talib, rebelled against him, and deemed it lawful to fight him.

The third group took the middle position. They said: “The members of the Prophet’s household have rights over us. Those among them who are believers have two rights: the right of faith and the right of kinship with the Messenger ﷺ. Yet we do not go to excess concerning them as the Rafidah did, nor do we insult and hate them as the Nawasib did. Rather, we take the middle course.”

With regard to the classifications of faith and religion, people have likewise differed into two extremes and a middle position.

One extreme said: “If a believer commits a major sin, we call him a disbeliever.” These are the Khawarij. At the opposite extreme are the Murji’ah, who said: “If a believer commits a major sin, he remains a believer complete in faith, and his faith is like the faith of Gabriel and Abu Bakr.”

The third group said: “He is a believing sinner: a believer by virtue of his faith, sinful