11 – Abū Mālik al-Ashjaʿī relates, through Ribʿī ibn Khirāsh, from Ḥudhayfa, who said:

“Islam will be worn away just as the embroidery of a garment wears away. Nothing of it will remain except a very old man or a decrepit old woman who will say, ‘There used to be a people who would say: lā ilāha illā Allah (there is no god but Allah),’ yet they themselves do not say lā ilāha illā Allah.”

Ṣila ibn Zufar asked, “What benefit will lā ilāha illā Allah bring them, servant of Allah, when they neither fast nor pray, perform no pilgrimage, and give no charity?” Ḥudhayfa replied, “It will save them from the Fire.” Then he repeated it a second time, raising his voice, “O Ṣila, it will save them from the Fire!”

Masʿūd narrates from Yazīd, who said, “I once held the views of the Khārijites. I questioned one of the Prophet’s Companions—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—who informed me that the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—had said the very opposite of what I believed, and through you Allah the Exalted rescued me.”

He went on: “We were in the company of ʿAlqama and ʿAṭāʾ ibn Abī Rabāḥ when ʿAlqama asked him,

‘Abū Muḥammad, in our land people do not affirm faith for themselves; they dislike saying, “We are believers.” Instead they say, “We are believers, if Allah wills.”’

ʿAṭāʾ said, ‘And why do they not simply say, “We are believers”?’

He replied, ‘They claim, “If we can will faith for ourselves, we can will Paradise for ourselves.”’

ʿAṭāʾ exclaimed, ‘Glory be to Allah! This is one of Satan’s tricks, snares, and stratagems. It has driven them to spurn the greatest favour Allah has bestowed on them—Islam—and to depart from the sunnah of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. I saw the Companions of the Messenger of Allah—may Allah be pleased with them—affirming faith for themselves, and they related that from the Messenger of Allah. Tell those people: let them say, “We are believers,” but let them not say, “We are of the people of Paradise.” If Allah were to punish the inhabitants of His heavens and His earth, He could punish them, and He would not be unjust to them.’

ʿAlqama asked, ‘Abū Muḥammad, if Allah punished the angels who have never disobeyed Him for the blink of an eye, would He punish them and still not be unjust to them?’

He answered, ‘Yes.’

ʿAlqama said, ‘That is momentous to us—how are we to understand it?’

He replied, ‘My nephew, this is the very point at which the Qadariyya went astray, so beware of adopting their doctrine, for they are the enemies of Allah who argue against Him. Does not Allah say to His Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him: “Say: The decisive proof belongs to Allah; had He willed, He would have guided you all” (Q 6:149)?’

ʿAlqama then said, ‘Explain further, Abū Muḥammad, so that this doubt will leave our hearts.’

He said, ‘Did not Allah point out to the angels that act of obedience, inspire them to it, strengthen their resolve for it, and compel them to perform it?’

He replied, ‘Indeed.’

He said, ‘If He were then to ask them to show gratitude for these blessings, they would be unable to do so and would fall short; and He would have every right to punish them for their shortcoming in gratitude, and He would not be unjust to them.’