and He, the Exalted, says: “O you who believe, retribution (qiṣāṣ) has been prescribed for you regarding the murdered” (al-Baqarah 2:178). Hence the killer is not excluded from the circle of those who believe. Indeed, Allah even calls him the brother of the legal heir, saying: “But if something of the penalty is remitted by his brother, then let there be a fair follow-up and payment to him with kindness” (al-Baqarah 2:178)—a brotherhood that is undoubtedly the brotherhood of faith.

He, Most High, also says: “If two factions of the believers fight one another, then make peace between them” (al-Ḥujurāt 49:9), and then: “The believers are but brothers, so reconcile between your brothers” (al-Ḥujurāt 49:10). End of the abridged quotation from Sharḥ al-Ṭaḥāwiyyah (1).

A concise summary of the differences between major disbelief and minor disbelief:

1. Major disbelief expels a person from the religion altogether and nullifies all good deeds. Minor disbelief does not take a person out of the religion and does not wipe out every deed, but it lessens their value in proportion to the sin and subjects its doer to threat of punishment.

2. Major disbelief consigns its perpetrator to eternal residence in Hell, whereas minor disbelief