as reported from him or within his school, to the point that some unqualifiedly asserted that these people and others would remain eternally in the Fire. This misrepresents both his school and the Sharia.

Others did not declare any of these groups disbelievers, treating proponents of religious innovation like those who commit sins. They said:

“Just as a fundamental principle of Ahl al-Sunnah wa-l-Jamāʿah is that they do not declare anyone a disbeliever on account of a sin, likewise they do not declare anyone a disbeliever on account of a religious innovation.”

What is transmitted from the early generations and the imams consists of general statements declaring the “pure Jahmiyyah” disbelievers—those who deny the divine attributes. Their doctrine amounts to saying that Allah does not speak, is not seen, and is not separate from creation; that He has neither knowledge, power, hearing, sight, nor life; rather, that the Quran is created and the people of Paradise do not see Him, just as the people of the Fire do not see Him, along with other such assertions.

As for the Khawārij and the Rāfidah, disagreement and hesitation concerning declaring them disbelievers are reported from Ahmad and others. As for the Qadariyyah who deny the recording of the decree and Allah’s knowledge, they declared them disbelievers, whereas they had not declared disbelievers those who affirmed His knowledge but did not affirm His creation of human acts.

The decisive clarification of this issue lies in explaining two fundamental principles.

The first is to recognize that anyone among those who profess Islam who is in reality a disbeliever can only be a hypocrite. For since Allah sent Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, revealed the Quran to him, and he emigrated to Medina, people have fallen into three categories: one who believes in him; one who disbelieves in him and openly professes disbelief