that is large, while faith is a circle within it. When a servant commits unlawful sexual intercourse, he passes from faith into Islam. As reported in the two Sahīh collections, the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“No one who commits unlawful sexual intercourse is a believer while committing it; no thief is a believer while stealing; and no one who drinks wine is a believer while drinking it.”

The stronger of the two scholarly views is that these Bedouins who said, “We have submitted,” and other Muslims like them, whose hearts have not yet admitted the faith described above, are rewarded for their righteous deeds. As Allah Most High says:

“If you obey Allah and His Messenger, He will not diminish the reward of your deeds in the least.”

They are neither disbelievers nor hypocrites. Rather, they have not attained the reality and completeness of faith. Thus, what is denied them is the obligatory completeness of faith, although they are included under the designation of faith in such passages as His words:

“Then the freeing of a believing slave,”

and His words:

“O you who believe, when you rise to pray, wash your faces and your hands.”

This is an extensive subject. The purpose here is to inform the brethren that Allah’s blessings upon us are far, far greater than before. Praise be to Allah, His blessings upon us continue to increase. Though I cannot serve the brethren by meeting with them, I pray for them night and day, fulfilling some of what I owe them and seeking nearness to Allah Most High by dealing with them for His sake.

What I enjoin upon each of them is to fear Allah and work for Allah, seeking Allah’s help and striving in His cause, with the aim that