said:

“The first army to campaign against Constantinople will be forgiven.”

The first army to campaign against it was commanded by “Yazīd ibn Mu‘āwiya.” Abū Ayyūb al-Ansārī was among those who accompanied him on the campaign. He died there, and his grave remains there to this day.

For this reason, the moderate imams of the early generations would say concerning Yazīd and others like him: “We neither revile them nor love them”—meaning that we do not love the injustice they committed. A single person may combine good deeds and bad deeds, obedience and disobedience, righteousness, wickedness, and evil. Allah rewards him for his good deeds and punishes him for his bad deeds if He wills, or forgives him. He loves the good that person has done and hates the evil he has done. As for those whose sins are minor, even the Mu‘tazilah agree that Allah forgives them.

As for someone who commits a major sin, the early generations of the Muslim community, its imams, and all other Sunni Muslims do not declare him destined for Hell. Rather, they acknowledge that Allah may forgive him, as He Most High says:

“Indeed, Allah does not forgive associating partners with Him, but forgives anything less than that for whomever He wills.”

This applies to someone who has not associated partners with Allah, for He made such forgiveness conditional upon His will. As for His words, Most High:

“Say, ‘O My servants who have transgressed against themselves, do not despair of Allah’s mercy. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins.’”

This applies to someone who has repented; hence He stated it without qualification and included all sins.

The Khawārij and the Mu‘tazilah say that someone who commits a major sin will remain in Hell forever. Furthermore, they