with his physical ears, and that he speaks with his tongue through his outward senses; yet his eyes are closed and his tongue is still. His mental imagery during sleep may become so powerful that it connects with his outward senses, so that the sleeper recites and speaks with his tongue in response to what he imagines. Even then, his reason is absent, and he is unaware of this, just as similar things happen to someone who is intoxicated or insane, and to others. Hence, Islamic law declares that the pen of accountability is lifted from the sleeping, the insane, and the unconscious. Disagreement has arisen only concerning someone who loses his reason through something forbidden.

This shows that everyone who acknowledges Allah possesses faith to that extent. Moreover, someone against whom the proof concerning what the transmitted reports convey has not been established does not become a disbeliever by denying it. This shows that the general body of those who perform the prayer are believers in Allah and His Messenger—even though their beliefs concerning the One they worship and His attributes differ—except for a hypocrite who professes faith with his tongue while inwardly disbelieving in the Messenger. Such a person is not a believer.

Everyone who outwardly professes Islam and is not a hypocrite is a believer, possessing faith in proportion to what he has been granted of it. He is among those who will be brought out of the Fire, even if there is only an atom’s weight of faith in his heart. This includes all those who dispute over the divine attributes and divine decree, despite their differing beliefs.

If no one could enter Paradise except someone who knows Allah as His Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—knows Him, his community would not enter Paradise, for they—or most of them—are incapable of such knowledge. Rather, they will enter it