who believe,” differs from His words:

“The believers are only those who believe in Allah and His Messenger, then do not doubt, and strive with their wealth and their lives,”

and similar passages. For, in the first place, the address “O you who believe” outwardly includes anyone who professes faith, even if he is inwardly a hypocrite. How, then, could it exclude someone who is not a hypocrite, even if he is not a true believer?

The reality is that someone who is not a true believer may be described as a Muslim who possesses faith that prevents him from remaining in the Fire forever. This is agreed upon among Ahl al-Sunnah. But may he be called a believer without qualification? This is where they differed. Some said: “He is called a Muslim, but not a believer.” Others said: “Rather, he is called a believer.”

The precise position is to say that he is a believer whose faith is deficient: a believer by virtue of his faith, and a flagrant sinner by virtue of his major sin. He is not accorded the unqualified designation of a believer, for the Quran and Sunnah deny him that unqualified designation. Nevertheless, the designation of faith includes him in the commands of Allah and His Messenger, since these impose obligations and prohibitions upon him, which bind him just as other duties do. The question concerns only the unqualified designation of praise.

Accordingly, the address to believers encompasses “three groups.” It includes the true believer. It also includes the hypocrite with respect to the outward rulings applicable to him, even though hypocrites will be in the lowest depths of the Fire in the Hereafter. Inwardly, neither Islam nor faith is ascribed to him, while outwardly he is accorded Islam and outward faith. It also includes those who have submitted, even though the reality of faith has not entered their hearts; nevertheless, they possess a portion of faith and Islam for which they are rewarded.