and deeds, and that it increases and decreases, and then qualifies his profession out of fear and caution, this is not, as they claim, an expression of doubt; the qualification relates only to deeds.”

Abū ‘Abd Allāh said, “Allah Most High said:

‘You will surely enter the Sacred Mosque, if Allah wills.’”

That is, this is a qualification without doubt. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, also said concerning the inhabitants of the graves:

“And we shall, if Allah wills, join you.”

That is, he had no doubt about this, yet qualified it. He also mentioned the Prophet’s words, may Allah bless him and grant him peace:

“And upon it we shall be raised, if Allah wills.”

Meaning: from the grave. He also mentioned the Prophet’s words, may Allah bless him and grant him peace:

“Indeed, I hope to be the one among you who fears Allah most.”

He said, “All of this supports qualifying one’s profession of faith with ‘if Allah wills.’”

I said to Abū ‘Abd Allāh, “You seem to see no harm in omitting the qualification.”

He replied, “If the person holds that faith consists of words and deeds, and increases and decreases, then I regard it more leniently.”

Then Abū ‘Abd Allāh said, “Some people’s hearts are too weak to make this qualification,” as though expressing astonishment at them.

I also heard Abū ‘Abd Allāh being asked, “What do you say about Shabāba?”

He replied, “Shabāba used to profess irjā’ (the Murji’ite doctrine).”

He said, “A view more pernicious than these views has been reported from Shabāba, the like of which I have never heard attributed to anyone.”

Abū ‘Abd Allāh said, “Shabāba said, ‘When he speaks, he has thereby acted with his tongue,’ as they say. Thus, when he speaks, he has acted with a bodily member—that is, with his tongue when he utters it.”

Then Abū ‘Abd Allāh said, “This is a pernicious view. I have never heard anyone profess it, nor has any such report reached me.”

Abū ‘Abd Allāh was asked, “Had you written anything down from Shabāba?”

He replied, “Yes, I wrote down a little from him long ago, before we knew that he held this view.”

I asked Abū ‘Abd Allāh, “Did you write anything down from him afterward?”

He replied, “No, not a single letter.”

Abū ‘Abd Allāh was told, “They claim that Sufyān held that one should qualify one’s profession of faith.”

He replied, “This is Sufyān’s well-known position: making the qualification.”

I asked Abū ‘Abd Allāh, “Who reports this from