Sufyān?”

He replied, “Everyone who related Sufyān’s position on this reported that he made the qualification.” He added, “Wakī‘ reported from Sufyān: ‘We regard people as believers in matters of legal rulings and inheritance, but we do not know what they are in Allah’s sight.’”

I asked Abū ‘Abd Allāh, “Which position do you take?”

He replied, “We hold that one should make the qualification.”

I asked Abū ‘Abd Allāh, “But when someone says, ‘I am a Muslim,’ should he omit the qualification?”

He replied, “Yes, he should omit the qualification when he says, ‘I am a Muslim.’”

I said to Abū ‘Abd Allāh, “I say, ‘This person is a Muslim,’ although the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

‘A Muslim is one from whose tongue and hand other Muslims are safe.’

Yet I know that people are not safe from him.”

He then cited Ma‘mar’s report from al-Zuhrī: “We therefore consider Islam to be the declaration of faith, and faith to be deeds.”

Abū ‘Abd Allāh said, “‘Abd al-Razzāq narrated this to us from Ma‘mar, from al-Zuhrī.”

Abū ‘Abd Allāh was asked, “Do we then say that faith increases and decreases?”

He replied, “The Prophet’s hadith, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, indicates this.” He then cited his words:

“Take out of the Fire anyone in whose heart there is such-and-such a weight [of faith]. Take out anyone in whose heart there is such-and-such a weight [of faith].”

“This indicates it.”

‘Īsā al-Ahmar and his position on irjā’ were mentioned in Abū ‘Abd Allāh’s presence. He said, “Yes, that is a pernicious view.”

Abū ‘Abd Allāh said, “Mu’ammal narrated to us: Hammād ibn Zayd narrated to us: I heard Hishām say, ‘Al-Hasan and Muhammad would say, “A Muslim,” but hesitated to say, “A believer.”’”

I asked Abū ‘Abd Allāh, “Did anyone other than Suwayd narrate it?”

He replied, “Not to my knowledge.”

I also heard Abū ‘Abd Allāh say, “Faith consists of words and deeds.”

I asked Abū ‘Abd Allāh, “What about the hadith that is narrated:

‘Free her, for she is a believer’?”

He replied, “Not everyone includes the words, ‘She is a believer.’ They say, ‘Free her.’”

He said, “Mālik, who heard it from this shaykh, Hilāl ibn ‘Alī, does not include the words, ‘For she is a believer.’”