This is why the statement that faith consists of words and deeds is, among the people of the Sunnah, one of the distinguishing marks of the Sunnah. Several scholars have reported consensus on this. We have already cited al-Shāfi‘ī’s account of this consensus—may Allah be pleased with him—in al-Umm:

“The Companions, the Successors after them, and those whom we met were agreed in saying: Faith consists of words, deeds, and intention. None of these three suffices without the others.”

Ibn Abī Hātim mentioned in his work on al-Shāfi‘ī’s virtues:

“I heard Harmalah say: Hafs al-Fard and Maslān al-Ibādī met with al-Shāfi‘ī in al-Jarawī’s house and debated faith with him. Maslān argued that it increases and decreases, while Hafs al-Fard disagreed with him. Al-Shāfi‘ī grew impassioned and took up the argument that faith consists of words and deeds and increases and decreases. He thoroughly refuted Hafs al-Fard and silenced him.”

Abū ‘Amr al-Talamankī narrated through his well-known chain of transmission from Mūsā ibn Hārūn al-Hammāl, who said:

“Ishāq ibn Rāhawayh dictated to us: Faith consists of words and deeds; it increases and decreases. There is no doubt that it is as we have described. We have understood this only through sound narrations and widespread, unequivocal reports. Individual Companions of the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—and the Successors held this position, and so it continued. Likewise, the scholars after the Successors were united on this, without disagreement. The same was true in the time of al-Awzā‘ī in Syria, Sufyān al-Thawrī in Iraq, Mālik ibn Anas in the Hijaz, and Ma‘mar in Yemen: they held what we have explained and made clear—that faith consists of words and deeds and increases and decreases.”

Ishāq also said:

“Whoever deliberately abandons prayer until the period from noon to sunset has elapsed,