Muhammad ibn Yahyā narrated to us: al-Hajjāj ibn al-Minhāl narrated to us, from Hammād ibn Salamah, from Alī ibn Zayd, from Yūsuf ibn Mihrān, from Ibn Abbās, who reported that whenever Umar ibn al-Khattāb entered his house, he would open the Quran and read from it. One day, he entered and began reading, until he reached this verse:
“Those who believe and do not mix their faith with wrongdoing,”
to the end of the verse. He put on his sandals, took his cloak, and went to Ubayy ibn Ka'b, saying: “Abū al-Mundhir, I came across this verse earlier: ‘Those who believe and do not mix their faith with wrongdoing.’ Yet we know that we do wrong and commit misdeeds.”
He replied: “Commander of the Faithful, that is not what it means. Allah says: ‘Indeed, associating partners with Allah is a tremendous wrong.’ It refers only to associating partners with Allah.”
Muhammad ibn Nasr said:
Likewise, wickedness is of two kinds: wickedness that takes a person outside the religion, and wickedness that does not. Thus, a disbeliever is called wicked, and a sinful Muslim is also called wicked. Allah mentioned Iblīs, saying:
“He rebelled against his Lord’s command.”
That wickedness on his part constituted disbelief. Allah Most High also said:
“As for those who are wicked, their refuge is the Fire.”
He means the disbelievers, as is shown by His words:
“Whenever they wish to leave it, they will be returned to it, and it will be said to them, ‘Taste the punishment of the Fire which you used to deny.’”
A sinful Muslim is also called wicked, without being excluded from Islam. Allah Most High said:
“Those who accuse chaste women of adultery and then fail to produce four witnesses—flog them with eighty lashes, and never accept their testimony. It is they who are the wicked.”
And He Most High said:
“Whoever undertakes Hajj during these months must abstain from sexual relations, wickedness, and disputing during Hajj.”
The scholars explained that wickedness here means acts of disobedience.
They said:
Since wrongdoing is of two kinds and wickedness is of two kinds, disbelief likewise is of two kinds: