in righteousness: that Allah may distinguish one of two people by enabling him to exercise independent reasoning through which he attains knowledge beyond the other’s reach. He thus receives two rewards, while the other, being unable to attain that knowledge, receives one reward and incurs no sin. The knowledge with which the former has been distinguished, and his acting upon it inwardly and outwardly, constitute an increase in his faith. This faith is obligatory for him because he is capable of it, whereas the other is incapable of it and is therefore not obliged to attain it. Thus, the former has been favoured with faith that is obligatory for him but not for someone incapable of attaining it.
This applies throughout the Muslim community in disputed matters of belief and practice. When one person is granted knowledge of the actual truth while the other strives but is unable to reach it, both are praiseworthy, rewarded believers. Yet Allah has distinguished the former with a measure of obligatory faith by which He has favoured him over the latter. The one who errs deserves neither blame nor punishment, even though the former would be blamed and punished if he did what the latter did. Similarly, Allah has distinguished our Prophet’s community with a revealed law by which He has favoured it. Were we to neglect anything He has commanded us in that law, this would be grounds for blame and punishment, whereas the prophets before us are not blamed for leaving it undone. Nevertheless, Allah has favoured Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, over the other prophets, and his community over the other communities, without this entailing any blame for any prophet or for the communities that followed them.
Furthermore, a person is obliged to fulfil only those requirements of faith of which he is capable. If he fulfils them, he deserves the Paradise Allah has promised. If such a person were called a Muslim but not a believer, it would follow that among those promised Paradise are people called Muslims but not believers—such as the Bedouins, the man concerning whom the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Or a Muslim,” and all the others who are denied the designation of faith despite being Muslims, such as the adulterer and the drinker of wine