But this argument can be turned against them concerning knowledge and inward speech that takes the form of an assertion. Such speech is neither contrary to knowledge nor like it, but distinct from it. Knowledge can therefore coexist with the contrary of a true assertion—namely, a false one. Thus, their argument that inward falsehood is impossible for someone who possesses knowledge is invalid. A fuller discussion of this belongs elsewhere. The point here is that, upon examining himself, a person finds it difficult to distinguish between his knowledge that the Messenger is truthful and his heart’s affirmation that he is truthful, considered apart from submission and the other acts of the heart.

Imam Ahmad then advanced numerous proofs that deeds are part of faith. He said:

“The delegation of ʿAbd al-Qays asked the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, about faith. He replied: ‘Testifying that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, establishing prayer, giving zakah, fasting Ramadan, and giving a fifth of the spoils of war.’”

Thus, he counted all of these as part of faith.

He said:

The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“Modesty is a branch of faith.”

He also said:

“The believers most complete in faith are those best in character.”

And he said:

“Simplicity in appearance is part of faith.”

And he said:

“Faith has sixty-odd branches. The lowest is removing harmful things from the road, and the highest is saying, ‘There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah.’”

There are many other reports, including:

“Bring out of the Fire anyone who has an atom’s weight of faith in his heart.”

There is also what is narrated from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, concerning the description of a hypocrite:

“There are three traits: whoever possesses them is a hypocrite.”

These are accompanied by many other proofs. There are also the reports from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, concerning one who abandons prayer, and those from his Companions after him; then there is what Allah Most High has described in His Book