Abū al-Qāsim al-Ansārī reported that, after mentioning the position of Abū al-Hasan and his followers concerning faith and affirming that it is the heart’s assent, Abū Ishāq al-Isfarāyīnī said:

“Some of our scholars hold that faith is contingent upon one’s final state: true faith requires that one meet his Lord with it and end his life upon it. Others do not make this a condition of faith in the present.”

Al-Ansārī said:

“After mentioning that most leading scholars of the early generations used to say, ‘Faith consists of knowledge in the heart, affirmation with the tongue, and action with the limbs,’ he said: ‘Most of these scholars hold that faith is contingent upon one’s final state. Those who hold this position apply it only to someone concerning whom no report states that he is among the people of Paradise. As for someone concerning whom such a report exists, they affirm his faith with certainty, as with the ten Companions.’”

He then said:

“The position chosen by the discerning scholars is that faith is assent. We have already mentioned their differing views concerning its dependence upon one’s final state: whether this is a condition for faith to be valid and real in the present, and for it to be recognized by Allah and in His judgment.

“Those who make this a condition qualify their present profession of faith with ‘if Allah wills.’ This is not because they doubt the reality of their affirmation of Allah’s oneness and their knowledge of Him. Rather, they say: ‘It is not known whether the faith we presently possess is recognized by Allah—that is, whether we shall benefit from it in the end and reap its fruits.’

“When they are asked, ‘Are you truly believers? Or do you say, “If Allah wills”? Or do you say, “We hope so”?’ they reply, ‘We are believers, if Allah wills.’ By this qualification, they mean to entrust the ultimate outcome to Allah, glorified and exalted is He. Faith is only recognized as such in the judgment of