their purpose, they became reluctant to answer, or answered with a distinction. This is because the term “faith” may be used either without qualification or in a qualified sense. They would therefore affirm faith in a qualified sense that did not entail testifying to their own perfection. Thus, the correct view is that one may say, “I am a believer,” without adding “if Allah wills,” if this is the sense intended. However, one should accompany this statement with something clarifying that one does not mean complete faith in its unqualified sense. This is why Ahmad disliked giving an unqualified answer without first adding that qualification.

Al-Marwadhī said:

“Abū ‘Abd Allāh was asked, ‘Should we say, “We are the believers”?’ He replied, ‘We say, “We are Muslims.”’”

He also said:

“I asked Abū ‘Abd Allāh, ‘Should we say, “We are believers”?’ He replied, ‘Rather, we say, “We are Muslims.”’”

Nevertheless, he did not condemn someone who omitted the qualification if that person did not intend what the Murji’ah intended—that faith consists merely of words. Rather, he dislikes omitting it because he knows that there is faith in his heart, even though he is not certain that his faith is complete.

Al-Khallāl said:

“Ahmad ibn Asram al-Muzanī informed me that Abū ‘Abd Allāh was asked, ‘What if a man asks me, “Are you a believer?”’ He replied, ‘Your asking me this is an innovation.’ He does not doubt his faith—or he said, ‘We do not doubt our faith.’”

Al-Muzanī said:

“What I remember is that Abū ‘Abd Allāh said, ‘I say as Tāwūs said: “I believe in Allah, His angels, His Books, and His Messengers.”’”