the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) hadiths concerning them and explained the Quran’s refutation of them. Their innovation became widespread among the people.

After them came the Mu‘tazilah—those who withdrew from the Muslim community after the death of al-Hasan al-Basrī: ‘Amr ibn ‘Ubayd, Wāsil ibn ‘Atā’ al-Ghazāl, and their followers. They said: “Those who commit major sins will remain in the Fire forever,” as the Khawārij maintained. “We call them neither believers nor disbelievers; rather, they are grave sinners whom we place in an intermediate position between the two.” They denied the Prophet’s intercession (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) for those of his community who committed major sins, and denied that they would leave the Fire after entering it. They said: “People are of only two kinds: the blessed, who will not be punished, and the wretched, who will experience no bliss. The wretched are of two kinds: disbelievers and grave sinners.” They did not agree with the Khawārij in calling them disbelievers. These people may be refuted with the same arguments they themselves used against the Khawārij.

They may be told: Just as the Khawārij divided people into believers with no sins and disbelievers with no good deeds, you have divided people into believers with no sins, and disbelievers and grave sinners with no good deeds. If all the good deeds of such a sinner were nullified and he were to remain in the Fire forever, he would deserve unqualified hostility, through killing and enslavement, just as an apostate does; for, unlike the hypocrite, he has openly declared his religion.

Allah Most High has said in His Book:

“Indeed, Allah does not forgive associating partners with Him, but He forgives anything less than that for whomever He wills.”

He thus made forgiveness of anything less than associating partners with Him subject to His will. This cannot be understood as referring to someone who repents, for in the case of someone who repents, there is no distinction between