from him (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), that he said:

“No illness, fatigue, worry, sorrow, distress, or harm befalls a believer—even the prick of a thorn—without Allah expiating some of his sins thereby.”

The Musnad and other collections also relate:

“When this verse was revealed, ‘Whoever does evil will be recompensed for it,’ Abū Bakr said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, this is a back-breaking blow! Which of us has not done evil?’ He replied, ‘O Abū Bakr, do you not grow weary? Do you not grieve? Does hardship not befall you? These are among the things through which you receive your recompense.’”

Furthermore, mass-transmitted hadiths from the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) establish that some people will emerge from the Fire after entering it, and that the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) will intercede for people who have entered the Fire.

These hadiths constitute evidence against both groups: the “Wa‘īdiyyah,” who say that any person who affirms Allah’s oneness and enters the Fire will never emerge from it; and the “Murji’ah who withhold judgment,” who say, “We do not know whether anyone who affirms Allah’s oneness will enter the Fire at all.” This latter view is held by groups among the Shī‘ah and the Ash‘arīs, such as al-Qādī Abū Bakr and others.

As for the view attributed to the “extreme Murji’ah,” that no one who affirms Allah’s oneness will ever enter the Fire, we know of no prominent figure regarded as a scholar to whom this view is attributed.

Furthermore, the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) testified that the man who had repeatedly been flogged for drinking wine loved Allah and His Messenger, and he forbade cursing him. It is well known that whoever loves Allah and His Messenger is loved by Allah and His Messenger in proportion to that love. Furthermore, those who slandered ‘Ā’ishah, the Mother of