My servants are those who believe in Me and those who disbelieve. Whoever says, ‘We were given rain by Allah’s grace and mercy,’ believes in Me and disbelieves in the star. But whoever says, ‘We were given rain through such-and-such a star,’ disbelieves in Me and believes in the star.”’”

In Sahīh Muslim, it is reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“Have you not considered what your Lord has said? He said: ‘Whenever I bestow a blessing upon My servants, some of them disbelieve on account of it, saying, “It was through this star or those stars.”’”

There are other similar examples in the hadiths. Regarding the statements of Allah Most High, “Those who do not judge by what Allah has revealed—it is they who are disbelievers,” “it is they who are defiantly disobedient,” and “wrongdoers,” Ibn ʿAbbās and several other early scholars said: “A lesser form of disbelief, a lesser form of defiance, and a lesser form of wrongdoing.” Ahmad, al-Bukhārī, and others have mentioned this.

The second principle:

The branches of faith may entail one another when faith is strong, but not when it is weak. When the heart’s belief, knowledge, and love of Allah and His Messenger grow strong, this necessarily produces hatred of Allah’s enemies. As Allah Most High says:

“Had they believed in Allah, the Prophet, and what was revealed to him, they would not have taken them as allies.”

He also says:

“You will not find people who believe in Allah and the Last Day showing affection to those who oppose Allah and His Messenger, even if they are their fathers, their sons, their brothers, or their clan. Those are the ones in whose hearts He has inscribed faith and whom He has strengthened with a spirit from Him.”

Yet a person may feel affection for them