between your brothers.” Thus, He called them believers and designated them as brothers despite their fighting and the aggression of some against others. Allah Most High also says:
“Then a believing slave must be freed.”
If someone frees a sinful slave, that emancipation fulfills the requirement by scholarly consensus.
For this reason, the scholars of the early generations state in their formulations of creed: “We do not declare anyone among those who face the qiblah a disbeliever on account of a sin, nor do we exclude him from Islam on account of a deed.” Unlawful sexual intercourse, theft, and drinking alcohol were established against certain people during the Prophet’s lifetime—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—yet he did not treat them as disbelievers or sever the bonds of allegiance between them and the Muslims. Rather, he flogged one and cut off another’s hand, while seeking forgiveness for them and saying: “Do not help Satan against your brother.” All the rulings of Islam rest upon this principle.
The second extreme is the view of those who say: “Their faith remains just as it was, without diminishing.” This rests on the premise that faith is nothing more than assent and firm conviction, which have not changed; only their observance of Islam’s prescriptions has diminished. This is the position of the Murji’ah, the Jahmiyyah, and those who follow their path. It too contradicts the Quran, the Sunnah, and the consensus of the earliest Muslims and those who followed them in righteousness. Allah Most High says:
“The believers are only those who believe in Allah and His Messenger, then never doubt, and strive with their wealth and their lives in Allah’s cause. It is they who are truthful.”
He also says:
“The believers are only those whose hearts tremble when Allah is mentioned”—through to His words—“It is they who are truly believers.”
He also says:
“And it increased them in faith, and they said, ‘Allah is sufficient for us.’”
And He says:
“So that they might increase in faith beyond the faith they already had.”
And He says:
“It has increased them in faith, and they rejoice.”