In light of this, the balanced position—that of Ahl al-Sunnah wa-l-Jamā‘ah—is neither to deny the designation “believer” without qualification nor to confer it without qualification.

Thus we say: “He is a believer whose faith is deficient,” “a sinful believer,” or “a believer by virtue of his faith and an evildoer by virtue of his major sin.” It may also be said: “He is not a true believer,” or “His faith is not genuine.” Every statement made in the Quran and Sunnah must be accompanied by something that clarifies its intended meaning. Some rulings depend only on the foundation of faith, such as the validity of manumission as expiation, bonds of allegiance, mutual inheritance, and similar matters. Others depend on both its foundation and its branches, such as deserving praise and reward, forgiveness of sins, and similar matters.

With “this principle” understood, the report in the Sahīh records the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—as saying:

“A fornicator is not a believer at the time he commits fornication; a thief is not a believer at the time he steals; a person is not a believer at the time he drinks wine; and a person is not a believer at the time he seizes valuable plunder as people raise their eyes to him.”

The additional wording narrated by Abū Dāwūd and al-Tirmidhī is authentic and explains the well-known narration.

The questioner’s words, “Did any of the imams understand the hadith according to its apparent meaning?” can mean different things. If he means that its apparent meaning is that the fornicator becomes a disbeliever and is entirely stripped of faith, then none of the imams understood the hadith in this way. Nor is this its apparent meaning, because the words,

“Faith leaves him and is like a canopy above his head,”

are evidence that faith