from the Fire and will receive intercession, and that a single major sin does not nullify all good deeds. According to most of Ahl al-Sunnah, however, an equivalent amount of good deeds may be nullified. Nothing nullifies all good deeds except disbelief, just as nothing wipes out all evil deeds except repentance. Thus, if someone who commits a major sin performs good deeds seeking Allah’s pleasure, Allah rewards him for them, even though he deserves punishment for his major sin. The Book of Allah, Mighty and Majestic, distinguishes between a thief, a fornicator, and believers who fight one another, on the one hand, and disbelievers, on the other, in matters of “designations and rulings.” The Sunnah transmitted from the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—through numerous independent chains, and the consensus of the Companions, establish this, as explained at length elsewhere.

Accordingly, people have differed over His words:

“Allah accepts only from the God-fearing.”

According to the Khawārij and the Mu‘tazilah, no good deed is accepted except from someone who is God-fearing without qualification and has committed no major sin. According to the Murji’ah, Allah accepts only from those who avoid associating partners with Him; they thus include those who commit major sins within the designation “the God-fearing.”

According to Ahl al-Sunnah wa-l-Jamā‘ah, a deed is accepted from someone who fears Allah in performing it, doing it sincerely for Allah and in accordance with His command. Whoever fears Him in a particular deed has it accepted from him, even if he disobeys Him in other matters. Whoever does not fear Him in that deed does not have it accepted from him, even if he obeys Him in other matters. Repenting of some sins but not others is like performing some of the enjoined good deeds