those who do good.”

“Those who follow a moderate course” fulfil their obligations and avoid what is forbidden, while “those who are foremost in good deeds” fulfil their obligations and perform voluntary acts of worship, as described in those verses.

His words, “Gardens of everlasting residence, which they will enter,” are among the evidence Ahl al-Sunnah cite to establish that none of those who affirm Allah’s oneness will remain in Hell forever. As for many perpetrators of major sins entering Hell, this is established through mass-transmitted reports from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. Likewise, mass-transmitted reports establish their eventual departure from Hell, the intercession of our Prophet Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, for perpetrators of major sins, and the deliverance from Hell of those who leave it through the intercession of our Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and the intercession of others.

Whoever says that perpetrators of major sins will remain in Hell forever, and interprets the verse to mean that only those who are foremost will enter those gardens, whereas those who follow a moderate course or wrong themselves will not—as some of the Mu'tazilah have interpreted it—is met with the opposing interpretation of the Murji’ah. They do not affirm with certainty that any perpetrator of major sins will enter Hell, and claim that all perpetrators of major sins might enter Paradise without punishment. Both positions contradict the mass-transmitted Sunnah of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and the consensus of the early generations of the Muslim community and its leading scholars.

The falsity of the positions of “both groups” is demonstrated by Allah Most High’s statement, which occurs in two verses of His Book:

“Indeed, Allah does not forgive associating partners with Him, but He forgives what is less than that for whom He wills.”

The Most High thus declares that He does not forgive associating partners with Him, and that He forgives what is less than that for whom He wills. This cannot be understood as referring to those who repent, as claimed by some among