permits fighting, as al-Shāfiʿī does, he says: “Disbelief alone is one cause, and disbelief after embracing Islam is another.” This is not the place to discuss these matters at length; we are merely drawing attention to them.

The point is that the meaning of the word “faith” varies depending on whether it appears alone or alongside another term. When mentioned together with deeds, it means the foundation of faith that entails deeds; when mentioned alone, it includes the necessary consequences of that foundation. Likewise, when faith is mentioned without Islam, Islam forms part of it, and every Muslim is a believer. But when Islam is mentioned together with faith, the two are distinguished from one another, as in the hadith of Gabriel and in the words of Allah Most High:

“Indeed, Muslim men and Muslim women, believing men and believing women…”

There are parallels to this in expressions such as “what is right,” “what is wrong,” “justice,” “excellence,” and others. In His words:

“He commands them to do what is right and forbids them from what is wrong,”

“what is right” includes everything commanded, and “what is wrong” includes everything prohibited. But in the words of Allah Most High:

“Indeed, prayer restrains from immorality and wrongdoing,”

He distinguishes immorality from wrongdoing. And in His words:

“And He forbids immorality, wrongdoing, and oppression,”

He distinguishes immorality and oppression from wrongdoing.

If it is said, “This is an instance of conjoining the specific to the general and the general to the specific,”