Allah and His good pleasure, and into Paradise.

Likewise, when refuting adherents of religious innovation, such as the Rāfidah and others, if one does not intend thereby to clarify the truth, guide people, show them mercy, and do good to them, his deed will not be righteous. If he severely condemns a religious innovation or an act of disobedience (1), his purpose should be to expose the harm it contains so that Allah’s servants may beware of it, as is the case with scriptural texts warning of punishment and others like them. A man may also be shunned as a punishment and disciplinary measure, with the aim of deterring him and others like him, out of mercy and a desire to do good—not to gratify resentment or exact revenge.

Thus, the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—shunned the three of his Companions who had been left behind. Those who had stayed behind from the military expedition came offering excuses and swearing oaths, though they were lying. These three, however, told the truth and were punished by being shunned. Allah then accepted their repentance through the blessing of their truthfulness (2).

This rests on two principles:

The first is that committing a sin does not make a person an unbeliever, as the Khawārij claim; nor does it require that he remain in the Fire eternally and be denied intercession, as the Muʿtazilah claim.

The second is that a person who adopts an interpretation with the intention of following the Messenger does not become an unbeliever; indeed, (3) he does not even become a transgressor if he exercises scholarly judgment and errs. This is widely recognized with regard to practical questions. As for doctrinal questions, many people have declared (4) those who err in them to be unbelievers.

This view is not known from any of the Companions, those who faithfully followed them, or (5) any of the leading Muslim scholars. Rather, it originally stems from the doctrines of the people of