Author: Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Ameenpuri
The major point of contention between the righteous predecessors (Salaf) and their opponents, the Murji'ah (Hanafi) sect, in matters of faith was whether acts (A'maal) are included in faith (Iman). The Salaf, including the Companions and the Tabi'un, held the view that faith comprises both words and deeds. They considered it to encompass the words and actions of the heart, the words of the tongue, and the actions of the limbs.On the other hand, the Murji'ah (Hanafis) asserted that faith consists solely of the belief in the heart and the affirmation by the tongue, excluding acts from the definition of faith. They regarded acts merely as its fruits. Consequently, they denied any increase or decrease in faith and rejected the concept of exceptions in faith.
As soon as this innovation emerged within the Muslim community, it sparked a series of disputes between the Salaf and the proponents of Irja' (postponement). The Salaf vehemently refuted the Murji'ah's position, declaring it false and labeling its adherents as innovators and misguided individuals, thereby warning the Ummah against their reprehensible doctrine.
Hafiz Ibn Rajab (may Allah have mercy on him) writes:
"The Salaf harshly criticized those who excluded acts from faith." (Jami' al-Uloom wal-Hikam: 23-24)
The primary reason for the disagreement lies in the fact that the Murji'ah viewed faith as a single entity without any components, whereas the Salaf considered faith to be a composite of words and deeds.
Hafiz Ibn Qayyim (691-751 AH) explains the stance of the Salaf:
"Faith is a reality composed of the recognition of what the Messenger (peace be upon him) brought, affirmation of it in the heart, verbal acknowledgment, love, and submission to it, both inwardly and outwardly, acting upon it, implementing it, and inviting others to it as much as possible. Its perfection lies in love for Allah and hatred for His sake."
(Al-Fawaid: 196)
Ibn Taymiyyah (661-728 AH) describes the Murji'ah's belief:
"The Murji'ah and Jahmiyyah said that faith is a single entity without parts. According to the Jahmiyyah, it is merely the affirmation of the heart, while the Murji'ah said it is the affirmation of the heart and the tongue... Their main argument is that a composite entity ceases to exist if any part of it is removed, like the number ten, which is not ten if one part is taken away, and likewise with other composite bodies."
(Majmoo' al-Fatawa: 7/510-511)
One of their major arguments is based on linguistics. They claim that in the Arabic language, faith only means affirmation. Imam Muhammad bin Nasr Marwazi (202-294 AH) states:
"Their strongest argument is linguistic, claiming that faith in the language only means affirmation. Some said that affirmation is only by the heart, while others said it includes both the heart and the tongue. However, in the Arabic language, any act that verifies the heart and tongue is called affirmation."
(Ta'zim Qadr as-Salat: 2/716)
Ibn Taymiyyah remarks:
"The Murji'ah deviated in this principle from the clear text of the Quran and Sunnah, and the statements of the Companions and the Tabi'un, relying on their opinion and interpretation of language. This is the method of the people of innovation... Thus, we find the Mu'tazilah, the Murji'ah, the Rafidah, and other innovators interpreting the Quran based on their opinions and reason, and not relying on the Hadiths of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and the Companions and the Tabi'un."
(Al-Iman: 114)
The Salaf, through numerous explicit texts from the Quran and Sunnah and by consensus, refuted the Murji'ah's stance. Here are some of their evidences for the benefit of readers:
Evidences from the Quran
Allah Almighty says:اِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُوْنَ الَّذِیْنَ اِذَا ذُکِرَ اللّٰہُ وَ جِلَتْ قُلُوْبُھُمْ وَ اِذَا تُلِیَتْ عَلَیْھِمْ اٰیٰتُہٗ زَادَتْھُمْ اِیْمَانًا وَّ عَلیٰ رَبِّھِمْ یَتَوَکَّلُوْنَ۔ الَّذِیْنَ یُقِیْمُوْنَ الصَّلوٰۃَ وَ مِمَّا رَزَقْنٰھُمْ یُنْفِقُوْنَ
(Al-Anfal: 2-3)
"The believers are only those who, when Allah is mentioned, their hearts fear, and when His verses are recited to them, it increases them in faith; and upon their Lord they rely. They are those who establish prayer and spend out of what We have provided for them."
In this verse, Allah has described believers with both internal and external actions, thereby including acts in faith.
Imam Muhammad bin Nasr Marwazi comments:
"Allah described the believers with actions, then affirmed their true faith, describing them as true believers after they had established the mentioned acts like prayer and charity." (Ta'zim Qadr as-Salat)
Allah Almighty says:
وَمَا کَانَ اللّٰہُ لِیُضِیْعَ اِیْمَانَکُمْ
(Al-Baqarah: 143)
"And Allah would never let your faith go to waste."
Hafiz Ibn Abdul Barr (368-463 AH) writes:
"The scholars unanimously agreed that here faith refers to your prayers towards Jerusalem, thus Allah called the prayer faith."
(Al-Tamheed: 9/253)
This proves that acts are included in faith, as prayer involves actions of the limbs, the heart, and the tongue.
Allah Almighty says:
قُلْ اَطِیْعُوا اللّٰہَ وَ الرَّسُوْلَ فَاِنْ تَوَلَّوْا فَاِنَّ اللّٰہَ لَا یُحِبُّ الْکٰفِرِیْنَ
(Aal-e-Imran: 32)
"Say, 'Obey Allah and the Messenger.' But if they turn away - then indeed, Allah does not like the disbelievers."
This verse establishes that mere affirmation by the heart and tongue is insufficient for faith, as obedience in action is made obligatory for faith.
Allah Almighty says:
وَمَا اُمِرُوا اِلَّا لِیَعْبُدُوْا اللّٰہَ مُخْلِصِیْنَ لَہُ الدِّیْنَ حُنَفَآءَ وَ یُقِیْمَوا الصَّلوٰۃَ وَ یُؤْتُوا الزَّکٰوۃَ وَ ذٰلِکَ دِیْنُ الْقَیِّمَۃِ
(Al-Bayyinah: 5)
"And they were not commanded except to worship Allah, [being] sincere to Him in religion, inclining to truth, and to establish prayer and to give zakah. And that is the correct religion."
Hafiz Ibn Kathir (701-774 AH) states:
"Many scholars, including Imam al-Zuhri and Imam al-Shafi'i, have deduced from this verse that acts are included in faith."
(Tafsir Ibn Kathir: 8/477)
Hadith Evidence
Several hadiths also indicate that acts are part of faith:Narrated Safwan bin Assal (may Allah be pleased with him):
Two Jews asked the Prophet (peace be upon him) a question, and upon receiving the answer, they said: "We testify that you are a Prophet." The Prophet (peace be upon him) then said:
"What prevents you from following me?" (Sunan al-Nasa'i: 4083, Jami' al-Tirmidhi: 2733, 3144, and declared Hasan Sahih, Sunan Ibn Majah: 3705, Musnad Ahmad: 4/239, with an authentic chain)
Narrated Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him):
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said to the delegation of Abdul Qais:
"I command you with four things: to have faith in Allah alone. Do you know what faith in Allah is? It is to testify that there is no deity but Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, to establish prayer, to give zakah, to fast during Ramadan, and to give a fifth of the spoils of war."
(Sahih Bukhari: 1/13, Hadith: 53, Sahih Muslim: 1/33, Hadith: 17)
Commenting on this hadith, Allama Ibn Abi al-Izz al-Hanafi (731-792 AH) writes:
"What greater proof is there that acts are part of faith than this evidence? The Prophet (peace be upon him) explained faith through acts without mentioning affirmation, as it is known that these acts are not beneficial without belief."
(Sharh al-Aqidah al-Tahawiyyah: 487)
Narrated Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him):
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
"Faith has over seventy branches or over sixty branches. The most excellent of them is the declaration that there is no deity but Allah, and the humblest of them is the removal of harm from the path. Modesty is also a branch of faith."
(Sahih Bukhari: 1/6, Hadith: 9, Sahih Muslim: 1/47, Hadith: 35)
This hadith clearly indicates that acts are part of faith, as the branches of faith include actions of the heart, tongue, and limbs.
Hafiz Ibn Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) states:
"Faith is a principle with many branches. Each branch is called faith. Thus, prayer, zakah, pilgrimage, fasting, and inner acts like modesty, reliance on Allah, fear of Him, and returning to Him are all faith. Even removing harm from the path is a branch of faith. Some branches are such that faith ceases to exist if they are removed, like the testimony of Tawheed and Prophethood. Others do not negate faith if absent, like removing harm from the path. There are many branches in between, some close to the testimony of faith and others close to removing harm from the path."
(Kitab al-Salah by Ibn al-Qayyim: 53)
Consensus of the Salaf
Many scholars of the past have documented the consensus of the Salaf on this issue. Hafiz al-Baghawi (d. 510 AH) writes:"The Companions, Tabi'un, and subsequent scholars of Sunnah agreed that acts are part of faith. They said that faith consists of words, deeds, and belief."
(Sharh al-Sunnah: 1/38)
Imam al-Ajurri (d. 360 AH) states:
"Know, may Allah have mercy on you, O scholars of the Sunnah and Hadith, and those whom Allah has given understanding of halal and haram, that if you reflect on the Quran as commanded by Allah, you will find that Allah has obligated acts on the believers after their faith in Him and His Messenger. He did not praise them merely for their faith but included acts with it, granting them Paradise and saving them from Hell through faith and righteous deeds. This is a refutation of those who say that faith is mere recognition and those who say that faith is recognition and words, even without acts. We seek refuge with Allah from such statements."
(Al-Shari'ah by al-Ajurri: 2/611)
In conclusion, the Salaf, through explicit texts and consensus, refuted the Murji'ah and established that acts are an integral part of faith.