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Sunday, May 08, 2016

The Arguments of the Murji'ah Detaching al-Emaan from Actions and Statements [Part 24]

Perhaps the Murji'ah may try to support this concept of theirs with proof from the Statement of Allaah, the Most High:

Verily, those who believe and work deeds of righteousness.” [Maryam 19:96]

That the connector (known as Hurf al-'Atf) 'and' means that there is difference in entities between al-Emaan and actions.
The answer we give to them is that connectors in the Arabic language are used to specify the general, just as the Most High Said:

Truly those who believe, and do deeds of righteousness, and perform As-Salat (Iqamat-as-Salat), and give Zakat, they will have their reward with their Lord” [al-Baqarah 2:277]

There is no doubt that establishing the prayer and paying the Zakaat are from righteous deeds and not separate entities.
He, the Most High, also Said:

Except those who believe and do righteous good deeds, and recommend one another to the truth and recommend one another to patience.” [al-'Asr 103:3]

Cooperating in truth is from the good deeds that a person does, so in this Surah the connector ‘و’ has been used to specify the general (good deeds). This something well known to the Grammarians in the Arabic language.

A similar example appears in the Aayah:

Guard strictly the five daily prayers and the middle Salat (i.e. the best prayer - 'Asr) and stand before Allah with obedience [and do not speak to others during the Salat (prayers)].” [al-Baqarah 2:238]

Meaning, the five daily prayers are mentioned and then a specific one of the prayers is mentioned after the connector ‘and’, thus they are not to separate things.

And,

"Whoever is an enemy to Allah, His Angels, His Messengers, Jibreel and Mikaaeel, then verily, Allah is an enemy to the disbelievers."” [al-Baqarah 2:98]

The Angels are mentioned in general and then specific examples of Jibreel and Mikaaeel are mentioned thereafter.

And,

And (remember) when We took from the Prophets their covenant, and from you (O Muhammad  ), and from Nuh (Noah)” [al-Ahzaab 33:7]

The covenant taken from the Prophets was generally mentioned then specifally in the case of each Prophet.

And,

In them (both) will be fruits, and date- palms and pomegranates.” [ar-Rahmaan 55: 68]

The general reward of fruit is specified with the reward of pomegrantes. Pomegranates are not separate entities to fruits even though the connector ‘and’ is used.

Those who exclude actions or statements from al-Emaan are of two fractions. Some of them negate any relation between actions and statements and al-Emaan altogether, and the proofs presented above is sufficient as a refutation upon them. Whilst the other fraction state that al-Emaan has a relationship with actions (but not physically part of it), and this group is famously known as the Murji'ah al-Fuqahaah[1]



[1]  For further detail on this see Majmoo' al-Fataawaa of Ibn Taymiyyah (7/297, 7/575) and Sharh at-Tahaaweeyah (Pg. 309) with the checking of Arnaa'oot.

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