The Third Issue

Whoever accepts the permissibility of making exceptions in matters of Ēmān has left the Murji’ah ’Abdurraḥmān ibn Mahdī, may Allāh have mercy on him, said: «إذا تَرَكَ الاستثناء؛ فهو أصْلُ الإرجاء» "If one abandons making exceptions, this forms the basis of Irjā.'" [Ash-Sharī’ah by Al-Ājurrī (2/664)] Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allāh have mercy on him, said: «وأما مذهب سلف أصحاب الحديث؛ كابن مسعود، وأصحابه، والثوري، وابن عيينة، وأكثر علماء الكوفة، وأحمد بن حنبل، وغيره من أئمة السنة: فكانوا يَسْتثنون في الإيمان، وهذا متواتر عنهم» "As for the madh-hab of the Salaf from Ahlul-Ḥadīth, such as Ibn Mas’ūd, his companions, Ath-Thawrī, Ibn ’Uyaynah, the majority of the scholars of Kūfah, Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, and other Imams of the Sunnah, they all used to make exceptions in matters of Ēmān, and this is well-established from them." [Al-Fatāwā (7/438)] He also said, may Allāh have mercy on him: «فالذين يُحَرِّمونه هم المرجئة، والجهمية ونحوهم» "Those who prohibit this practice are the Murji’ah, Jahmiyyah, and those like them." [Al-Fatāwā (7/429)] I say: Making an exception means saying "I am a believer, In-shā-Allāh." Ahlus-Sunnah permit this in certain cases, such as when one intends to avoid self-righteousness or is uncertain about the acceptance of one's deeds. However, they do not permit it if one says it out of doubt in one's Ēmān. On the other hand, the Murji’ah do not permit making an exception under any circumstances. Below are some statements from the three scholars on this subject: Ibn Bāz, may Allāh have mercy on him, said: «أما في العبادات؛ فلا مانع أن يقول: (إن شاء الله صلَّيتُ)، (إن شاء الله صُمْتُ)؛ لأنه لا يدري هل كمّلها وقُبلت منه أم لا؟ وكان المؤمنون يستثنون في إيمانهم، وفي صومهم؛ لأنهم لا يدرون هل أكملوا أم لا؟ فيقول الواحد منهم: صُمْتُ إن شاء الله ويقول: (أنا مؤمن إن شاء الله» "As for acts of worship, there is no harm in saying, 'I prayed, in-shā-Allāh,' or 'I fasted, in-shā-Allāh,' because one cannot be certain whether the acts were completed and accepted. The believers would make exceptions regarding their Ēmān and fasting because they were unsure if they had fulfilled them completely. Thus, they would say, 'I fasted, in-shā-Allāh,' or 'I am a believer, in-shā-Allāh.'" [Al-Fat āwā (5/403)] Al-Albānī, may Allāh have mercy on him, criticised the Ḥanafīs, saying: «وبناءً على ذلك كله؛ اشتطُّوا في تعصُّبهم؛ فذكروا أَنَّ مَن استثنى في إيمانه ؛ فقد كَفَر ! . . . » Due to this, they became extreme in their fanaticism, declaring that anyone who makes an exception regarding their Ēmān is a disbeliever!" [Aṭ-Ṭaḥāwiyyah (1/52)] Ibn ’Uthaymīn, may Allāh have mercy on him, commented on making exceptions: «قولُ الإنسان : (أنا مؤمن إن شاء الله)؛ إن كان قَصْدُه بذلك التبرك، أو أنه : إيماني وقع بمشيئة الله؛ فهذا حق، ولا إشكال فيه، جائز» "When someone says, 'I am a believer in-shā-Allāh,' if their intention is to seek blessings or to acknowledge that their Ēmān is subject to Allāh's Will, then this is correct and permissible without any issue." [Al-Bāb Al-Maftūḥ, Meeting 208, Side A, Minute 17, Produced by Al-Istiqāmah Recordings]