Do the Murji'ah Say That a Person Who Abandons Prayer and Fasting Will Not Enter Hell?

The Claim That a Believer Is Not Harmed by Abandoning Obligatory Duties or Committing Sins Is False

The claim that a believer is not harmed by abandoning obligatory acts or committing sins, and that he will never enter Hell regardless of what he does, is false. It contradicts the Qur'an, the Sunnah, and the consensus of the Muslim scholars. Ahl al-Sunnah unanimously affirm that Muslims who commit major sins are under Allah's will: He may forgive them or punish them. Abandoning obligatory duties and committing prohibited acts are causes of punishment and divine warning, although a person who dies upon Tawhid will not remain eternally in Hell.

What Is Meant by the Statement, "No Sin Harms a Person Who Has Faith"?

Some of the extreme Murji'ah are reported to have said:

"No sin harms a person who has faith, just as no act of obedience benefits a disbeliever."

The implication of this statement is that a Muslim deserves no punishment for abandoning prayer, fasting, Zakah, or committing major sins.

This belief is false and contradicts the clear texts of the Qur'an and the Sunnah.

Do All Murji'ah Hold This Belief?

The answer is: No.

The Murji'at al-Fuqaha' (the Juristic Murji'ah)—the best-known branch of the Murji'ah—did not claim that sinners would never be punished.

Rather, they agreed with Ahl al-Sunnah that those who commit major sins deserve the divine warning and punishment and remain under Allah's will.

However, they erred in other matters concerning the definition and reality of faith (Iman).

Why Is This Belief Considered Dangerous?

Because claiming that abandoning obligatory acts does not harm a believer effectively contradicts many verses of the Qur'an and authentic hadiths that warn sinners of punishment.

Allah has warned those who neglect obligatory duties and commit major sins of punishment, while making obedience a means of salvation and disobedience a cause of punishment.

What Is the Belief of Ahl al-Sunnah Regarding Those Who Commit Major Sins?

Ahl al-Sunnah believe that if a Muslim commits a major sin or neglects some obligatory duties:

• He does not leave Islam merely because of the sin.
• It is not stated with certainty that he will enter Paradise or Hell.
• He remains under Allah's will.
• Allah may forgive him.
• Or Allah may punish him according to the extent of his sins.
• Ultimately, if he dies upon Tawhid, his final destination will be Paradise.

Is Merely Saying "There Is No God but Allah" Sufficient While Completely Abandoning All Deeds?

This issue has been debated among various theological groups. However, Ahl al-Sunnah unanimously agree that true faith is not merely pronouncing words with the tongue while lacking acceptance, belief, and righteous deeds.

According to Ahl al-Sunnah, faith consists of:

• Belief in the heart.
• Statement by the tongue.
• Actions of the limbs.
• It increases through obedience and decreases through sin.

Some of the Most Well-Known Errors of the Murji'ah

Among the beliefs attributed to various Murji'ah groups are:

• Restricting faith to inward belief or verbal declaration alone.
• Denying that faith increases or decreases.
• Separating faith from righteous deeds.
• Minimizing the effect of actions on the reality of faith.

For this reason, Muslim scholars warned against the doctrines of Irja' and their harmful effects on the correct understanding of Islam.

Conclusion

• The claim that sins do not harm a believer is false.
• Abandoning prayer, fasting, and Zakah is not a trivial matter in Islam.
• Ahl al-Sunnah believe that those who commit major sins remain under Allah's will.
• A Muslim may be punished for his sins if he dies without repentance.
• According to Ahl al-Sunnah, faith includes belief, speech, and righteous deeds.
• It is not permissible to rely merely on pronouncing the Shahada while neglecting Allah's commands.

And Allah knows best.