قَالَHe saidوَدَخَلَand enteredعَلَيْهِupon himشَيْخٌan old manفَسَأَلَهُso he asked himعَنْaboutالإِيمَانِthe faithفَقَالَso he saidلَهُto him::قَوْلٌA statementوَعَمَلٌand an action،,يَزِيدُincreasesوَيَنقُصُand decreases..
He said: And an old man entered upon him and asked him about faith. He said to him: It is a statement and an action, which increases and decreases.
فَقَالَSo he saidلَهُto him::أَقُولُI say::أَمُؤْمِنٌAm I a believerإِنifشَاءَhe wishesاللَّهُAllah؟?
So he said to him: I say: Am I a believer if Allah wills?
قَالَHe said::نَعَمَYes..
He said: Yes.
فَقَالَSo he saidلَهُto him::إِنَّهُمْIndeed, theyيَقُولُونَsayلِيto meإِنَّكَthat youشَاكٌare in doubt؟?
So he said to him: Indeed, they say to me that you are in doubt?
قَالَHe said::بِئْسَWretched isمَاwhatقَالُواthey said..
He said: Wretched is what they said.
ثُمَّThenخَرَجَhe leftفَقَالَand said::رَدُّوهُReturn him,,فَقَالَSo he said::أَلَيْسَIs it notيَقُولُونَthey say::الإِيمَانُThe faithقَوْلٌis a statementوَعَمَلٌand an actionيَزِيدُwhich increasesوَيَنقُصُand decreases؟?
Then he left and said: Return him. So he said: Is it not that they say: Faith is a statement and an action which increases and decreases?
قَالَHe said::نَعَمَYes..
He said: Yes.
قَالَHe said::هَؤُلَاءِTheseيَسْتَثْنُونَmake an exception?؟?
He said: Do those make an exception?
قَالَHe said:كَيفَHowيَاOأَبَاfather ofعَبْدِاللَّهِAbdullah?؟?
He said: How, O Abdullah's father?
قَالَHe said::قُلْSayلَهُمْto them::زَعَمْتُمْYou claimedأَنَّthatالإِيمَانَfaithقَوْلٌis a statementوَعَمَلٌand an action،,فَالْقَوْلُSo the statementقَدْhas indeedأَتَيْتُمْyou broughtبِهِit،,وَالْعَمَلُand the actionلَمْhas notتَأْتُواyou comeبِهِit,,فَهَذَاso thisالاِسْتِثْنَاءُexceptionلِهَذَاfor thisالْعَمَلِaction،,
He said: Say to them: You claimed that faith is a statement and action, so you brought the statement, and you have not brought the action, so this is the exception for this action.
قِيلَIt was saidلَهُto him::تَسْتَثْنِيDo you make an exceptionفِيinالإِيمَانِfaith?؟?
It was said to him: Do you make an exception in faith?
قَالَHe said::نَعَمَYes..
He said: Yes.
أَقُولُI say::أَنَاI amمُؤْمِنٌa believerإِنifشَاءَHe wishesاللَّهُAllahاِسْتَثْنِيI make an exceptionعَلَىonالْيَقِينِcertaintyلَاnotعَلَىonالشَّكِّdoubt،,
I say: I am a believer if Allah wills. I make an exception based on certainty, not on doubt.
ثُمَّThenقَالَhe said::قَالَIt is saidاللَّهُAllah::لَتَدْخُلُنَّYou will surely enterالْمَسْجِدَthe Sacred Mosqueالْحَرَامَal-Haram, ifإنifشَاءَHe willsاللَّهُAllahآمِنِينَin peaceكَأَنَّهُمْas if[الْفَتْحِ: ۲۷][Surah Al-Fath: 27]فَقَدْIndeedأَخْبَرَHe informedاللَّهُAllahتَعَالَىExaltedأَنَّهُمْthat theyدَاخِلُونَwill enterالْمَسْجِدَthe mosqueالْحَرَامَthe sacred
Then he said: It is said that Allah: 'You will surely enter the Sacred Mosque, if Allah wills, in peace' [Surah Al-Fath: 27]. Indeed, Allah has informed that they will enter the Sacred Mosque.
فَقَدْIndeedبَيَّنَit is clearأَحْمَدُAhmadفِيinكَلَامِهِhis wordsأَنَّهُthat heيَسْتَثْنِيmakes an exceptionمَعَwithتَيَقُّنِهِhis certaintyبِمَاabout whatهُوَit isالْآنَnowمَوْجُودٌpresentفِيهِin it،,يَقُولُهُhe says itبِلِسَانِهِwith his tongueوَقَلْبِهِand his heartلَاhe does notيَشُكُّdoubtفِيinذَٰلِكَthat،,وَيَسْتَثْنِيand he makes an exceptionلِكَوْنِbecauseالْعَمَلَthe actionمِنْofالإِيمَانِfaith،,وَهُوَand heلَاdoes notيَتَيَقَّنُcertainly knowأَنَّهُthat heأَكْمَلَهُhas completed،,بَلْbutيَشُكُّhe doubtsفِيinذَٰلِكَthat،,فَنَفَىso he negatedالشَّكَّthe doubtوَأَثْبَتَand affirmedالْيَقِينَthe certaintyفِي مَاin whatيَتَيَقَّنُهُhe is certain aboutمِنْfromنَفْسِهِhimself,,وَأَثْبَتَand affirmedالشَّكَّthe doubtفِي مَاin whatلَاdoes notيَعْلَمُknow،,وُجُودَهُits existenceوَبَيَّنَand he clarifiedأَنَّthatالِاسْتِثْنَاءَthe exceptionمُسْتَحَبٌّis recommendedلِهَذَاfor thisالثَّانِيsecondالَّذِيwhichلَاdoes notيَعْلَمُknowهَلْifأَتَىhe has comeبِهِto itأَمorلَاnot،,وَهُوَand it isجَائِزٌpermissibleأَيْضًاalsoيَتَيَقَّنُهُthat he is certain،,فَلَوْso ifاسْتَثْنَىhe makes an exceptionلِنَفْسِهِfor himselfالْمَوْجُودَexistsفِيinقَلْبِهِhis heartجَازَit is permissible,,كَقَوْلِlike the sayingالنَّبِيِّof the Prophetﷺ(peace be upon him):: وَاللَّهُBy AllahإِنِّيIndeed, IلَأَرْجُوI surely hopeأَنْthatأَكُونَI becomeأَخْشَاكُمْmost fearful of youاللَّهَAllahوَهَذَاand thisأَمْرٌmatterمَوْجُودٌis presentفِيinالْحَالِthe stateلَيْسَis notبِمُسْتَقْبَلٍin the future,,وَهُوَand it isكَوْنُهُhis beingأَخْشَانَاmost fearful of us,,فَإِنَّهُfor heلَاdoes notيَرْجُوhopeأَنْthatيَصِيرَhe becomesأَخْشَانَاmost fearful of usاللَّهَAllahبَلْbutهُوَheيَرْجُوhopesأَنْthatيَكُونَhe isحِينَwhenهَذَاthisالْقَوْلُsayingأَخْشَانَاmost fearful of us،,كَمَاjust asيَرْجُوhe hopesالْمُؤْمِنُthe believerإِذَاifعَمِلَhe doesعَمَلًاa deedأَنْthatيَكُونَit isاللَّهُAllahتَقْبَلُهُaccepts itمِنْهُfrom him,,وَيَخَافُand he fearsأَنْthatلَاnotيَكُونَit isتَقْبَلُهُacceptedمِنْهُfrom him,,كَمَاjust asقَالَhe saidتَعَالَىthe Exalted﴿وَالَّذِينَAnd those whoيُؤْتُونَgiveمَاwhatمَاتُواthey have doneوَقُلُوبُهُمْand their heartsوَجِلَةٌare tremblingأَنَّهُمْthat theyإِلَىtoيَوْمِهِمْtheir Lordرَاجِعُونَare returning))[المُؤْمِنُونَ][Surah Al-Mu'minun]وَقَالَAnd saidالنَّبِيُّthe Prophetﷺ(peace be upon him):: هُوَHe isالرَّجُلُthe manيُصَلِّيwho praysوَيَصُومُand fastsوَيَتَصَدَّقُand gives charityوَيَخَافُand fearsأَنْthatلَاnotيُقْبَلَhe is acceptedمِنْهُfrom him(١)(1)وَالْقَبُولُAnd acceptanceهُوَisأَمْرٌa matterحَاضِرٌpresentأَوorمَاضٍpastوَهُوَand it isيَرْجُوهُhe hopes for itوَيَخَافُهُand fears it،,وَذَٰلِكَand thatأَنْthatمَالَهُhis wealthعَاقِبَةٌits consequenceمُسْتَقْبَلَةٌanticipatedمَحْمُودَةٌlaudableأَوorمَذْمُومَةٌblameworthyوَالْإِنْسَانُand manيَجُوزُmayوُجُودُهُexistenceوَعَدَمُهُand non-existence,,يُقَالُit is said::إِنَّهُIndeed, heيَرْجُوهُhopes for itوَإِنَّهُand heيَخَافُهُfears it,,فَتَعَلَّقَso the attachmentالرَّجَاءِof hopeوَالْخَوْفِand fearبِالْحَاضِرِis to the presentوَالْمَاضِيand past,,لِأَنَّbecauseعَاقِبَتَهُits consequenceالْمَطْلُوبَةِis desired
Indeed, Ahmad has clarified in his words that he makes an exception with his certainty concerning what is presently available to him, which he expresses with his tongue and heart; he does not doubt that, and he makes an exception because the action is part of faith, while he is not certain that he has completed it, but he doubts that. Thus, he negated the doubt and affirmed certainty in what he is certain about himself, and he affirmed the doubt concerning what he does not know its existence. He also clarified that the exception is recommended in the case of the second one about which he does not know if he has fulfilled it or not, and it is also permissible for him to be certain. Thus, if he were to make an exception for what exists in his heart, it would be permissible, like the saying of the Prophet (peace be upon him): 'By Allah, I hope that I will be among the most fearful of you.' This is a matter that is present in the state and not future, and it is his being among the most fearful of them; he does not hope to become one of the most fearful of Allah, but he hopes to be when he says these words the most fearful of them. Just as a believer hopes when he performs an action that Allah accepts it from him, and he fears that it may not be accepted from him, just as He stated: 'And those who give what they have done, while their hearts are trembling that they are returning to their Lord' [Surah Al-Mu'minun]. And the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'He is the man who prays, fasts, and gives charity, and he fears that it may not be accepted from him.' (1) And acceptance is a matter that is either present or past, and he hopes for it and fears it, for his wealth has a consequence that is laudable or blameworthy, and the existence of man is allowed and disallowed, it is said: Indeed, he hopes for it and fears it, so the attachment of hope and fear is to the present and the past, because its desired consequence.