Rulings concerning the Perpetrator of Major Sins with Ahlus Sunnah vs Khawarij

[Muwaahid]

Bismillaahir-Rahmaanir-Raheem

As-Salaamu Alaykum wa
Rahmatullaahi wa Barakaatuhu

I came across a brief discussion in the
book of our beloved Sheikh Saalih Ibn Fawzaan ibn Abdillaah Al-Fawzaan
[Hafidhahullah] entitled Muhaadhiraat Fil Aqeedah wad-Dawah Volume 3
pages 383-384 that was mufeed jiddan [very beneficial]. Insha Allaah you will
find it also of benefit.

The Position of the Khawaarij Concerning the
Perpetrator of the Major Sins

As for the position of the Khawaarij
and the Mutazilah then it is in opposition to that of Ahlus Sunnah wal-Jamaa'ah.
So the Khawaarij rule that the perpetrator of the kabeerah [major sins] is a
kaafir outside the millah [deen of Islaam] and if he dies and does not repent
[from that kabeerah] then verily he shall forever abide in the fire according to
their madhhab.

As for the Mutazilah, then verily they say that he [the
perpetrator of the the kabeerah]exits Islaam but does not enter into Kufr, so he
becomes according to them "Fee Manzilah Bayna
Manzilatain" [In a place between two places]So it is not said: huwa
kaafir [he is a kaafir] nor is it said: huwa mu'min [ he is a believer] and if
he dies and does not repent then he shall abide in the hellfire eternally just
as the Khawaarij say.

The Ruling of the Perpetrator of the Major Sins
Acccording to Ahlus Sunnah wal-Jamaa'ah

As for the position of Ahlus
Sunnah wal-Jamaa'ah then they say: The believer that is the perpetrator of a
major sin from amongst the major sins then it is not said of him that he has
Kaamilul-Imaan [Complete Imaan] but rather he has a Naaqisul Imaan [Defficiency
in Imaan] and those that say: He has complete Imaan are the Murji'ah those that
say that: Imaan is not harmed by sins just as Disbelief is not benefitted by
Obedience. And they are with respect to that in opposition to the Khawaarij. And
the Mutazilah, those that say: He has exited Imaan so they are upon an extremely
contradictory position.

And the position of Ahlus Sunnah, then it is
wast [moderately in between these 2 extremes]. So they do not say: Innahu
Kaamilul Imaan [Indeed he has complete Imaan] as the Murji'ah say and they do
not say: Innahu Kaafir [indeed he is a disbeliever]as the Khawaarij say and not
in "Manzilah Bayna Manzilatain" [A
place between two places] as the Mutazilah say but rather they say: "Innahu Mu'min Naaqisul Imaan, Mu'min Bi-Imaanihi wa
Faasiqun Bi-Kabeerihi" Verily he is a believer, defficient in his
Imaan, a believer in his Imaan and disobedient in his major sin. He is loved
from one angle and hated from another angle. And if he dies and does not repent
then his affair is left to Allaah Subhanahu wa Ta'Alaa and he is under the
Mashiyyah [the will of Allaah]. If He wills Allaah shall forgive him and if
Allaah wills He shall punish him then he shall be taken out of the fire after
that just as Subhanahu Ta'Alaa says:



"Indeed Allaah shall not forgive that you set up partners with Him but
He forgives what is lesser than that from whoever He wills"
4:48

Just as it comes in the hadeeth: freed and shall be taken
out of the fire the one who has in his heart the smallest seed of Imaan."
[Collected by Imaam Al-Bukhaaree from the hadeeth of Anas Ibn Maalik]


So the Madhhab of Ahlus Sunnah wal-Jamaa'ah is firmly established upon
Adilah [proofs] from the Kitaab and the Sunnah and it is a Madhhab of justice
and well centered and that is because it is centered between the firaq daalah
[devient sects] just as the Islaamic ummah is centered between the nations of
kufr. Allah Ta'Alaa says: And Likewise we have made you A just nation so that
you may become a witnesss upon mankind and that the messenger maybe a witness
over you." [2:143]