The Difference Between the Statement "We Do Not Declare Anyone a Disbeliever for a Sin" and the Doctrine of the Murji'ah

The questioner:
A questioner says: Regarding the statement of the Companion (may Allah have mercy on him), "We do not declare anyone from the People of the Sword to be a disbeliever for shedding blood unless they commit shirk (associating partners with Allah)," the questioner says: Many of the scholars have refrained from issuing the statement "I do not declare anyone a disbeliever for a sin," but rather it is said, "We do not declare them disbelievers for shedding blood." Is there a difference between the two formulations?

The Shaykh:
Yes. The statement "We do not declare anyone a disbeliever for a sin" is a general statement. Sins vary; some constitute disbelief (kufr), while others are less than that. Therefore, a distinction must be made. Some sins render their perpetrator a disbeliever. As for saying "We do not declare anyone a disbeliever for a sin," this is a consequence of the doctrine of the Murji'ah. This aligns with the doctrine of the Murji'ah. Yes.