The Response to the Argument Citing the Salvation of the One Who Abandons the Deeds of the Limbs

Question:
He also says: One of them argued for the salvation of the one who completely abandons the deeds of the limbs by citing Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr’s commentary on the hadith of intercession, in which he states that there is evidence that a Muslim who does not pray is within the will of Allah, provided he is a monotheist who believes in what Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) brought, affirming and acknowledging it, even if he does not act. This refutes the statement of the Mu’tazilah and the Khawarij in their entirety. They also cite the statement of Imam ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Hasan in *Fath al-Majid*, where he quotes al-Qurtubi in *al-Tadhkirah* regarding the saying of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), “They never did any good,” meaning by this only pure tawhid (the oneness of Allah) devoid of deeds. So what is your response, may Allah preserve you?

Answer:
First of all, we do not accept the statements of scholars in isolation from the evidence. This statement requires evidence. The fact that he derived this from the hadith is his own ijtihad (independent legal reasoning); this is his ijtihad. And the mujtahid (a scholar qualified to derive rulings) may err or be correct, although we have not seen the words of Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr.
Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr is a noble imam. Without doubt, the imams of the people of the Sunnah—we have not seen his words, and this is merely a report by the writer. But if this is correct, we accept what is supported by evidence from the statements of scholars, no matter how high their status.
And we have defined faith. We have defined it by the definition agreed upon by Muslims, so there is no need for debate on it now, nor to drag out agreed-upon, documented, and established issues to chew over them now and sit and argue about them. This is not permissible. It is sufficient for us to follow those who preceded us from the people of knowledge and the imams of Islam.
As for the idea that a person enters Paradise without deeds if he abandons deeds by choice, he does not enter Paradise. Deeds are necessary.
But if he abandons deeds not by choice, but is compelled, and he is a Muslim who dies without having been able to act and was not given time to act, then yes, he enters Paradise if he is sincere, because he was not able to act. But as for a person who was able to act and abandoned deeds entirely, and we say he enters Paradise because he says, “There is no god but Allah”—“There is no god but Allah” is not merely a phrase said with the tongue; it has a meaning and a implication, it has a signification. Its guidelines, pillars, and conditions are necessary. This is necessary. Yes.