It may be confusing to some, leading them to assume that practical disbelief pertains only to actions and creedal disbelief pertains only to belief. For example, they might say that mocking the religion or trampling the mushaf is merely practical disbelief.

The student : When it is said: "practical disbelief," this is naturally a term agreed upon by scholars. It may come to mind that it is what is linked only to action, so they consider creedal disbelief to be what pertains only to belief, and practical disbelief to be what pertains to action. Consequently, a doubt arises here: leaving off the prayer is an action, so if it is not a belief, then mocking the religion is an action, so it is not a belief, and trampling the mushaf is an action, not a belief. So I say, it would be good if it were said that this is merely a term, and that creedal disbelief may also involve action!

The Shaykh : Thirteen. Look at the hadith itself, yes.
The student : I say, so if the word is added: that creedal disbelief may be an action, it is an action in itself. Perhaps the brother intended this statement, but I do not know this expression!

The Shaykh : Look, Professor!
The student : Continue, Shaykh?

The Shaykh: Go ahead.
The student : So when some people assume that creedal disbelief is what is in the heart only and has no relation to action, the problem arises here.

The Shaykh : No one says that.
The student : Just as you say, Shaykh, and I am conveying the statement of the one who says it, not my own statement.

The Shaykh: Yes.
The student : Just as you say, Shaykh: It is not conceivable that a person who tramples the mushaf with his foot, as the brother mentioned another example of that, that his heart has not a grain of faith. There are those who say: It is not conceivable that a believer who does not prostrate to Allah in a single prostration is then called a believer. They bring up the same objection and say: Does it not occur to you that this is not creedal disbelief?

The Shaykh : They are not equal, for example. But in any case, I answer your question: When we speak about this issue, we say: Every creedal disbelief is practical disbelief, but not the reverse. Not every practical disbelief is creedal disbelief. Is this answer clear? Are you reassured?
The student : Reassured, yes.

The Shaykh: All right.
The student : This statement is not always mentioned, like this time, when the problem is raised by some people.

The Shaykh : It is not always mentioned. This may be the case, because we do not mention the issue; we give a lecture on it, but one person asks a question and we answer it. However, comprehending the subject from every angle requires defining the issue and gathering thought and research on it. But what we believe in the depths of our hearts is: Every creedal disbelief is accompanied by practical disbelief, but not every practical disbelief is accompanied by creedal disbelief. Therefore, I brought up for the brother the practical hypocrite and the creedal hypocrite. The creedal hypocrite displays prayer and fasting, and so on, but they may have concealed disbelief. While the Muslim prays and fasts, but he lies, promises and does not fulfill, betrays when trusted, and the like. So if his action is contrary to his belief, his action is the action of the disbelievers, but his belief is not the belief of the disbelievers. Is that clear?

The questioner : The sheikhs here say: Do you imagine that a man who never prays a single prayer says "La ilaha illa Allah" sincerely from his heart? I mean, is it conceivable that a person says this and does not pray, and then is [a believer]?

The Shaykh : No problem. Did the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) say that the one who is sincere from his heart entered Paradise at the beginning or at the end? I mean, did he enter Paradise without being touched by any torment?!
The student : There is no specification in the hadith.

The Shaykh : There is no specification, but we ask what it means, for example?
The student : Do you mean he entered Paradise without torment, without being touched by anything of the Fire?

The Shaykh : Yes, I mean the one who possesses this attribute entered Paradise, as it is said today, transit. But the one whose sincerity in this good word is half, or a third, or so on, as came in the hadith we were discussing, that he has a grain of faith in his heart, is that what the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) intended in the hadith "sincerely from his heart"? No, that is at the end of sincerity.
The student : Okay, what led you to this interpretation? You said the one who said "sincerely from his heart" entered Paradise, meaning immediately?

The Shaykh: Of course.
The student : Okay, this means immediately. What led us to prefer one of the two possibilities?

The Shaykh : The other hadiths.
The student : Done, I understood the point.