The Ruling on One Who Persists in Sins and Claims to Be upon Tawhid

Question:
May Allah reward you, Your Eminence, father. The questioner says: What is your view regarding some people who persist in sins and disobedience, and argue that they have tawhid (the oneness of Allah)?

Answer:
This is delusion, may Allah protect us from it. This is delusion. Tawhid is not established except with obedience and good deeds. If one is lax regarding sins and disobedience, then this weakens his tawhid or causes it to vanish, may Allah protect us from it, in the end. So a person must repent to Allah from this blameworthy hope. They call this blameworthy hope. It is that one relies on the aspect of hope and leaves the aspect of fear. The believer combines fear and hope; he does not rely on fear alone, nor does he rely on hope alone, but he combines them, so he is fearful and hopeful. Yes.