Explanation of the invalidity of the position held by the Hanafis and the Maturidiyyah that faith does not admit of increase or decrease.

The Shaykh : So, let no one hold the view that faith, as a creed residing in the heart, absolutely does not admit of increase. This is a grave error in which the great scholars of the past and the majority of Muslims today, who belong to the Hanafi school and the Maturidi creed, all fall. They hold this erroneous view, saying that faith neither increases nor decreases; that faith is a static reality that admits neither increase nor decrease. The reason for this is that they were heedless of the reality to which the Messenger (peace be upon him) alluded in this hadith and others, by making faith an action. And if it is an action, then action admits of increase and decrease. Based on this heedlessness, they were compelled to interpret dozens of texts from the Book and the Sunnah that explicitly state that faith increases and decreases. Also, as he (peace and blessings be upon him) said in the authentic hadith: And in another narration: Faith. Look here at how the Wise Lawgiver divides faith into stages and degrees, saying: And in another narration: Thus, faith admits of increase and admits of decrease.