What is the meaning of Ibn Hajar's statement: "Faith does not become partial"?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : A shaykh transmitted from Ibn Batan that he said: "Faith does not become partial". Is this as he said?
The Shaykh : Yes, my brother, its meaning is that a person does not become a believer and a disbeliever. If he is a disbeliever, the characteristics of Islam do not benefit him. This is his intended meaning.
The questioner : ... the increase and decrease, meaning.
The Shaykh : I do not think so, no, because the case of 'Abdullah ibn Abi was that he never had any faith at all. So the statement that because he had some characteristics of faith, such as praying sometimes and remembering Allah sometimes, that this benefits him—he says it does not benefit him. And it is misleading; his words are misleading. No doubt he intends that it does not become partial, meaning it does not increase or decrease, but his intended meaning is that a person does not become a Muslim while being a disbeliever. Yes, that is right.
The questioner : The verse mentioned, O Shaykh, if the original of faith ...?
The Shaykh : Because that is the case with 'Abdullah ibn Abi. So those who wanted to justify the Prophet's (peace and blessings be upon him) prayer over him made one of the justifications that the man had some characteristics of Islam. So he said this is not correct; these characteristics do not benefit him. Yes?
The Shaykh : Yes, my brother, its meaning is that a person does not become a believer and a disbeliever. If he is a disbeliever, the characteristics of Islam do not benefit him. This is his intended meaning.
The questioner : ... the increase and decrease, meaning.
The Shaykh : I do not think so, no, because the case of 'Abdullah ibn Abi was that he never had any faith at all. So the statement that because he had some characteristics of faith, such as praying sometimes and remembering Allah sometimes, that this benefits him—he says it does not benefit him. And it is misleading; his words are misleading. No doubt he intends that it does not become partial, meaning it does not increase or decrease, but his intended meaning is that a person does not become a Muslim while being a disbeliever. Yes, that is right.
The questioner : The verse mentioned, O Shaykh, if the original of faith ...?
The Shaykh : Because that is the case with 'Abdullah ibn Abi. So those who wanted to justify the Prophet's (peace and blessings be upon him) prayer over him made one of the justifications that the man had some characteristics of Islam. So he said this is not correct; these characteristics do not benefit him. Yes?