Murji'Ah

The Murji'ah were an early theological sect that emerged during the period of internal strife (Fitnah) in the Ummah. Their name means "those who postpone." They argued that judgment on a person's faith should be "postponed" to Allah on the Day of Judgment, and that as long as someone has "Iman" (faith) in their heart, their external sins do not make them a disbeliever. While they were a reaction against the extremism of the Khawarij, their views were eventually moderated into the mainstream Sunni theological position. The Murji'ah (postponers) emerged in response to the Khawarij, who declared that anyone who committed a major sin was a disbeliever. The Murji'ah argued that judgment should be postponed to Allah. They emphasized that faith (iman) is primarily belief in the heart, and that major sins do not necessarily remove a person from the fold of Islam. Their position was a reaction to extremism. The Khawarij were causing division by declaring Muslims disbelievers; the Murji'ah sought to maintain unity by not judging others. However, some Murji'ah went to extremes, saying that deeds are not part of faith at all. This was rejected by mainstream scholars, who affirmed that faith includes both belief and action. The mainstream Sunni position is that faith is belief in the heart, speech on the tongue, and action with the limbs. It increases with obedience and decreases with sin. Sins do not make a believer a disbeliever unless they are combined with disbelief in the heart. For believers, the Murji'ah remind that judgment belongs to Allah. They avoid declaring others disbelievers (takfir) based on sin, while also affirming that faith requires action. They follow the middle path, avoiding the extremes of the Khawarij and the Murji'ah.