They also hold that disobedience with faith does not do harm...

They also hold that disobedience with faith does not do harm, and that, on the other hand, obedience with infidelity would not benefit the person. The ruling establishment benefited from the opinions of the Murji’ites, in that people were given licence to overlook the godlessness and profligacy of the rulers. It did not stop there; the wrongdoers among the rulers were even considered for future places in paradise.

The Murji’ites maintain, “ The imam’s (leader’s) position should not be encroached upon, even though he be a sinner. He should be obeyed and prayer behind him [in congregation] is technically deemed a proper one ”. The Mu’tazilites teach that whoever is guilty of grievous, or cardinal, sin is neither a believer nor an unbeliever; he is in…