Muhammad ibn Musa and Muhammad ibn Ali informed me that Hamdan ibn Ali al-Warraq narrated to them, saying: I asked Ahmad, and the Murji'ah were mentioned in his presence. I said to him: 'They say that if a man knows his Lord with his heart, he is a believer.' He replied: 'The Murji'ah do not say this; rather, it is the Jahmiyyah who say this. The Murji'ah say: [He is not a believer] until he speaks with his tongue and his limbs act. The Jahmiyyah say: If he knows his Lord with his heart, even if his limbs do not act [it is sufficient]. This is the disbelief of Iblis, for he knew his Lord and said: "My Lord, because You have put me in error" (Al-Hijr: 39).' I asked: 'Then why did the Murji'ah strive [in worship] if this is their doctrine?' He replied: 'It is a tribulation.'
أَخْبَرَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مُوسَى، وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ، أَنَّ حَمْدَانَ بْنَ عَلِيٍّ الْوَرَّاقَ حَدَّثَهُمْ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ أَحْمَدَ، وَذُكِرَ عِنْدَهُ الْمُرْجِئَةُ، فَقُلْتُ لَهْ: إِنَّهُمْ ⦗٥٧١⦘ يَقُولُونَ: إِذَا عَرَفَ الرَّجُلُ رَبَّهُ بِقَلْبِهِ فَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ، فَقَالَ: " الْمُرْجِئَةُ لَا تَقُولُ هَذَا، بَلِ الْجَهْمِيَّةُ تَقُولُ بِهَذَا، الْمُرْجِئَةُ تَقُولُ: حَتَّى يَتَكَلَّمَ بِلِسَانِهِ، وَتَعْمَلَ جَوَارِحُهُ، وَالْجَهْمِيَّةُ تَقُولُ: إِذَا عَرَفَ رَبَّهُ بِقَلْبِهِ، وَإِنْ لَمْ تَعْمَلْ جَوَارِحُهُ، وَهَذَا كُفْرُ إِبْلِيسَ، قَدْ عَرَفَ رَبَّهُ، فَقَالَ: {رَبِّ بِمَا أَغْوَيْتَنِي} [الحجر: ٣٩] ". قُلْتُ: فَالْمُرْجِئَةُ لِمِ كَانُوا يَجْتَهِدُونَ وَهَذَا قَوْلُهُمْ؟ قَالَ: «الْبَلَاءُ»
