981 - Muhammad ibn Ja'far informed me that Abu al-Harith narrated to them, saying: Abu 'Abd Allah [Ahmad ibn Hanbal] said: 'Shababah used to invite to Irja' (the doctrine of the Murji'ah). We wrote [hadith] from him before we knew that he held this position. He used to say: "Faith is speech and action," but if he said [that], then he [meant that] he has acted with his tongue—a wretched statement.'
٩٨١ - وَأَخْبَرَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ، أَنَّ أَبَا الْحَارِثِ حَدَّثَهُمْ، قَالَ: قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ: " كَانَ شَبَابَةُ يَدْعُو إِلَى الْإِرْجَاءِ، وَكَتَبْنَا عَنْهُ قَبْلَ أَنْ نَعْلَمَ أَنَّهُ كَانَ يَقُولُ هَذِهِ الْمَقَالَةَ، كَانَ يَقُولُ: الْإِيمَانُ قَوْلٌ وَعَمَلٌ، فَإِذَا قَالَ: فَقَدْ عَمِلَ بِلِسَانِهِ، قَوْلٌ رَدِيءٌ "
