And [consider] what has been narrated from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, regarding the description of the hypocrite: "There are three traits which, if found in a person, make him a hypocrite," along with many [other] arguments, and what has been narrated from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, regarding the one who abandons prayer, and from his companions after him. Then, consider what Allah, Blessed and Exalted, has described in His Book regarding the increase of faith in more than one place, such as His saying: {It is He who sent down tranquility into the hearts of the believers that they would increase in faith along with their [present] faith} [Al-Fath: 4], and He said: {So that those who were given the Scripture will be certain and those who believe will increase in faith} [Al-Muddaththir: 31], and He said: {When His verses are recited to them, it increases them in faith} [Al-Anfal: 2], and He said: {And among them are those who say, "Which of you has this increased in faith?" As for those who believed, it has increased them in faith, while they are rejoicing} [At-Tawbah: 124], and He said: {The believers are only the ones who have believed in Allah and His Messenger and then doubt not but struggle with their properties and their lives in the cause of Allah. It is those who are the truthful} [Al-Hujurat: 15], and He said: {But if they should repent, establish prayer, and give zakah, then let them [go] on their way} [At-Tawbah: 5], and He said: {But if they repent, establish prayer, and give zakah, then they are your brothers in religion} [At-Tawbah: 11], and He said: {And they were not commanded except to worship Allah, [being] sincere to Him in religion, inclining to truth, and to establish prayer and to give zakah. And that is the correct religion} [Al-Bayyinah: 5]. It would then be incumbent upon him [the opponent] to say: "This person is a believer by his mere affirmation." Even if he affirms the zakah in general but does not find five [dirhams] in every two hundred dirhams, [he would have to say] that he is a believer. And it would be incumbent upon him to say that if someone affirms [the faith] and then ties the zunnar (girdle) around his waist, prays to the cross, enters the churches and houses of worship, and performs the entire work of the People of the Scripture—so long as he affirms Allah in all of that—then he must consider him a believer. These things are among the most atrocious consequences that befall them. If they claim that they do not accept the increase of faith because they do not know what its increase is and that it is not defined, then what do they say regarding the Prophets of Allah, His Books, and His Messengers? Do they affirm them in general and claim that this is from faith? If they say, "Yes," it is said to them: "Do you find them or know their number? Do you not merely arrive at that affirmation of them in general and then refrain from [specifying] their number?" Likewise is the increase of faith, O my brother. So hold fast to it, and do not be deceived away from it by doubts, for those people are not upon the [correct] path." Al-Marwazi said: Abu Ali said: I asked Abu Abd al-Rahim, "In which year was that?" He said, "In the year two hundred and twenty."