Question(28):

There are those of the opinion that Eemaan neither increases nor decreases, and that sin wipes out Eemaan entirely, and that the person who commits it becomes a Kaafir! How to respond to those people?

Answer:

Responding to those people is as we have indicated earlier from the evidences constituting the textual proofs of the Qur’aan and Sunnah, as well as by the factual evidences. So we say to them: Now if a reporter came to you and told you that such and such person arrived in town today, and you consider this reporter trustworthy. Accordingly, then the belief that such a person did indeed arrive becomes an established matter with you.

Thus, if another man came and informed you of the same thing, wouldn’t your belief as regards to his arrival increase? They will say: Surely our belief would increase as result of this. Thus, if you actually see this arriving person by your own eyes, you would increase more in certainty. No one would dispute this matter. Further we say: Since we have included the actions and sayings into the name of Eemaan, then their variations in terms increase and decrease is a known and undeniable matter. In this, therefore, is a clear proof that Eeman increases and decreases.