In the same context, the Mahdi cited a collection of hadiths whose content implicitly suggests that faith is established by sincere belief in the heart. Among these is the hadith of Mu'adh ibn Jabal, from the Messenger of God, peace be upon him, who said: "No servant testifies that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is His servant and His Messenger, but Allah will forbid him from the Fire." He said, "O Messenger of God, shall I not inform the people of this, so that they may rejoice?" He said: "Then they will rely on it."

However, in other places, we find him directing the reality of faith towards making the actions of the limbs a part of it, such that it is not established without their establishment, as was the view of all jurists, hadith scholars, Mu'tazilites, Kharijites, and Ibn Hazm. This is what is conveyed by his saying: "The declaration 'There is no god but Allah' is only beneficial with its commitment, belief in it, and acting upon it. Whoever says it but does not commit to its reality, and his actions contradict his words, the saying will not benefit him." His saying, "the saying will not benefit him," means that the cause that would make him attain salvation and enter Paradise, which is the realization of faith, is not established.

The book *Qawa'id* also came to confirm this viewpoint, where it states: "The one who denies through actions is like the one who denies through words, and a number of rulings are attached to this." The implication of this statement is that the denial of actions leads to the invalidation of the reality of faith through words.

This understanding of faith, i.e., making action an element of its reality, is supported by the fact that the Mahdi in Tunis attended Friday prayer. After finishing the prayer, he prayed over the funeral processions. The Imam looked at a funeral behind the people and said to them: "Why do you not pray over this funeral?" They said to him: "He is a Mahdi." And he was praying. He said: "Is there anyone among you who testifies to his prayer?" The people said...

This hadith was narrated by Muslim in the Book of Faith. (274) *Risalah fi anna al-tawhid huwa asasa al-din* (Treatise on the fact that monotheism is the foundation of religion) - See: Ibn Tumart (3).

See: Ibn Hazm (4).

Chapter and onwards. 3/137. . .

(5) *Kitab al-Qawa'id* (Book of Rules) - Ibn Tumart (5).

(6) *Kitab al-Qawa'id* (Book of Rules) - Ibn Tumart (6).

256