The evidence of the people of Sunnah regarding this principle

The people of Sunnah have used evidence from the Quran and the Sunnah, and from what is experienced by all people, that one person may have Imaan in them while also having some branches of disbelief or hypocrisy. From them:
-      The Statement of Allah the Exalted: On that day they were closer to disbelief than belief Aal- ‘Imraan :167 Imaan has been established for them as well as disbelief, except that they are closer to disbelief. Al-Sa’dee commented on these ayaat by saying: “In these ayaat is evidence regarding that in the slave can be the characteristic of disbelief, and the characteristic of Imaan, and that they may be closer to one than the other.” [308] “Tafseer Al-Sa’dee” (p.156)
-      The Prophet ? said: “Four things that if a person has them all is a complete hypocrite, and whoever has one of them, they would have a characteristic of hypocrisy, until they absolve themselves of it: If they speak they lie, if they promise they break it, if they are entrusted, they betray it, and if they are accused, they transgress.” [309] Reported by al-Bukhaaree (34) and Muslim (58) from the hadeeth of ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr ibn al- ‘Aas may Allah be pleased with them In his saying “and whoever has one of them, they would have a characteristic of hypocrisy, until they absolve themselves of it” there is an indication of the concurrence of the Imaan of this person with a branch from the branches of hypocrisy, without them being total hypocrites. Thereafter, the reality of existence further establishes the existence of believers who have both Imaan and hypocrisy within them, obedience and transgression, sunnah and innovation, and no one would deny this except an arrogant person. [310] “al-Jahl bi Masaa’il al-I’tiqaad wa Hukmih” (p.153) Ibn al-Qayyim said, “A man may gather within him disbelief and Imaan, and polytheism and monotheism, and piety and transgression, and hypocrisy and Imaan, this is from the greatest foundational principles of the people of Sunnah… and that has been indicated by the Quran, Sunnah, natural disposition, and the consensus of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them).” [311] “as-Salaah wa Ahkaamu Taarikiha” (p.60)

The precepts of the people of Sunnah regarding the issue of the concurrence of Imaan and some branches of disbelief in a single person

The people of Sunnah have established this principle, and they are specific in it without generalisation, and they have laid down precepts and conditions for it, so that the different types are confined to a solid legal framework, and the issue is not diluted until whomsoever wishes to engage in it does so in whatever way they please.

From these precepts:
One – The discussion is concerning its branches, and not its foundations
If the people of Sunnah say, “The individual may gather in themselves Imaan and disbelief, or Imaan and hypocrisy” then what is meant by that is not the foundational disbelief or hypocrisy. Rather what is meant are its branches that do not contradict foundational Imaan. It is for this that Ibn al-Qayyim specifies the polytheism that is mentioned in the saying of the Exalted, And most of them do not believe in Allah except that they associate others with Him Yusuf: 106, thus he mentioned that if this act of association included their denial of the Messengers of Allah, may peace be upon them all, then the Imaan that they have would be of no benefit to them. As for if it included their affirmation of the Messengers of Allah, may peace be upon them all, then the Imaan that they have would benefit them through not residing eternally in the hellfire, while still entering it. [312] “Madaarij as-Saalikeen” (1/293)

When one of the innovators of Iraq did not understand this issue, they tried to justify the actions of his people from worshipping graves and slaughtering meat in their name, thus he tried to negate their polytheism through this principle that was related from the righteous predecessors; that being that the concurrence of Imaan and some branches of disbelief in one person does not necessitate their excommunication. Ibn Sahmaan refuted him by saying, “As for his saying (i.e., al-‘Iraqi) that the Muslim may have in them disbelief and Islam, and polytheism and Imaan, and that does not amount to disbelief that removes them from the fold of the religion, I say to that: Yes, this is with regards to other than acts of polytheism and disbelief that remove one from the fold of the religion” [313] “adh-Dhiya’ ash-Shariq fi Raddi Shubuhat al-Madhiq al-Mariq” (p.376) then he relates a number of the branches of polytheism and disbelief “that are from the genus of minor polytheism and disbelief”, and clarified that these are what may occur in tandem with Imaan within a person without removing them from the fold of the religion. And what is understood from his speech in refuting al- ‘Iraaqee is that whatever is major polytheism, or major disbelief, which does remove one from the fold of the religion, cannot occur at once with the Imaan that saves the slave from disbelief in the worldly life, and saves them from eternally residing in the Fire on the day of Judgement. For they are two contradictory states that cannot coexist.

Two – The establishment of a branch or more of disbelief in a slave of Allah does not necessitate their disbelief
Whoever has established their entrance into Islam, cannot be excommunicated due to solely committing an act of disbelief until it has been established that they are due to be excommunicated, such as establishing if the action of disbelief that they came with is one that nullifies their Islam without question. Likewise, how the ruling of excommunication is dependent on there being no preventative factors upon the individual, regardless of whether they are out of natural habit or something they have developed. As for what is not considered to be a nullifier of Islam from the actions of disbelief, then the evidence indicates that their concurrence with Imaan in a single person is possible, without that person being a disbeliever. And that is from the category of lesser disbelief (disbelief of a lesser degree than complete disbelief). Ibn Taymiyyah said, “The people may have a branch from the branches of Imaan, and a branch from the branches of disbelief or hypocrisy, and they would be called Muslims, as was evidenced by Ahmad. And the complete reality of this is that a person may have in them a branch from the branches of Imaan, and a branch from the branches of hypocrisy. And they may be Muslim while having within them disbelief that is lesser than the disbelief that takes one out of the fold of Islam entirely, as was said by Ibn ‘Abbas, “disbelief of a lesser degree than complete disbelief”, and this is the position of the vast majority of the righteous predecessors. And it is what has been evidenced by Ahmad and other than him from those who said, regarding the thief and the one who drinks alcohol and those similar to them whom the Prophet ? said regarding them “They are not a believer” [314] Reported by al-Bukhaaree (2475) and Muslim (57) from the hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) , that they are called Muslims not true believers. And they used the Quran and Sunnah as evidence for the negation of addressing them with Imaan while establishing addressing them with Islam, and that a man could be a Muslim while having an amount of disbelief that does not remove them from the fold of the religion, rather it is a lesser degree of disbelief than total disbelief.” [315] “Majmoo’ al-Fataawa” (7/350)

Three – The establishment of a branch or more of Imaan in a slave of Allah does not necessitate their being categorised as a true believer. And this precept manifests in two situations:

The first situation: Whoever does not fulfil the required characteristics of Imaan that are necessary in order to be from the people of paradise from the outset, then they may not be termed with being a believer even if they have established some branches of Imaan and not others. And that would be due to their weakness, so that they disobey Allah the Exalted through committing a prohibited action or forsaking an obligated one, as Allah, Most High, says: The Nomads of Arabs say: “We have believed.” Say “You have not yet believed, rather say you have submitted, and Imaan has not yet entered into your hearts” al-Hujuraat “14. Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqaas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that, “The Messenger of Allah ? gave from the war booty to a group while I was sitting with them, and the Messenger of Allah ? did not give anything to one of them while he was the one I was most impressed with. I said, “O’ Messenger of Allah, what issue do you have with so-and-so? By Allah I see him to be a believer!” so he replied, “No, but a Muslim” [316] Reported by al-Bukhaaree (27) and Muslim (150) and the hadeeth continues.

The second situation: And it is true in the case of the hypocrite who openly professes Islam while being internally upon disbelief. Thus, whoever is known to be a hypocrite cannot be called a believer nor a Muslim even if they outwardly seem to establish a lot of the branches of Imaan, such as the Two Testimonies of Islam, and the other pillars of Islam. [317] “al-Jahl bi Masaa’il al-I’tiqaad wa Hukmih” (p.150) As the Exalted said regarding some of the hypocrites, On that day they were closer to disbelief than belief, they say with their tongues that which they do not believe in their hearts. And Allah knows best that which they conceal. Aal- ‘Imraan: 167 As-Sam’aanee said, “This is due to them prior apparently being from the believers, even if they were hypocrites internally. So, when they diverged and separated from the believers, they became closer to disbelief than Imaan.” [318] “Tafseer as-Sam’ani” (1/377)

The concurrence of Imaan and some branches of disbelief in a single person, and its effect regarding the issue of association and disassociation

Allah has decreed for there to be brotherhood, love, loyalty, and support between the believers, and prohibited loyalty towards all disbelievers. It is from the agreed upon foundational principles of the Muslims that every believer in the Oneness of Allah who abstains from all of the matters that cause disbelief which have been outlined in the legislation; to show them love, loyalty, and support is obligatory. And everyone who is different from that then what is obligated is seeking nearness to Allah through animosity and enmity towards them, rather striving against them by tongue and by limb according to the capability and need. Allah, Most High, says: The believing men and women are allies to each other at-Tawbah :71. And Allah, Glorified be He, said, O’ you who believe, do not take the Jews and the Christians as allies, for they are allies between themselves. And whoever from you takes them as an ally then they are from them. Indeed, Allah does not guide a transgressive people. al-Maa’idah :51. And Allah the Almighty said, O’ Prophet, strive against the disbelievers and the hypocrites and be severe with them, and their final abode will be Hell, and what an evil destination it is! at-Tawbah :73

Ibn Taymiyyah said, “Allegiance is the opposite of enmity, and the foundation of allegiance is love and closeness, whereas the foundation of enmity is hatred and distance… So if the ally of Allah is the one who adheres and follows Him in what He loves, what pleases Him, what He hates, what incurs His Wrath, what He commands and prohibits, then the one who antagonises Allah, antagonises His ally.” [319] “Majmoo’ al-Fataawa” (11/160) As for whoever is not identified by their following the commands of Allah the Exalted through complete obedience and compliance, rather they had forsaken some of what was obligated upon them, or they committed some of what was prohibited from them, with the presence of their Imaan in Allah and establishment of some of the commands of Allah, then this one is not an ally of Allah in all aspects through what they have of Imaan and a few righteous actions, likewise they would not be an enemy of Allah in all aspects through their deficiencies regarding the rights of Allah the Exalted, through their forsaking obligations and committing prohibitions. Ibn Taymiyyah said, “If a concurrence takes place within a man of good, bad, transgression, obedience and disobedience, sunnah and innovation, then they are due allegiance and reward in accordance with the good that they have, and they are due enmity and punishment in accordance with the bad that they have. Thus in one person the requisites of nobility and humiliation are gathered, and they are gathered from this and that; such as the impoverished thief, their hand is to be cut off due to their thievery, and they are to be given from the treasury what will suffice their needs, and this is the foundational principle that has been agreed upon by the people of Sunnah.” [320] “Majmoo’ al-Fataawa” (28/209) Thus those things that people are graced with, such as kinship, honour, and lineage, have no relation to allegiance and enmity. Rather these aspects of a person’s character are subordinate to the foundations of allegiance and enmity which both must be made purely for the sake of Allah. Thus, looking to the actions of people, and the extent of their closeness to the pleasure of Allah, or their distance from it, is the basis upon which allegiance and enmity is anchored. As for the levels of this allegiance or enmity then it is defined by what is greater in a person, from either good or bad. Thus whoever has more good in them then they are shown greater allegiance than those who show him enmity, and the opposite is true. [321] “aL-Jahl bi Masaa’il al-I’tiqaad wa Hukmih” (p.159) Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Latif aal ash-Shaykh said, “As for those who outwardly display their Islam, however there may be with them something of the practical disbelief that does not take them out of the fold of the religion, and with them is something of ignorance, and from the types of disobedience – minor or major – then they are not to be dealt with in the manner of apostates. Rather they are dealt with through sincere advice with gentleness and leniency, and they are shown strictness due to what they have of these traits. And it should be known that allegiance and love of the believer is obligatory due to what is with them of Imaan, and they are shown strictness and enmity concerning what they have of disobedience. And boycotting them is legislated if it is in their best interest and serves to reprimand and deter them, otherwise they are to be dealt with through kind association and not fleeing from them, and encouraging them to good through gentleness, benevolence, and leniency, because the legislation is built upon the principle of bringing benefit and preventing harm. [322] “Majmoo’at ar-Rasaa’il an-Najdiyyah” (2/1/137)