Is deed a part of belief?

Dear Brother / Sister,

Deed-belief relationship

وَبَشِّرِ الَّذ۪ينَ اٰمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ اَنَّ لَهُمْ جَنَّاتٍ

“But give glad tidings to those who believe and work righteousness, that their portion is Gardens.”

(al-Baqara, 25)

Kharijites say, "Deed is a part of belief." Thus, they regard those who commit sins as unbelievers. (Abu Zahra, Tarikhul-Madhahibil-Islamiyya, I, 71-73) According to them, it does not comply with belief to do something that Allah prohibits clearly, like taking alcoholic drinks.

We want to attract attention to the following points regarding the issue:

- Belief is separate and deed is separate. If there is belief, there should be deed too but if there is not, it does not mean unbelief; it indicates weak belief or the state of being deceived by the soul. For instance, the statement “smoking is harmful to health” is a medical judgment and doctors know it best. However, there are some doctors who smoke. Those doctors do not reject that judgment but they smoke due to various reasons. A similar thing applies to the believers who has some faults or neglect related to deeds. 

-Deed is not a part of belief but a part of perfect belief. (Taftazani, Saduddin, Sharhul- Aqaid, (with Hashiyatul-Kestelli), Salah Bilici Kit. İst. 1973, V, 197; Yazır, Hak Dini Kur’ân Dili, I, 183) That is, when deeds are good and abundant, it shows that belief is sound.

-As it is seen in the verse above, belief and righteous deeds are mentioned side by side in many verses in the Quran, which proves that they are different/separate. (v)

- Belief is the most vital and "indispensable essence". Righteous deeds are indicators of that belief. The belief of a person who pays attention to his deeds is strong and perfect.

- A believer who abandons deeds becomes a sinner. However, a believer who is a sinner is called a fasiq, not an unbeliever.

- A person who says “I believe in Allah” should perform the deeds that Allah commands.

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