Murji'ah

Murji'ah (Arabic المرجئة) is an early Islamic school of divinity, whose followers are known in English language as Murjites or Murji'ites (Arabic المرجئون).

Part of a series on Islam Aqidah
Five Pillars of Islam Shahada Salah Sawm Zakat Hajj
Sunni Islam1 Six articles of belief God Prophets Holy books Angels The Last Judgement Predestination Sunni theological traditions Murji'ah Ilm al-Kalam Ash'ari Maturidi Traditionalist
Shi'a2 Twelver Principles Tawhid Adalah Prophecy Imamah Qiyamah Practices Salah Sawm Zakat Hajj Khums Jihad Commanding what is just Forbidding what is evil Tawalla Tabarra Seven pillars of Ismailism Walayah Tawhid Salah Zakat Sawm Hajj Jihad Other Shia concepts of Aqidah Imamate Batin Sixth Pillar of Islam
Other schools of theology Jahmi Khawarij3 Ibadi Muʿtazila Qadariyah Sufism4
Including: 1 2 Alawites, Assassins, Druzes & Qizilbash 3 Azariqa, Ajardi, Haruriyyah, Najdat & Sufriyyah 4 Alevism, Bektashi Order & Qalandariyya Islam portal

The emergence

During the early centuries of Islam, Muslim thought encountered a multitude of influences from various ethnic and philosophical groups that it absorbed. Murji'ah emerged as a theological school that was opposed to the Kharijites on questions related to early controversies regarding sin and definitions of what is a true Muslim.^[1]

As opposed to the Kharijites, Murjites advocated the idea of deferred judgement of peoples' belief. The word Murjiah itself means "one who postpones" in Arabic.^[2] Murjite doctrine held that only God has the authority to judge who is a true Muslim and who is not, and that Muslims should consider all other Muslims as part of the community.^[3] This theology promoted tolerance of Umayyads and converts to Islam who appeared half-hearted in their obedience.^[4]

Beliefs on grave sin

In another contrast to the Kharijites, who believed that committing a grave sin would render a person non-Muslim, Murjites considered genuine belief in and submission to God to be more important than acts of piety and good works. They believed Muslims committing grave sins would remain Muslim and be eligible for paradise if they remained faithful.^[5] Conversely, those engaging in shirk could not benefit from performing good acts.^[6]

The Murjite opinion on the issue of whether one committing a grave sin remains a believer was adapted with modifications by later theological schools – Maturidi, Ash'ari, and Mu'tazili.^[7]

See also

• Islamic theology
• Al-Harith ibn Surayj
• Khawarij

Bibliography

• Ibn Taymīyah, Abī al-ʻAbbās Taqī al-Dīn Aḥmad ibn ʻAbd al-Ḥalīm. al-Fatāwá. 
• Fakhry, Majid (2004). A History of Islamic Philosophy, 3rd ed. Columbia University Press. ISBN 0-231-13221-2. 
• Izutsu, Toshihiko (2001). Concept of Belief in Islamic Theology. The Other Press. ISBN 983-9154-70-2. 

References