The Effect of the View That ‘Diversion of Faith-Act’ on Prayers
Authors: Genç Hafzullah 
Published: December 2023

The most important religious and social consequence of the integrity of faith-act view of the Kharijites and Mutazila is takfir. Although Allah Taala strictly forbids the unjust killing of a Muslim, takfir has many times caused serious conflicts among Muslims. This violent and wrong practice initiated by the Kharijites continues today as ISIS etc. is continued by organizations. The result of this situation is the blood that flows non-stop in the Muslim geography. However, the principle that ahl al-qibla cannot be declared as heretics has led Ahl as-Sunnah to firmly defend that prays are not a part of faith. It is obvious that it is necessary to accept the idea that prays are not part of faith. Otherwise, as the verse "We created the soul and inspired it with wickedness and righteousness" indicates, one would have to pay the price of making a mistake by being judged and perhaps killed. In addition, the principle of diversion of faith-act is based on solid foundations not only politically but also religiously. Many nass/verses-hadiths support this principle. Especially Hanafis have emphasized this meticulously. For example, Imam Azam Abu Hanifah drew attention to the importance of the issue in the treatises he wrote, especially in the treatises he wrote, and especially in al-Alim ve al-mutaallim, and repeatedly emphasized that a believer can never be declared a heretic. However, especially today, surveys on religious life have been conducted by institutions such as DIB and IIIT. In these surveys, percentage data on faith and performance of prayer such as praying and fasting were published. According to surveys, the rate of belief is very high at 98%, while praying is very low compared to belief at 40%. Considering the results of the surveys, we have come to the conclusion that some people who believe in Ahl as-sunnah, knowingly or unknowingly, do not care or are not aware of the value of prayers, like some sects that have been criticized by the Ahl as-sunnah with their attitude towards prayers in the history of Muslim thought. Because when some people are told about their deeds, obedience or disobedience, they say that they are good-hearted and talk about honesty, fairness, etc. they say they have these traits. This article will try to explain what the distinction between faith and deed means, what value the deed carries, and what the Ahl as-sunnah actually mean by this idea, and to put each concept in its place. The meaning given to faith will be revealed by starting from the oldest theological sources and especially by referring to Hanafi sources. Then, the position of deeds relative to faith and its connection with faith will be examined. As a result, efforts will be made to reveal what the role of prayers is in the religious life of the believer. Such a study is important in showing that religion is not built on independent facts, but that all of them together form religious unity. “And they were not commanded except to prayer Allah, [being] sincere to Him in religion, inclining to truth, and to establish prayer and to give zakah. And that is the correct religion" as the verse clearly states, although faith and deeds are different phenomena, when all of these come together, the true religious life emerges. By taking this verse as a principle, the article tries to determine, in a sort of tentative manner, how deeds should be viewed in terms of theology, and specifically according to the Hanafis.