A Question Regarding the Murji’ah Q&A by Dr. Saalih bin Fawzaan bin 'Abdullah Al Fawzaan

Question: May Allah bless you with good Noble Shaykh, the questioner asks: We read and hear about the jurists and the people of the Sunnah who fell into al 'Irjaa (the belief that Faith is only through statements), please clarify this matter.

Answer: The jurists or the people from the Sunnah who fell into al 'Irjaa, they are of the Hanafi school of thought. They believe that Eemaan is statements of the tongue and belief in the heart, as far as actions (being a part of Eemaan) they say: It (actions) doesn't enter into the reality of Al Eemaan. But actually it is a condition or completion of Al Eemaan, and because of this they are called Murji'ah; because they separate actions from the aspects of Al Eemaan. They are called Murji'atul Fuqahaa ( the jurists who fell into 'Irjaa) or Murji'atu Ahlissunnah (the people of the Sunnah who fell into 'Irjaa). There is no doubt that this is incorrect. More importantly, they are from the lower levels of Al 'Irjaa.

The Murji'ah are 4 groups:

The worst group and most despicable is the Jahmiyyah who say: Al Eemaan is solely knowledge in the heart even if it isn't believed. This is the worst of Al 'Irjaa.

Second: Those who say belief is in the heart only without statements of the tongue. This is the statement of the Ashaa'irah.

Third: Those who say Eemaan is statements of the tongue even if it isn't believed in the heart, and this is the statement of the Kaaramiyyah.

Fourth: Those who say that Eemaan is belief in the heart and statements of the tongue, and they are from the Hanafiyyah.

Taken from the question and answers section of "The Explanation of Some of the Benefits of Sooratul Faatihah" 
Dr. Saalih bin Fawzaan bin 'Abdullah Al Fawzaan
Originally translated by Ummu Maryam Khalilah Cooper and edited by Thomas Maldonado