Ahl al-Ahwa (the people of deviant opinions in Islam, and the rules on their testimony, narration and prayer behind them)

Hawa is the soul's inclination against what the law requires. The people of deviant opinions are Muslims who have strayed from the middle path, such as the Jabriyya, the Qadariyya, the Mu'attila and the Mushabbiha. ¹

They remain Muslims who believe in God and His Prophet, unlike the atheists, heretics and materialists. ¹

They should be refuted by argument and their doubts exposed, and the common folk should keep away from them. The rule is that no Muslim may shun another beyond three days except for a lawful reason, and the early scholars counted innovation in belief as such a reason against one who openly professes it or calls to it. ²³

• Repentance is refused for the esoteric sects by the Hanafis and Shafi'is, and accepted for others by the majority; Ibn Shaqila held that it is not accepted. ³
• Where the innovation is one that makes a person an unbeliever, he is treated as an apostate; otherwise the penalty is discretionary, and the leaders may be put to death as a matter of policy, in the view of the Hanafis, some Shafi'is, Hanbalis and Malikis. ³

• Testimony is rejected by Malik, Ahmad, Sharik and Abu Thawr, and accepted by the Hanafis and Shafi'is except the Khattabiyya. ³⁴
• Narration was refused by Ibn Sirin, Malik, Ibn Uyayna and others, and allowed by Abu Hanifa, al-Shafi'i and others when they were known for truth; some distinguish the caller from others. ⁴⁵
• Leading prayer: the Hanbalis forbid following one who openly professes and calls to his view; the Malikis require repetition; the Hanafis and Shafi'is allow it with dislike. ⁵