Faith and good deeds in Sunnite schools of thought and deviated sects: Revisiting the notion of "Sunnite Murji'ites" to the Hanafites

The issue of faith and good deeds had triggered several controversies in early Islam, particularly raised by Kharijites, Murji'ites, and Mu`tazilites. Among the Sunnite schools, the Hanafites holds a slightly different view of faith and its relationship to good deeds. Since the Hanafites exclude good deeds from being an element of faith, there are some parties who charge them with holding the heretical view of the Murji'ites concerning the issue, or at least, they are labelled as 'the Sunnite Murji'ites.' This article argues, however, that this charge is erroneous and indeed, this article affirms that the Hanafites held a pure Sunnite position.