What is Imaan (faith)? Who is a believer? What is disbelief? Who is a disbeliever? These questions appeared very early in the history of Islaam. Unfortunately, they also led to differences of opinion as well as division among the Muslims. In the first century of Islam, the khawaarij had developed their own theory of faith and began to call many of the Muslims of that time disbelievers. In response to them came a group such as the Murjia, Jahmiyyah and others whose definitions of Islam embraced everyone regardless of their deeds. Another group, the Mutazila, developed their own theory which was termed the ‘position between the two positions’. Through all of this, though, by the grace of Allah, the position of the Quran and Sunnah on these questions was clear and propagated by the true followers of Islaam.

In the opening pages to his work, Haqeeqat al-Imaan indahl al-Sunnah wal Jamaah, Muhammad Abdul Hadi Al-Misri makes a very important point. This important point is not only valid for the question of faith and disbelief but is valid for practically all aspects of faith. If Muslims would keep this principle in mind, many of the differences among them would be removed and they would be guided to the true teachings of the Quran and Sunnah. The point he made is this: When it comes to any concept from the Quran and Sunnah, historically speaking, historically speaking there have been two approaches to determine its correct meaning. The first approach is to discover the meaning of that concept from the Prophet (saw) as he passed on such knowledge to his Companions, and then to their followers. The second presupposed premises, discover its meaning from a linguistic and logical point of view without first studying how Allah and the Prophet (saw) explained those terms. The first approach is the approach of Ahlus Sunnah wa al-Jamaah while the second approach is that of the heretical groups. In fact, these two approaches are what really distinguishes the correct way of Islaam from the distorted, later-invented views of the religion.

On this point Ibn Taimiyah wrote:’

One must understand that if any term is found in the Quran or hadeeth, and its explanation is known and its purport made clear by the Prophet (saw), there is then no need to use as evidence the statements of the linguists or others..The words salaat, zakat, siyaam (fasting), hajj found in the words of Allah and His Messenger have had their meanings clarified by the Messenger of Allah (saw). The same is true for the word khamr (intoxicant) and others. From him, one knows their meanings. If anyone wants to explain such terms in any way other than how the Prophet (saw) explained that term, such an explanation will not be accepted.The terms Imaan, Islam, nifaaq (hypocrisy) and kufr are more important terms in such a way that it is not necessary to look for their linguistic origins or how they were used by the (pre-Islamic) Arabs and so forth. Therefore, it is a must that, while trying to determine the meanings of such terms, one refers to how Allah and His Messenger explained those terms. Their explanation is clear and sufficient. The heretics have been misled on this matter. They turn away from this method (just described). Instead they begin to explain the religion of Islam based on some premise that they believe to be sound, either concerning linguistic meaning or rational thought. They do not ponder or consider the explanation of Allah and His Messenger. Every premise that goes against the clarification of Allah and His Messenger is certainly misguidance. (Ahmad Ibn Taymiyyah, Al-Imaan, pp 271-273)

Al Misri adds that the one who will truly follow the methodology of going to the Qur’an and the Sunnah is the one who firmly believes that the Prophet (saw) explained the entire religion in a clear manner to his Companions and that those Companions passed the clear knowledge on to their followers and so forth. (al Misri pp 10) Everything that essentially needs to be known of the meaning of the Qu’ran has been given by the Prophet (saw) himself. This fact should be something fundamental and obvious to all Muslims. In theory it may be so. I practice, however, many people fail to apply this point and start looking elsewhere concerning matters that have already been made clear in the Qur’an and Sunnah. The question of Imaan is a very clear illustration of this point.

Turning to the Qur’an and Sunnah, one can attempt to answer some basic questions concerning Imaan. These basic questions are the following:
• What is true Imaan or who is a true believer (mu’min)?
• What is the locus of Imaan and what are the essentials components of Imaan?
• What is the relationship between Imaan and deeds?
• What are the articles of Imaan? In other persons, what is a person supposed to believe in?

This is what the Prophet (saw) explained to the Angel Gabriel. These topics will be discussed in detail.

The Definition of Imaan According to the Qur’an and Sunnah

Opinions differ about the exact composition of Imaan. The different views can be summarized as follows. (see figures a-d).

The view of Ahlus-Sunnah wa al-Jamaah: According to this view, the locus of Imaan is in the heart, tongue and physical actions. Imaan increases and decreases. Deeds form a part of Imaan. Some of such deeds are essentials, others are required and yet others are recommended. This does not preclude the possibility that true believers commit sins. Such sins, even major sins if they are less than kufr and Shirk, do not take the person out of the fold of Islam. In the Hereafter, the sinner may be punished in the Hell-fire or be forgiven by Allah. However, all people who have even the slightest amount of Imaan in their hearts will eventually be rescued from Hell and entered into Paradise. This is the belief that was passed from the Prophet (saw) to his Companions and their followers. It is the only view that takes into consideration of the different relevant pieces of evidence from the Qur’an and Sunnah,

Ibn Abu al-Izz wrote,

Ibn Abu al-Izz wrote, (The Prophet saw) has made it absolutely clear that a person is definitely not a mu’min (a believer) if it is claimed that he believes in the Prophet (saw) but does not profess it with his tongue, even though he can, nor does he offer salaat, nor fasts, nor loves Allah and His Prophet (saw), nor fears Him. If, he also hates the Prophet (saw) and fights against him (then he obviously cannot be called a believer). He has also made it clear that our happiness and position in the hereafter depends upon our statement of the testimony of faith and our sincerely believing Allah’s unity and acting accordingly. For instance, he said, “Imaan has more than seventy parts, the highest is the confession that there is no god except Allah, and the lowest is removing, a harmful object from the road."1 “Modesty is part of Imaan."2 “The most perfect mu’min (believer) is the one who is best in character."3 “Simplicity in dress is part of Imaan"4

If Imaan has different parts and each part is called Imaan, it follows that Salat is Imaan, Zakat, and hajj are Imaan, virtues such as modesty, trust, fear, and submission, even removing an obstacle from the way, are part of Imaan. Some of these are so basic, like the two Shahaadah, that if you lose them you lose Imaan completely; others are so marginal, such as removing an obstacle from the road, that if you lose them, you do not lose Imaan. In between the two, we have numerous parts of varying importance, some next only to the Shahaadah, and others only a little more important than removing an obstacle from the way. As the parts of Imaan are Imaan, similarly the parts of kufr are kufr. To judge according to the rules revealed by Allah is part of Imaan, and to judge against them is kufr.5

The view of the khawaarij: According to this view, the locus of Imaan is the heart, tongue and physical actions. But in this view, if anyone falls shorts in his deeds (such as failing to perform an obligatory deed or actually performing a major sin), he becomes a disbeliever, falls outside of the fold of Islam and will be in Hell forever. This view clearly contradicts the Qur’an and the Sunnah. For example, Allah has prescribed a punishment for the person who commits adultery. That punishment is not the same as the punishment of apostasy. This is because the one who commits such a sin does not, by that act itself, remove himself from the fold of Islam.

The view of the Mutazilah: According to this view, the locus Imaan is the heart, tongue and physical actions. They supposedly took a position between the above two positions. They stated that a greater sinner is neither a believer or a disbeliever; he falls somewhere between the two. At the same time though, they say that such a person will be in the Hell-fire forever. In order to come to this conclusion, they have to reject numerous authentic and confirmed reports from the Prophet (saw) that believers who commit such sins will be rescued from the Hell-fire.

The view of the Murjiites of the Jurists: According to this view, the locus of Imaan is the heart and the tongue, and it excludes physical deeds. The deeds of the heart are included but not the physical acts that a person performs. Acts are only the fruit of faith and do not make up one of the essential components of faith. Imaan is, in essence, tasdeeq or affirmation in the heart. Therefore, it is as one level and cannot possibly increase or decrease. This view also contradicts the Qur’an and Sunnah. The Qur’an and Sunnah clearly demonstrate that Imaan increases and decreases. Furthermore, numerous hadeeth also demonstrate that acts do form part of Imaan.

The view of the majority of the Maturidis: According to this view, the locus of Imaan is the heart and the tongue, and it excludes physical deeds. They also say that Imaan neither increases or decreases, since it is tasdeeq or affirmation of the heart. They differ from the Murjiites in that they say that the deeds of the heart are also not included as part of Imaan, only the statements or beliefs in the heart. Some of them even exclude the statements of the tongue as part of Imaan, arguing that it is only a sign of Imaan and not a components of Imaan.

The view of the Asharites and many Maturidis: According to this view, the locus of Imaan is the heart only. Imaan is only tasdeeq or affirmation in the heart. Imaan does not increase or decrease. They exclude all deeds, deeds of the heart as well as of the body. A person is a perfect and complete believer even if he does not perform any corresponding deeds, as long as tasdeeq is in his heart. They do not exclude statement of the tongue and argue that a person does not have to make the testimony of faith - so he will be considered a disbeliever in this world while he is a believer in his heart. This view also contradicts the Qur’an and the Sunnah in many aspects. Imaan being only tasdeeq would imply, for example, that Abu Taalib was a believer and should be in Paradise. However, this is not what the Prophet (saw) stated about him.

The view of many of the Murjiites: According to this view, the locus of Imaan is the heart only. Imaan does not increase or decrease. Many of them do include the deeds of the hearts and not just tasdeeq. At the same time, they exclude all other deeds, including statement of the tongue.

The view of the Jahmites: According to this view, the locus of Imaan is the heart only. However, it is not tasdeeq (belief, affirmation) but it is simply marifah or having knowledge of Allah. Most scholars have declares the Jahmites to be outside the fold of Islam due to such beliefs, Commenting on the Jahmites, Ibn Abu al Izz wrote,

Al-Jahm ibn Safwaan and Abul Husayn al-Saalihi, a leading Libertarian (Qadari), believe that Imaan is a kind of knowledge in the heart.[This] implies that the Pharoah and his people were believers since they knew that Moses and Aaron, peace and blessings of Allah be on them, were true prophets even though they denied them. This is clear from what Moses said to the Pharoah, “You know very well that these things have been sent down by none but the Lord of the heavens and the earth as eye-opening evidence” (al-Isra 102). The People of the book knew that Muhammad (saw) was the Prophet just as they knew their own sons, but they were not believers in him. In fact, they were his deniers and opponents. Abu Taalib too would be among his believers according to their view, for he is reported to have said [in lines of poetry], “I know that the religion of Muhammad, Is the best of all the religions of mankind. We I not to be scolded and abused, I would have confessed it openly.”

Actually even Iblis, also, would be a perfect believer according to al-Jahm’s view. He did not plead ignorance of Allah. He knew him well as he said, “My Lord, give me then respite till the Day the dead are raised” (Al-Hijr 36), “My Lord, because you have put me in the wrong.” (Saad 82). For al-Jahm, kufr is ignorance of Allah. No one, however, is more ignorant of Allah than him, for he reduces Allah to a Being as such and strips Him of all His attributes. There can be no greater ignorance than this. He is therefore a disbeliever (kafir) according to his own testimony. (Ibn Abu al-Izz, vol. 2, pp. 459-462)

The view of the Karramites: According to this view, the locus of Imaan is the tongue only. In other words, a person who states the testimony of faith is considered a complete and true believer regardless of what is in his heart. Ibn Abu al-Izz said about them,

According to their view, the hypocrites are perfect believers. Nevertheless, they believe that the hypocrites will suffer the punishment which Allah has promised for them. Thus they contradict themselves.

With respect to the views of the Asharites, Maturidis, and Murjiites, it is very important to realize that Imaan is not simply faith or belief in something, which is opposite of disbelieving in something. That is not the correct concept of Imaan whatsoever, as is clear from the verses of the Qur’an and Sunnah. On this point, Ibn Abu al-Izz wrote,

Imaan is not in contrast to takhdheeb (to deny) but tasdeeq (to affirm, to believe) is. Imaan, however, is in contrast to kufr, which is not necessarily just takhdheeb. If I say, “I know what you are truthful (saadiq), but I will not follow you, rather I will oppose you and hate you,” I will be guilty of Greater kufr (kufr Akbar). Hence it is clear that Imaan is not simply tasdeeq, nor is kufr simply takdheeb. kufr is sometimes takdheeb but sometimes more than that, where it includes opposition and hostility. On the other hand, Imaan is not only tasdeeq; it is more than that, wherein it includes assent (muwaafaqah), love (muwalaat) and submission (inqiyaad). tasdeeq does not give the whole meaning of Imaan; and Islam (submission) is only part of Imaan.

If however, tasdeeq is regarded as a [synonym of Imaan], then it should be taken in a wider sense which includes action also. For this wider meaning of the term one can refer to the hadeeth of the Prophet (saw), “The eyes fornicate, and their fornication is to look; the ears fornicate; and their fornication is to hear.and the private parts confirm it (yusaddiqu) it or deny (yukadhdhibu) it."6 Hasan al-Basri, may Allah bless him, said, “Imaan is neither formal conformity nor vain expectation; it is what settles in the heart and is confirmed by action."7 If it is tasdeeq, it is a particular kind of tasdeeq. (Ibn Abu al-Izz, Vol 2, pp 471-475)

Ibn Uthaimeen has also emphasized the fact that Imaan is not simply composed of ‘belief’ in the heart, in the sense that one affirms that there is no one worthy of worship but Allah. Instead, along with that ‘belief’ other components must be present for it to be the correct from of Imaan that is acceptable to Allah. He wrote,

“Imaan is the affirmation that requires acceptance and submission. If a person believes in something without acceptance of submission, that is not Imaan. The evidence for that is that the polytheists [Arabs] believed in Allah’s existence and believed in Allah as the Creator, Sustainer, Giver of Life, the One who Brings forth Death and the Manager of the Affairs of the Universe. Furthermore, one of them even accepted the messengership of the Prophet Muhammad (saw) but he was not a believer. That person was Abu Talib, the uncle of the Prophet (saw).. But that [belief in the Prophet saw] will not avail him whatsoever because he did not accept and submit to what the Prophet (saw) brought."8

Next Posting inshaAllah : The Components of Imaan

1. Footnotes: Abu Dawud
2. Abu Dawud
3. At-Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, Ahmad
4. Ibn Majah, Abu Dawud
5. Ibn Abu al-Izz, vol 2, pp. 471-475
6. Recorded in Bukhari and Muslim
7. Recorded by Abdullah Ibn Abi Shaybah, al-Musannaf, Vol 11 pp 22
8. Muhammad Ibn Uthaimeen, Sharh Hadeeth Jibreel Alaihi as-Salaam, pp 4-5