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The Conditions of Iman

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ

The Conditions of Iman

Umar al Khattab (ra) narrated,

» ‏ قَالَ فَأَخْبِرْنِي عَنِ الإِيمَانِ ‏.‏ قَالَ ‏"‏ أَنْ تُؤْمِنَ بِاللَّهِ وَمَلاَئِكَتِهِ وَكُتُبِهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ وَتُؤْمِنَ بِالْقَدَرِ ‏‎ ‎خَيْرِهِ وَشَرِّهِ ‏ «

He (the inquirer) said: Inform me about Iman (faith). He (the Prophet) replied: That you affirm your faith in Allah, in His angels, in His Books, in His Prophets, in the Day of Judgment, and you affirm your faith in the Divine Decree about good and evil. [Sahih Muslim]

The Prophet (saw) did not give any linguistic definitions; rather He (saw) gave what makes up the Shariah definition.

The topic Iman is all about

What is belief (Iman) and what is disbelief (kufr)?

Who is the believer (Mu’min) and who is the disbeliever (kafir)?

Who do we make takfir (declare a disbeliever) on?

These questions lead to differences of opinions early on in Islam and the formation of deviant sects such as the Khawarij, Murjiah, Jahamiyah, Mutazilah, Ashaira, Maturidi, and Karramiyah.

What these deviant sects say

The Khawarij: 

Call Muslims kafir if they do sin

The Jahamiyah:

Share the same view as the murjiah.

The Murjiah: 

Embrace everyone regardless of their deeds as they believe iman is an inner conviction

The Mutazilah: 

Term a position in between the two positions i.e. between belief and disbelief

Muhammad Abdul Hadi al Misri said,

“When it comes to any concept from the Qur’an and Sunnah there can be two approaches to find its meaning:

§ What the Prophet (saw) said, as understood by the Sahabah (ra)

§ or to go to the literal/linguistic meaning and apply logic

The first approach is that of Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jama’ah, whilst the second is that of Ahlul Bidah”

Ibn Taimiyah said,

“Any term made clear by the Prophet (saw) there is no need to go to linguistic term i.e. salah, zakah, siyam, hajj, khamr…same goes for Islam, Iman, nifaq and kufr… To go against the clarification of Allah (swt) and His Messenger (saw) is certainly misguidance.”

The difference of opinion for the conditions of iman

Iman has six pillars, which all the sects agree upon, however they differ over the conditions of iman.

Those who believe Iman is in the heart only

Asharites: 

Say iman is tasdeeq (affirmation) in the heart, excludes all deeds (they make excuse for Abu Talib)

Maturidis: 

Say iman is tasdeeq (affirmation) in the heart, excludes all deeds even those of the heart

Murjites (Minority): 

Say iman includes deeds of the heart not just tasdeeq (i.e. fear, love etc) also say iman does not increase or decrease

Jahamites: 

Say iman is to have knowledge of Allah (swt) i.e. awareness (they make excuse for Pharaoh and Iblis).

Hence some scholars say they are outside the fold

Those who believe Iman is by the tongue only

Karramites:  Say iman is statement of the tongue (make excuse for the hypocrite)

Those who believe Iman is by the tongue and in the heart

Murjiah Fuqahah (Jurist): 

Accept deeds of the heart, deeds of the body is the fruit of iman like the declaration, iman is one level neither increases or decreases

Majority Maturidis: 

Heart and tongue (though not a necessary component).  Some even exclude tongue, say iman is static

Those who believe Iman is by heart, tongue and physical actions

Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jama’ah: 

Say no iman for one who does not do religious deeds

Khawarij: 

Say to fail to do an obligation or to do major sin makes a person a kafir This is wrong as the punishment for e.g. adultery is not the same as apostasy.

Mutazilah: 

Say the great sinner is neither a believer nor a disbeliever he falls in between The two but will be in the hellfire for ever.  This view rejects ahadith that the anyone with an atom weight of iman will be rescued from the hellfire.

Iman is 70 or sixty branches

Abu Hurairah reported the Messenger (saw) said,

» الإِيمَانُ بِضْعٌ وَسَبْعُونَ أَوْ بِضْعٌ وَسِتُّونَ شُعْبَةً فَأَفْضَلُهَا قَوْلُ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَأَدْنَاهَا إِمَاطَةُ الأَذَى عَنِ ‏الطَّرِيقِ وَالْحَيَاءُ شُعْبَةٌ مِنَ الإِيمَانِ‎‎« ‏

“Iman is 70 or 60 parts, the Highest is to testify “laa ilaha illallah”, lowest remove harmful thing from road, and modesty is iman” [Sahih Muslim]

Iman has many parts and each is called iman, like salah zakah, hajj etc.

Some parts are basic like the two parts of the Shahadah if you lose them you lose all of iman; others if you don’t do them like removing something from the road you don’t lose all your iman. In between are acts that vary in degree.

The Branches of Iman

§ To offer salah is part of faith

§ To fast during Ramadan is part of faith

§ To love and hate is part of iman

§ To love the messenger is part of faith

§ To love the Ansar is part of faith

§ To establish Lailatul Qadr is part of faith

§ To partake al jihad is part of faith

§ To accompany the funeral procession is part of faith

Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jama’ah believe

Iman is in the heart, by the tongue and by physical actions. Iman increases by doing the good deeds and decreases by doing the bad deeds as long as less than kufr or shirk, or else they leave the fold.

In the hereafter, the sinner may be punished in the hellfire or forgiven by Allah (swt). Whosoever has the slightest amount of iman will eventually be rescued from the fire and entered into paradise.

The early scholars said iman is “Qawol wal Amal” sayings and actions, as they judged by the apparent.

With time for clarification iman was divided into three:

1.  Belief in the heart

2.  Testification by the tongue

3.  Practice willingly by the limbs

Evidence for the conditions of iman

Belief of the heart ∆

﴿ يأَيُّهَا الرَّسُولُ لاَ يَحْزُنكَ الَّذِينَ يُسَارِعُونَ فِى الْكُفْرِ مِنَ الَّذِينَ قَالُواْ ءامَنَّا بِأَفْوهِهِمْ وَلَمْ تُؤْمِن قُلُوبُهُمْ ﴾

O Messenger! Let not those who hurry to fall into disbelief grieve you, of such who say, “We believe’’ with their mouths but their hearts have no faith [Surah Al Maidah 5:41]

These people pretend to be faithful with their words, but their hearts are empty from faith, and they are the hypocrites.

﴿ وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَن يَقُولُ ءَامَنَّا بِاللَّهِ وَبِالْيَوْمِ الأْخِرِ وَمَا هُم بِمُؤْمِنِينَ ﴾

And of mankind, there are some who say: “We believe in Allah and the Last Day’’ while in fact they do not believe [Surah Baqarah 2:8]

Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul was a leader in Al-Madinah. He was Al-Khazraj’s chief, and during the period of Jahiliyyah he was the master of both tribes - Aws and Khazraj. They were about to appoint him their king when the Messager reached Al-Madinah, and many in Al-Madinah embraced Islam. Ibn Salul’s heart was filled with hatred against Islam and its people. When the battle of Badr took place, he said, “Allah’s religion has become apparent.’’ So he pretended to be Muslim, along with many of those who were just like him, as well as many among the People of the Book. It was then that hypocrisy began in Al-Madinah and among the surrounding nomad tribes. As for the Emigrants, none of them were hypocrites, since they emigrated willingly (seeking the pleasure of Allah).

Belief in the heart has two aspects:

1.  To have knowledge of the truth (i.e. al Islam) and to recognise/affirm it

2.  To have voluntary submission and acceptance (iltizam, inqiyad, tasleem)

The actions of the heart are love, awe, trust, fear, hope of Allah (swt), etc. Allah (swt) sent Messengers so that people submitted to Allah (swt)

﴿ وَلَقَدْ بَعَثْنَا فِى كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ رَّسُولاً أَنِ اعْبُدُواْ اللَّهَ وَاجْتَنِبُواْ الْطَّـغُوتَ ﴾

And We have indeed sent a Messenger to every Ummah (community, nation) (saying): “Worship Allah (Alone), and reject the Taghout (all false deities) [Surah An NAhl 16:36]

So how could any of the idolaters say,

﴿ لَوْ شَآءَ اللَّهُ مَا عَبَدْنَا مِن دُونِهِ مِن شَىْءٍ ﴾

If Allah had so willed, we would not have worshipped any but Him, [Surah An Nahl 16:35]

The legislative will of Allah is clear and cannot be taken as an excuse by them, because He had forbidden them to do that upon the tongue of His Messengers

Testification by the tongue

The Messenger (saw) asked Abu Talib to testify the Shahadah so that he (saw) could intercede for him on the Day of Judgement. Abu Talib did not, so died a Mushrik.

The Messenger (saw) said,

“Whoever dies and his last words were ‘laa ilaha illallah’ enters paradise”

Testification by tongue has two aspects:

1.  Recognising the truth

2.  Committing to that truth

The sayings must have:

1.  Correct belief in Allah (swt) and his deen

2.  Be free from associating partners with Allah (swt) i.e. shirk

3.  Within the bounds of the Shariah

Practice willingly by the limbs

Imam Shafi said,

“There was a consensus of the Sahabah (ra) and the Tabien (ra) and those that we have met (i.e. others of Ilm) that IMAN is saying, actions and intention. None of them are sufficient in themselves without the other” [Kitabul Umm]

Sahl ibn Abdulah at-Tartusi (early scholar) said,

“IMAN is saying, actions and intention and following the way of the Sunnah. Sayings without actions is disbelief; Sayings and actions without proper intention is hypocrisy; Sayings, actions and intention without following the Sunnah is Bidah (heresy)”

Hasan al Basri, Al Uzaie, Sufyan al Thauri and Saeed bin Jubair said similar satatements.

Ibn Taimiyah said,

“Jews, Christians and the Mushrikeen believe and perform ritual acts and they are still disbelievers. The believer in Islam believes in Allah (swt) and the Messenger (saw) and performs the deeds specific to his (saw) message”

Belief is linked to actions:

﴿ وَلَوْ كَانُوا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْلهِ والنَّبِىِّ وَمَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْهِ مَا اتَّخَذُوهُمْ أَوْلِيَآءَ وَلَـكِنَّ كَثِيراً مِّنْهُمْ فَـسِقُونَ ﴾

And had they believed in Allah, and in the Prophet and in what has been revealed to him, never would they have taken them as friends (disbelievers); but many of them are rebellious [Surah Al Maidah 5:81]

﴿ لاَّ تَجِدُ قَوْماً يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الاٌّخِرِ يُوَآدُّونَ مَنْ حَآدَّ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَلَوْ كَانُواْ ءَابَآءَهُمْ أَوْ أَبْنَآءَهُمْ أَوْ ‏‎ ‎إِخْوَنَهُمْ أَوْ عَشِيرَتَهُمْ ﴾

You will not find any people who believe in Allah and the Last Day, making friendship with those who oppose Allah and His Messenger, even though they were their fathers or their sons or their brothers or their kindred (people) [Surah Al Mujadilah 58:22]

The above verses show that people can become disbelievers by their actions.

﴿ وَالْعَصْرِ- إِنَّ الإِنسَـنَ لَفِى خُسْرٍ- إِلاَّ الَّذِينَ ءامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ الصَّـلِحَـتِ وَتَوَاصَوْاْ بِالْحَقّ وَتَوَاصَوْاْ ‏‎ ‎بِالصَّبْرِ ﴾

By Al-`Asr. Verily, man is in loss, except those who believe and do righteous deeds, and recommend one another to the truth, and recommend one another to patience. [Surah Al Asr 103]

So Allah makes an exception, among the species of man being in loss, for those who believe in their hearts and work righteous deeds with their limbs.

Iman increases and decreases

Imam Bukhari said, “Iman/belief is saying and actions, and it increases and decreases.”

﴿ هُوَ الَّذِى أَنزَلَ السَّكِينَةَ فِى قُلُوبِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ لِيَزْدَادُواْ إِيمَـناً مَّعَ إِيمَـنِهِمْ ﴾

He it is Who sent down As-Sakinah into the hearts of the believers, that they may grow more in faith along with their faith [SurahAl Fath 48:4]

﴿ هُوَ الَّذِى أَنزَلَ السَّكِينَةَ ﴾

[He it is Who sent down As-Sakinah], meaning tranquillity. Qatadah commented, “Grace into the hearts of the believers’’, that is, the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, on the Day of Al-Hudaybiyyah. The companions were they, who accepted the call of Allah and His Messenger and obeyed the decisions of Allah and His Messenger. When their hearts felt content with acceptance and were at peace, Allah increased their faith, joining it to the faith they already had. Al-Bukhari, and other Imams, relied on this Ayah as proof that faith increases and decreases in the hearts.

﴿ إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ الَّذِينَ إِذَا ذُكِرَ اللَّهُ وَجِلَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَإِذَا تُلِيَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ ءَايَـتُهُ زَادَتْهُمْ إِيمَـناً وَعَلَى رَبِّهِمْ ‏يَتَوَكَّلُونَ ﴾

The believers are only those who, when Allah is mentioned, feel a fear in their hearts and when His Ayah are recited unto them, they increase their faith; and they put their trust in their Lord [Surah Al Anfal 8:2]

Ibn `Abbas said about the Ayah, “None of Allah’s remembrance enters the hearts of the hypocrites upon performing what He has ordained. They neither believe in any of Allah’s Ayah nor trust (in Allah) nor pray if they are alone nor pay the Zakah due on their wealth. Allah stated that they are not believers.”

﴿‎ ‎الَّذِينَ قَالَ لَهُمُ النَّاسُ إِنَّ النَّاسَ قَدْ جَمَعُواْ لَكُمْ فَاخْشَوْهُمْ فَزَادَهُمْ إِيمَـناً وَقَالُواْ حَسْبُنَا اللَّهُ وَنِعْمَ الْوَكِيل‎ ﴾

Those to whom the people said, “Verily, the people have gathered against you, therefore, fear them.’’ But it (only) increased them in faith, and they said: “Allah is Sufficient for us, and He is the Best Disposer of affairs.’’

[Surah Al Imran 3:173]

Anas bin Malik said that the Prophet was told on the day of Uhud, “Verily, the people have gathered against you, therefore, fear them.’’ Thereafter, Allah sent down this Ayah

[Surah Al Imran 3:173]

﴿ حَسْبُنَا اللَّهُ وَنِعْمَ الْوَكِيلُ ﴾

Ibn `Abbas said “Ibrahim said it when he was thrown in fire. Muhammad said it when the people said, `Verily, the people have gathered against you, therefore, fear them.’

Iman is negated by Kufr or Shirk

Ten Negations of Islam (By Sheikh Muhammad ibn Abdul Wahhab):

1. Associating partners with Allah (shirk).

2. Setting up intermediaries between oneself and Allah

3. Anyone who does not consider the polytheists (Mushrikeen) to be unbelievers

4. Anyone who believes any guidance to be more perfect than that of the Messenger (saw)

5. Anyone who hates any part of the Shariah

6. Anyone who ridicules any aspect of the religion of Islam

7. The practice of magic.

8. Supporting and aiding polytheists against the Muslims.

9. Anyone who believes that some people are permitted to deviate from the Shariah of the Messenger (saw)

10. To turn completely away from the religion of Allah neither learning its precepts nor acting upon it.

Further Notes

Ibn Abbas said, “People become kafir without to know”

The Messenger (saw) said, “A man will go to sleep a believer and wake up kafir (and vice versa)”

﴿ وَمَا يُؤْمِنُ أَكْثَرُهُمْ بِاللَّهِ إِلاَّ وَهُمْ مُّشْرِكُونَ ﴾

And most of them believe not in Allah except that they attribute partners unto Him [Surah Yusuf 12:106]

Ibn `Abbas commented, “They have a part of faith, for when they are asked, `Who created the heavens Who created the earth Who created the mountains’ They say, `Allah did.’ Yet, they associate others with Him in worship.”

Al-Hasan al-Basri commented “This is the hypocrite; if he performs good deeds, he does so to show off with the people, and he is an idolater while doing this.’’

Final Comment

The correct understanding is that of the Messenger (saw) and the Sahabah (ra) they are the saviour sect; Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jama’ah, they understood Iman as:

§ Heart

§ Tongue

§ Action

§ Increases and decreases

§ Negated by kufr or shirk

§ If you say tongue only - make excuse for munafiq

§ If you say heart only – make excuse for every kafir

§ If you say tongue and heart only – make excuse Shaytan

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