So I will present to you some information about it which is very important. At the same time, I will also mention the pillars of faith (Iman) which is the most important pillar of it. So first, let’s know what faith in Islam is.
What is faith in Islam?
According to the opinions of the majority of reliable scholars, Verily, faith (Iman) is:
To attesting by the heart, acknowledge by the mouth, and acting by the limbs. [Sharh Al-Aqidah At-Tahawiyyah, page 332]
Basically, Faith in Islam is to attesting and acknowledge by the heart all the things that have been known with certainty that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) has brought them from Allah. Such as the oneness of Allah, prophethood, Resurrection, the Day of Judgment, to be obligatory the five times prayers, Zakat, fasting (of Ramadan), and Hajj. [Ghayatul Bayan Syarah Zubad Ibn Ruslan, Page No 7]
Allah Ta’ala said about faith (Iman): “O you who have believed, believe in Allah and His Messenger and the Book that He sent down upon His Messenger and the Book which He sent down before. And whoever disbelieves in Allah, His angels, His books, His messengers, and the Last Day has certainly gone far astray.” [Surah An-Nisa, verse 136]
What is the importance of faith in Islam?
Faith (Iman) in Islam is such an essential and valuable thing that if anyone does not have faith (Iman) and if he does good deeds equal to a mountain, then he will not enter Paradise and he will not get any reward for that good deed in the Hereafter. But Allah Ta’ala will reward him for his good deeds in this world.
In this regard, Allah Ta’ala said: “And the Day those who disbelieved are exposed to the Fire (then it will be said), You exhausted your pleasures during your worldly life and enjoyed them, so this Day you will be awarded the punishment of (extreme) humiliation because you were arrogant upon the earth without right and because you were defiantly disobedient.” [Surah Al-Ahqaf, verse 20]
Allah Ta’ala also said: “Indeed, those who disbelieve and die while they are disbelievers – never would be accepted gold filled with the whole earth from one of them if he would (seek to) ransom himself with it. For those, there will be a painful punishment, and they will have no helpers.” [Surah Ali ‘Imran, verse 91]
On the other hand, if anyone believes, does good deeds with sincerity, and dies while he is a believer, Of course, Allah will give him innumerable rewards. In this regard, Allah Ta’ala says:
“Except for those who believe and do righteous deeds, for they will have a reward uninterrupted. So what yet causes you to deny the Recompense? Is not Allah the most just of judges?” [Surah At-Tin, verses 6 – 8]
is a strong way of liberation from the eternal punishment of the Hereafter. One day, the believer will be released from Hell after being punished for his sins because of his faith (Iman). On the other hand, he who dies while he is a disbeliever will be in Hell forever. Because if Allah had given him billions of years of life in this world, he would work and live his life as a disbeliever. Proof of this is that he died in this world without Faith (Iman). And the last deed of life is the real identity of every person. In this regard, The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
“A person may do deeds that seem to the people as the deeds of the people of Paradise while in fact, he is from the dwellers of the Hell; and similarly a person may do deeds that seem to the people as the deeds of the people of the Hell while in fact, he is from the dwellers of Paradise. Verily, the (results of) deeds done, depend upon the last actions (of life).” [Sahih Bukhari, Hadith No. 6493]
The difference between Iman and Islam
(1) Faith is the heart’s work of the believer, and Islam is his outer work. In this regard, Allah Ta’ala said, “The bedouins (desert-dwelling Arab peoples) say, ‘We have believed.’ Say, You have not (yet) believed; but say (instead), ‘We have submitted,’ for Faith (Iman) has not yet entered your hearts. And if you obey Allah and His Messenger, He will not deprive you of your deeds of anything. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.” [Surah Al-Hujurat, verse 14]
(2) Only Allah knows best about the Iman (faith) of everyone. And Islam is a public work that everyone can realize and understand. In this regard, Allah Ta’ala said:
“And whoever among you cannot find the means to marry free, believing women, then (he may marry) from those whom your right hands possess (i.e., Halal) of believing slave girls. And Allah is most knowing about your faith (Iman).” [Surah An-Nisa, some part of verse 25]
(3) Islam is a broad act, and faith (Iman) is a particular act. And faith (Iman) increases and decreases again. But Islam does not increase and does not decrease. For Example, Obligatory Salah and fasting, Zakah (obligatory charity), Hajj, etc do not increase and do not decrease. And after the faith (Iman) decreases, the faith (Iman) increases again; In this regard, Allah Ta’ala said:
“The believers are only those who, when Allah is mentioned, their hearts become fearful, and when His verses are recited to them, it increases them in faith; and they rely upon their Lord.” [Surah Al-Anfal, verse 2]
What is the most important pillar of faith?
There are six pillars of faith in Islam which is the most important pillar of faith (Iman). Namely: 1. Believing in Allah, 2. believing in His angels, 3. believing in the Books of Allah, 4. believing in the Messengers of Allah, 5. believing in the Hereafter, 6. believing in the good and evil of Al-Qadr (predestination).
If a believer denies any of these, his Iman (faith) will be ruined. And I will try to describe in short the above subjects; Insha Allah.
Believing in Allah
To acknowledge the existence of Allah, to believe that He is One, that He is the Lord of the universe, that He has no partner, that there is no comparison to Him. Allah Ta’ala neither begets nor is born. And nor is there to Him any equivalent. In this regard, Allah Ta’ala said:
“Say, He is Allah, (who is) One. Allah is the Sustainer of needed by all. He neither begets nor is born. Nor is there to Him any equivalent.” [Surah Al-Ikhlas, verses 1 – 4]
To believe that Allah Ta’ala has many enduring qualities, all of which are only for him alone. No one can and will possess those qualities without Him. And believing strongly that Allah is the only one worthy of worship. No one else is worthy of worship. In this regard, Allah Ta’ala said:
“And do not invoke with Allah another deity. There is no (worthy of worship) deity except Him. Everything will be destroyed except His Face (i.e., Himself). His is the judgment, and to Him, you will be returned.” [Surah Al-Qasas, verse 88]
Believing in Allah’s angels
To believe that Allah created the angels from light. They have existed yet, and they obey Allah all time and carry out the duties that Allah commands them to perform. And they don’t disobey Allah even for a moment. Verily, Allah Ta’ala said:
“O you who have believed, protect yourselves and your families from a Fire whose fuel is people and stones, over which are (appointed) angels, harsh and severe; they do not disobey Allah in what He commands them but do what they are commanded.” [Surah At-Tahrim, verse 6]
Believing in the Books of Allah
To believe that Allah revealed the books upon many messengers to guide people. Some books among those, Allah has mentioned in the Noble Qur’an. Such as the Torah, the Injeel, the Zabur, the Scriptures of Ibrahim, and the Qur’an. And the Quran is the last and final book of Allah. He will not reveal any book to anyone until the day of Judgment. And no one can ever change the Qur’an. If you deny any of the Quran’s verses, your Iman (faith) will ruin. And Allah Ta’ala said about the Quran:
“Then do they not reflect upon the Qur’an (i.e., its meanings and its objective)? If it had been from (any) other than Allah, they would have found within it much contradiction.” [Surah An-Nisa, verse 82]
Allah Ta’ala also said: “And it was not (possible) for this Qur’an to be produced by other than Allah, but (it is) a confirmation of what was before it and a detailed explanation of the (former) Scripture, about which there is no doubt, from the Lord of the worlds.” [Surah Yunus, verse 37]
Believing in the Messengers of Allah
To believe that Allah Ta’ala created countless Prophets and Messengers from among men to guide the people. Allah Ta’ala chose them. Also, He has kept them away from sinful deeds. He forgave all their mistakes. They showed the right path to the people according to the command of Allah. They made a lifelong effort to keep people away from Satan’s ways and sins. And they conveyed the word of Allah to everyone. Verily, Allah Ta’ala revealed His books to His messengers.
And Allah’s Messengers and His Prophets said to their Ummah: “O my people, there is no misguidance in me, but I am a Messenger from the Lord of the worlds. I convey to you the messages of my Lord and advise you, and I know from Allah what you do not know. Then do you wonder that there has come to you a Reminder from your Lord through a man from among you, that he may warn you and that you may fear Allah so you might receive mercy?” [Surah Al-A’raf, verses 61 – 63]
Believing in the Hereafter
To believe without any hesitation what Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him) have said about what will happen after death. For example, the examination in the grave, being punished in it and receiving blessings, Being resurrected, setting the scales for measuring deeds, getting the record of good and bad, having the existence of Ḥawḍ Al-Kawthar, establishing Sirah on the Hell, interceding of the chosen servants of Allah, and acknowledge the existence of Paradise and Hell. Etc.
And Allah Ta’ala said about the Hereafter (the Last Day): “And what (harm would come) upon them if they believed in Allah and the Last Day and spent out of what Allah provided for them? And Allah is ever, about them, Knowing.” [Surah An-Nisa, verse 39]
Believing in the good and evil of Al-Qadr (predestination)
Allah has determined Al-Qadr (predestination). No one can change it except for Him. To believe that The Creator of good and evil is Allah Almighty, so everything in the universe, both good and evil, happens by the will of Allah. Remember, Allah has given all humankind and jinns the willpower and the strong intention to do good and stay away from evil. Verily, He has written all things in Lawh Mahfuz according to His knowledge.
Allah Ta’ala said: “Indeed, Allah (alone) has knowledge of the Hour (Al-Qiyamah) and sends down the rain, and knows what is in the wombs (i.e., every aspect of the fetus’ present and future existence). And no soul perceives what it will earn tomorrow, and no soul perceives in what land it will die. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Aware.” [Surah Luqman, verse 34]
Remember, no one can do good without his will. No one can refrain from doing evil deeds without his will. So if anyone wants to follow the right path, Allah shows him the right way. And if someone does not want to give up evil deeds, then he misses many opportunities to do good deeds.
Allah Ta’ala said: “But those who deny My verses are deaf and dumb within darknesses. Whoever Allah wills – He sends astray, and whomever He wills – He puts him on a straight path.” [Surah Al-An‘am, verse 39]
Every servant definitely will get what Allah Ta’ala has written for him, and he will never get what Allah has not written for him. In this regard,
Ubayy bin Ka’b (RA) said:
If Allah punishes everyone in the heavens and on the earth, He would do so without being unjust to them, and if He shows mercy to them, his mercy would be much better than their actions merited. Were you to spend in support of Allah’s cause an amount of gold equivalent to Uhud (hill), Allah would not accept it from you till you believed in the Al-Qadr (predestination) and knew that what has come to you could not miss you and that what has missed you could not come to you. If you die on without believing it, you would enter Hell. [Sunan Abu Dawud, Hadith No. 4699]
Some branches of Iman
There are many branches of Faith. And there are about 60 to 80 branches. In this regard, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, “Faith has over seventy branches or over sixty branches; the most excellent of those is To say that there is no god but Allah, the undermost of those is removing what is harmful from the path. And shyness is a branch of Iman.” [Sahih Muslim, Hadith No 35]
Some of the branches of Faith are attached to the heart. For example, To hope for Allah’s mercy, to do good deeds for the sake of Allah and to give up evil deeds for Allah, to love Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him), to be grateful, and be satisfied with Allah’s Judgment. Etc.
A few of the branches of Iman that are associated with the tongue are: To recite Kalima Shahada, reciting the Qur’an, acquiring and propagating religious knowledge, remembering Allah, speaking the truth, to guard one’s tongue against useless words. Etc.
Some branches of it are related to limbs. Among those are: Achieving holiness, paying off debts, to fulfill the rights of everyone, obeying the Leaders, not hurting anyone unjustly, giving Sadaqah, to cooperate in good deeds. Etc.
Our Dua
May Allah Ta’ala grant us all the grace to remain steadfast in the faith and to die in the state of belief. Ameen.
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