TERM 2 - TAWHEED ii - CLASS 7
REALITY OF EMAAN
The basis of faith has now been considered. We now consider the meaning of that faith and how to attain it.
The scholars have two different opinions with regard to this subject:
First one: Eemaan is the affirmation by the tongue, acceptance by the heart and action by the limbs. This is the belief of the majority of scholars.
Second one: Eemaan is the affirmation by the tongue and acceptance by the heart, but it does not include action by the limbs. However, these scholars have said that practicing everything that is authentically related from the Prophet ﷺ regarding the Shari'ah and the explanation of the Qur'an and of Islam is true and mandatory on believers who have acquired this name by affirmation and acceptance.
The Qur'an and Sunnah gives more weight to the first opinion, because the action of the limbs is mandatory for the belief of the heart. A perpetrator of a major sin is not excluded from the fold of Eemaan, but is subject to Allah's Will. If He wants, He will punish him, and if He wants He will forgive him.
Allah says:
(And they belied them (evidences, signs, verses,..) wrongfully and arrogantly, though their ownselves were convinced thereof (those signs, proofs... are from Allah, and Moses is the Messenger of Allah in truth, but they disliked to obey Moses, and hated to believe in his Message of Monotheism). So see what was the end of the Mufsidun (disbelievers, disobedient to Allah, liars, evildoers.)I
The people of the Book (Jews and Christians) recognise Muhammad ﷺ as a Prophet but they did not believe in him. Allah says:
(`Those to whom We have given the Scripture (Jews and Christians) recognise him (Muhammad as Messenger of Allah), as they recognise their own sons. Those who destroy themselves will not believe.)
Iblis (Satan) knows that there is only one God Who created everything, but he is the chief of disbelievers
Ahlu Sunnah agree that the believer who is from the people of the Qiblah and who will not live in the Hellfire is the one who believes in Islam with his heart with firm conviction, without a slightest doubt, and who declares the two Shahaadatayn (that is, he testifies that there is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is His Messenger). If he confines himself to only one of them, he will not be considered among the people of the Qiblah, except if his failure to declare the two Shahaadatayn and to affirm with his tongue is caused by a compelling reason over which he has no power, such as a defectiveness in his tongue, or a sudden death before he can actually declare it, or because he might be compelled, against his will, not to declare it".
Allah requires from His servants both saying and action. By `saying' we mean saying of the heart and that is acceptance, and saying of the tongue and that is affirmation.
If a servant accepts Eemaan with his heart and affirms it with his tongue, but refuses to act with his limbs, he is considered to be disobedient to Allah and His Messenger. He deserves the punishment mentioned by Allah in the Qur'an and by His Messenger in the Sunnah
Those who have committed major sins are not disbelievers as long they do not consider them lawful, even if they die before repentance. Although most scholars of Ahlu Sunnah regard action as part of Eemaan, they do not consider the person who accepts Eemaan with his heart and affirms with his tongue a disbeliever if he does not act with his limbs.
The above definition of Eemaan of saying, acceptance and action results in what AllaH has promised His servant: entry into Paradise and avoidance of Hell. As for Eemaan with regard to the judgement in this world, it is only an affirmation with the tongue and declaration of Shahaadatayn. Anyone who declares the Shahaadatayn is subject to Islamic laws in this world. He should meet the Shahaadatayn's obligations, and is not considered a disbeliever unless he contradicts those obligations with a saying or an action's
This is clearly indicated by the Hadith narrated on the authority of Usamah Bnu Zayd who said: "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent us to Huraqaat, a tribe of Juhayna. We attacked that tribe early in the morning and caught hold of a man and he said: `there is no god but Allah'. I attacked him with a spear. It once occurred to me and I talked about it to the Prophet ﷺ. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Did he say `there is no god but Allah, and even then you killed him?" I said: "Messenger of Allah, he said this out of fear of the weapon". The Prophet ﷺ said: "Did you tear out his heart in order to find out whether it had professed or not?" And he went on repeating it to me till I wished I had embraced Islam that day". The Prophet's saying (did you tear out his heart) indicates that we are charged to judge people by their outward conduct and by what the tongue says. As for the heart, we have no way of knowing what is in it.
The Increase and Decrease in Eemaan
Most scholars differ in the issue of the increase and decrease in Eemaan. Those who regard action as a vital part of Eemaan state that Eemaan does increase and decrease. As for the other group who confine Eemaan only to affirmation by the tongue and acceptance by the heart, they do not hold the same opinion that Eemaan increases and decreases.
They declare that people are better than one another by righteous good deeds and fear of Allah, and differ in reward and rank before Allah. Imam at-Tahaawee said in his book "Al Aqeedah at-Tahaawiyyah": "Eemaan (Faith) is, at base, the same for everyone, but the superiority of some over others is due to their fear and awareness of Allah, opposition to their own desires, and their choosing what is more pleasing to Allah"".
However, the literal meaning of the Qur'anic verses and Ahaadeeth suggest that Eemaan .increases and decreases. Allah says:
The believers are only those who, when Allah is mentioned, feel a fear in their hearts and when His verses are recited unto them, they (the verses) increase their faith; and they put their trust in their Lord (Alone)
(Those (believers) unto whom the people (hypocrites) sang "Verily, the people (pagans) have gathered against you (a great army), therefore, fear them". But it only increased them in faith, and they said: "Allah (Alone) is Sufficient for us, and He is the Best Disposer of affairs")
(He it is Who sent down As-Sakinah (calmness and tranquility) into the hearts of the believers, that they may grow more in Faith along with their (present) Faith)
And among the Ahaadeeth of the Prophet ﷺ: "Eemaan has more than seventy branches, The most excellent of them is the affirmation: `There is no god but Allah', the lowest of them is to remove any harmful thing from the road, and modesty is a branch of Eemaans and "The most perfect Muslim in the matter of faith is one who has excellent behaviour", and "Who amongst you sees something abominable should modify it with his hand, if he does not have the strength to do it, then he should do it with his tongue, and if he does not have the strength to do it, then he should abhor it with his heart, and that is the weakest of faiths.
It is narrated on the authority of Abdullah Ibnu Mas'ud that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Never a Prophet had been sent before me by Allah to a nation but has among his people, disciples and companions who followed his ways and obeyed his commands. Then there came after them their successors who said whatever they did not practice, and practised whatever they were not commanded to do. He who strove against them with his hands was a believer, he who strove against them with his tongue was a believer, and he who strove against them with his heart was a believer and beyond that there is no faith even to the extent of a mustard seed"
And among the sayings of the Companions of the Prophet ﷺ which emphasize that Eemaan increases and decreases Abee ad-Darda' (R.A.) said: "What indicates the knowledge of a servant is when he observes closely his Eemaan and sees if it decreases, and what indicates his knowledge is to know whether it increases or decreases". Umar Ibnu al-Khattaab used to say to his companions: "Let us increase our Eemaan, and they remember Allah, the Exalted and Glorified. Such Ahaadeeth and accounts which indicate that Eemaan increases and decreases according to action are numerous.
Therefore, the most important thing for a believer is to observe closely his faith and holds himself responsible if it increases or decreases. He should look at the reasons behind its decrease, and avoid those causes, as well as seeking those things which cause its increase and which increase the righteousness of his heart. This is what the Companions used to do.
Main Reasons for the Increase in Eemaan
1- Knowledge: Striving for knowledge leads to the growth of certainty and learning. Jundub Ibnu Abdullah, Ibnu Umar and others said: "We leatnt Eemaan, we learnt the Qur'an and we increased in Eemaan "26. This refers to knowledge of Allah, His names, attributes and actions, and life. It indicates also knowledge of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ his character, his manners, the legislation he laid down, his method of worship, Jihad, and treatment of people. It also indicates knowledge of Allah's Book and the stories, examples, wisdom, admonition and truth it contains.
Therefore, the basis of Eemaan, in general, is the affirmation of Allah's unity of worship and His attributes, and the acknowledgement of the message of Muhammad and everything that was revealed to him by Allah . This is exemplified in the two Shahaadatayn. Anyone who utters the two statements with firm conviction secures the basis of faith. However, he is not like someone who knows their meaning and requirement in detail. A person who knows in detail what the Prophet ﷺ said would happen after death: the questioning, torment and bliss in the grave, is unlike the person who does not know these things. Although the latter acknowledges, in general, the testimony that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. Likewise, someone who knows the situation of the Last Day: Resurrection, Gathering, Recompense of Deeds, Presentation and Reckoning, Fount, Scale, Bridge, Paradise and Hell. Who knows the biography (Seerat) of the Prophet ﷺ in detail is unlike the one who only knows this knowledge in general. For this reason, Allah O says:
(It is only those who have knowledge among His slaves that fear Allah)
And He also says:
(Are those who know equal to those who know not?)
2- Deeds: By increasing righteous good deeds and obedience certainty grows and Eemaan becomes stronger. By reducing the number of good deeds and becoming engrossed in desires and sins, Eemaan dwindles. Things can get worse because of excessive sins. Some people deny or render lawful things which are unlawful and reject the Prophet's teaching in order to justify their wickedness and transgression. They commit an act of Kufr, God forbid!
The basis of faith is to acknowledge that Allah is the Only God that deserves worship, and to sincerely follow His commands and avoid His interdictions. This acknowledgement and affirmation has two parts. A theoretical acknowledgement in the form of acceptance, and a practical acknowledgement in the form of obedience and practice.
Anyone who confines himself to the first part, his Eemaan in Allah is lower. The more obedience he shows, the more his Eemaan increases. Accordingly, full Eemaan requires both parts.
3- Remembrance and deep thought: Remembrance means remembrance of Allah's attributes, His Majesty and Power, and reciting of His Words and verses, because it perpetuates the heart's communication with the Creator. Failing to do so leads to oblivion and neglect of Allah. As we have seen, Umar Ibnu al-Khattaab, may Allah be pleased with him, calls upon his Companions to increase their faith by remembering Allah. It is reported from Abee Jaafar, from his grandfather, Umayr Bnu Habib, a companion of the Prophet ﷺ, that he said: "Eemaan increases and decreases". He was asked: "how does it increase and decrease?" He replied: "If we remember Allah, praise Him and glorify Him, that is how it increases, and if we forget and neglect, that is how it decreases". AbduAllah Bnu Rawaaha used to hold the hand of one of his companions saying: "Let's believe one hour and sit in a congregation of remembrance (Dhikr)".
Allah has mentioned in the Qur'an that one of the characteristics of the believers is that they remember Allah standing, sitting and lying down on their sides.
(those who remember Allah (always and in prayers) standing, sitting, and lying down on their sides.)
Deep thought (Fikr) means constantly looking at Allah's creation and thinking -about His creatures and observing His signs and miracles. Part of this belief in Allah is to feel His Majesty, Ability, His exalted attributes and majestic actions.
This feeling derives from constantly looking at Allah's sovereignty through deep thinking (Tafakur) and contemplation. If one is told about a person's skillfulness in a particular handicraft and about his ability in his domain then one's feeling about his skillfulness intensifies if one sees with one's eyes a sample of his products. If one sees more samples of his products, one's feeling increases. The more one examines them closely, the more one's feeling grows.
Allah's majestic attributes and actions are manifested in this vast universe. However, some people turn away from it with deaf ears and blind eyes. They are only after this world's pleasures and desires. They are the disbelievers. -Some, on the other hand, see in this universe Allah's Majesty, Ability and management of everything, and they increase in Faith and certainty. These are the people described by Allah, the Exalted and Glorified, as follows:
(And think deeply about the creation of the heavens and the earth!l
(And those who, when they are reminded of the Aayaat (proofs, verses, signs, revelations) of their Lord, fall not deaf and blind thereat)
As for the disbelievers, Allah says:
(Their likeness is as the likeness of one who kindled a fire; then, when it lighted all around him, Allah took away their light and left them in darkness. So they could not see. They are deaf, dumb, and blind, so they return not (to the right path)
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