Iman (Islamic concept of faith)

:"Not to be confused with Imam, a prayer leader in Islam"Iman ( _ar. إيمان) is an Islamic term usually translated as "belief or faith" and is often used to refer to the strength of conviction in a Muslim. This refers to faith in Islam requiring a "belief in the unseen," and one who has such faith is called a "mu'min". [Frederick M. Denny, "An Introduction to Islam, 3rd ed., p. 405"] It constitutes the six Articles of faith which were delineated along with the Five Pillars of Islam in the famous hadith involving the angel Jibreel (Gabriel).

Iman is one of the three dimensions of the Islamic religion (Ara. "ad-din"): islam, iman and ihsan. Following after "islam" comes "iman" or "faith," which refers to 'true commitment' to God. According to the Qur’an (49:14), it is possible to have one and not yet the other: "Do not say 'we have accepted faith'; rather say 'we have accepted Islam,' for faith has not yet entered your hearts."

Etymology

The term is from a triliteral " '-M-N", literally meaning "to learn", and lexically meaning affirmation and confirmation in the heart. It can be found in a verse of the Qur'an (in this case, referring to the desired belief in a lie):

:"Joseph's brothers said, 'Our father! Indeed, we went racing with one another, and we left Joseph with our belongings, and the wolf devoured him. But you will not "believe us / learn from us" ( _ar. بِمُؤْمِنٍ ), even if we are truthful.'" (12:17)

ix Articles of Faith

The religion of Islam requires belief in six articles of faith:

The six Sunni and Shia articles of belief are:

#Belief in God ("Allah"), the one and only one worthy of all worship ("tawhid").
#Belief in the Angels ("mala'ika").
#Belief in the Books ("kutub") sent by God (including the Qur'an).
#Belief in all the Prophets ("nabi") and Messengers ("rusul") sent by God.
#Belief in the Day of Judgment ("qiyama") and in the Resurrection (life after death).
#Belief in Destiny (Fate) ("qadar") (Shia divine justice).

Without recognizing, affirming, and accepting these articles of faith and committing to whatever comes through them, there is no context for the five pillars of Islam.

God

Islam's fundamental theological concept is "tawhīd"—the belief that there is only one God. The Arabic term for God is "Allāh"; most scholars believe it was derived from a contraction of the words "al-" (the) and "ArabDIN|ʾilāh" (deity, masculine form), meaning "the God" ("ArabDIN|al-ilāh"), but others trace its origin to the Aramaic "Alāhā". [See:
* "Islam and Christianity", "Encyclopedia of Christianity" (2001): Arabic-speaking Christians and Jews also refer to God as "Allāh".
*] The first of the Five Pillars of Islam, "tawhīd" is expressed in the "shahadah" (testification), which declares that there is no god but Allah, and that Muhammad is Allah's messenger. In traditional Islamic theology, God is beyond all comprehension; Muslims are not expected to visualize God but to worship and adore him as a protector. God is described in a chapter ("sura") of the Qur'an as "…God, the One and Only; God, the Eternal, Absolute; He begetteth not, nor is He begotten; And there is none like unto Him." [See:
*
* Esposito (2002b), pp.74–76
* Esposito (2004), p.22
* Griffith (2006), p.248
*]

Angels

Belief in angels is crucial to the faith of Islam. The Arabic word for Angels ("malak") means "messenger", like its counterparts in Hebrew ("malakh") and Greek ("angelos"). According to the Qur'an, angels do not possess free will, and worship God in perfect obedience. [cite quran|21|19|end=20|style=ref, cite quran|35|1|style=ref] Angels' duties include communicating revelations from God, glorifying God, recording every person's actions, and taking a person's soul at the time of death. They are also thought to intercede on man's behalf. The Qur'an describes angels as "messengers with wings—two, or three, or four (pairs): He [God] adds to Creation as He pleases…" [See:
*
* Esposito (2002b), pp.26–28
*
*]

Holy Books

The Islamic holy books are the records believed from Muslims that were dictated by God to prophets. They are the Suhuf Ibrahim (commonly the Scrolls of Abraham), the Tawrat (Torah), the Zabur (commonly the Psalms), the Injil (commonly the Gospel), and the Qur'an. The Arabic word 'Kutub' literally means 'books' and the Qur'an uses this word to refer to revealed scriptures. Belief in all these books is a fundamental tenet of Islam. However, Islam states that the first four of the aforementioned books and all other books sent by God have been lost or corrupted, and that the Quran is the final and complete version of God's word. Muslims also believe the Quran is the exact word of God told to Muhammad by the Angel Jibra'il (Gabriel).

Prophets

A Muslim believes in all the Messengers and Prophets of God without any discrimination. All messengers were mortals, human beings, endowed with Divine revelations and appointed by God to teach mankind. The Holy Quran mentions the names of 25 messengers and prophets and states that there are others and the hadiths state there are 124 000. These include Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad. Their message is the same and it is Islam and it came from One and the Same Source; God, and it is to submit to His will and to obey His law; i.e., to become a Muslim.

Resurrection and judgment

Belief in the "Day of Resurrection", "yawm al-Qiyāmat" (also known as "yawm ad-dīn", "Day of Judgment" and "as-sā`a", "the Last Hour") is also crucial for Muslims. They believe that the time of "Qiyāmat" is preordained by God but unknown to man. The trials and tribulations preceding and during the "Qiyāmat" are described in the Qur'an and the hadith, and also in the commentaries of Islamic scholars. The Qur'an emphasizes bodily resurrection, a break from the pre-Islamic Arabian understanding of death. It states that resurrection will be followed by the gathering of mankind, culminating in their judgment by God. [See:
* "Resurrection", "The New Encyclopedia of Islam" (2003)
*: Ibn Sīnā, Abū ʿAlī al-Ḥusayn b. ʿAbd Allāh b. Sīnā is known in the West as "Avicenna".
*]

The Qur'an lists several sins that can condemn a person to hell, such as disbelief, usury and dishonesty. Muslims view paradise ("jannat") as a place of joy and bliss, with Qur'anic references describing its features and the physical pleasures to come. There are also references to a greater joy—acceptance by God ("ridwān"). [cite quran|9|72|style=ref] Mystical traditions in Islam place these heavenly delights in the context of an ecstatic awareness of God. [See:
* Smith (2006), p.89; "Encyclopedia of Islam and Muslim World", p.565
* "Heaven", "The Columbia Encyclopedia" (2000)
*
*]

Predestination

In accordance with the Islamic belief in predestination, or divine preordainment ("al-qadā wa'l-qadar"), God has full knowledge and control over all that occurs. This is explained in Qur'anic verses such as "Say: 'Nothing will happen to us except what Allah has decreed for us: He is our protector'…" [See:
*
* D. Cohen-Mor (2001), p.4: "The idea of predestination is reinforced by the frequent mention of events 'being written' or 'being in a book' before they happen: 'Say: "Nothing will happen to us except what Allah has decreed for us…" ' "
*: The verb "qadara" literally means "to measure, to determine". Here it is used to mean that "God measures and orders his creation".] For Muslims, everything in the world that occurs, good or evil, has been preordained and nothing can happen unless permitted by God. In Islamic theology, divine preordainment does not suggest an absence of God's indignation against evil, because any evils that do occur are thought to result in future benefits men may not be able to see. According to Muslim theologians, although events are pre-ordained, man possesses free will in that he has the faculty to choose between right and wrong, and is thus responsible for his actions. According to Islamic tradition, all that has been decreed by God is written in "al-Lawh al-Mahfūz", the "Preserved Tablet". [See:
* Farah (2003), pp.119–122
* Patton (1900), p.130]

The Shi'a understanding of predestination is called "divine justice" ("Adalah"). This doctrine, originally developed by the Mu'tazila, stresses the importance of man's responsibility for his own actions. In contrast, the Sunni deemphasize the role of individual free will in the context of God's creation and foreknowledge of all things. [Momen (1987), pp.177,178]

Kalimas

The following Kalima's are also associated with Muslim declarations of faith:

Iman-e-Mufassil

Iman-e-Mufassil (or the Detailed declaration of faith)

"I have faith in Allah and His Angels, His Books and His Messengers, and the Day of Judgement and that all good and evil and fate is from Almighty Allah and it is sure that there will be resurrection after death."

Iman-e-Mujmal

Iman e Mujmal (or the Summary declaration of faith)

"I have faith in Allah as He is known by His Names and attributes and I accept all His commands."

Quality of Belief

It is a whole-person submission to The One God (Allah) which includes belief in the heart, profession by the tongue, and the body's performance of deeds consistent with our commission as vicegerent on Earth according to Allah's will. The spiritual heart is the seat or foundation of iman.

Belief in the heart has two aspects. First, it means recognizing and affirming that there is but one Creator of the universe and only to this Creator is our worship due. According to Islamic thought, this comes naturally because faith is an instinct of the human soul. This instinct is then trained via parents or guardians into specific religious or spiritual paths. Likewise, the instinct may not be guided at all.

Second, belief in the heart includes the willingness and commitment to submitting to the truth that Allah exists and to His prescriptions for living in accordance with vicegerency. The Qur'an is the dictation of Allah's prescriptions through Muhammad and is understood to have updated and completed previous revelation Allah sent through earlier prophets.

Profession by the tongue in Islam means testifying that one believes in The One God - Allah - who has no partners, and indicating that one intends to be committed to adhering to the guidance and prescriptions from Allah through Muhammad. The profession of faith must be accompanied with sincere efforts to follow the guidance and prescriptions from the Quran and the way of implementation shown by Muhammad, called the "sunnah".

Belief in the heart as defined above and testimony, if sincere, naturally results in actions that are consistent with vicegerency. The degree to which belief does not flow into appropriate deeds indicate what Muslim scholars call diseases of the heart, such as arrogance, envy, greed, pride, etc. Of all aspects of iman, belief in the heart is the most important because it provides the momentum for one to manifest faith into one's life.

77 branches of faith

The 77 Branches of Faith is a collection compiled by Imam Bayhaqi. In it, he explains the essential virtues that reflect true faith (iman) through related Qur’anic verses and prophetic sayings.

30 qualities are connected to the heart

1. Belief in Allah

2. To believe that everything other than Allah was non-existent. Thereafter, Allah created these things and subsequently they came into existence.

3. To believe in the existence of angels.

4. To believe that all the heavenly books that were sent to the different prophets are true. However, apart from the Quran, all other books are not valid anymore.

5. To believe that all the prophets are true. However, we are commanded to follow the Muhammad alone.

6. To believe that Allah Most High as knowledge of everything from before-hand and that only that which He sanctions or wishes will occur.

7. To believe that Resurrection will definitely occur.

8. To believe in the existence of Heaven.

9. To believe in the existence of Hell.

10. To have love for Allah Most High.

11. To have love for the Muhammad

12. To love or hate someone solely because of Allah.

13. To execute all actions with the intention of religion alone.

14. To regret and express remorse when a sin is committed.

15. To fear Allah Most High.

16. To hope for the mercy of Allah Most High.

17. To be modest.

18. To express gratitude over a bounty or favour.

19. To fulfill promises.

20. To exercise patience.

21. To consider yourself lower than others.

22. To have mercy on the creation.

23. To be pleased with whatever you experience from Allah Most High.

24. To place your trust in Allah Most High.

25. Not to boast or brag over any quality that you possess.

26. Not to have malice or hatred towards anybody.

27. Not to be envious of anyone.

28. Not to become angry.

29. Not to wish harm for anyone.

30. Not to have love for the world.

7 qualities are connected to the tongue

31. To recite the testimony of faith (kalimah) with the tongue.

32. To recite the Quran.

33. To acquire knowledge.

34. To pass on Knowledge.

35. To make dua.

36. To make the zikr of Allah Most High.

37. To abstain from the following: lies, backbiting, vulgar words, cursing, singing that is contrary to the Shariah.

40 qualities are connected to the entire body

38. To make wudu, ghusl, and keep one's clothing clean.

39. To be steadfast in offering salaat.

40. To pay zakaat and sadaqatul fitr.

41. To fast.

42. To perform the Hajj.

43. To make i'tikaaf.

44. To move away or migrate from that place which is harmful for one's deen.

45. To fulfill the vows that have been made to Allah.

46. To fulfill the oaths that are not sinful.

47. To pay the kaffarah for unfulfilled oaths.

48. To cover those parts of the body that are fard to cover.

49. To perform the ritual slaughter.

50. To enshroud and bury the deceased.

51. To fulfill your debts.

52. To abstain from prohibited things when undertaking monetary transactions.

53. Not to conceal something true which you may have witnessed.

54. To get married when the nafs desires to do so.

55. To fulfill the rights of those who are under you.

56. To provide comfort to one's parents.

57. To rear children in the proper manner.

58. Not to sever relations with one's friends and relatives.

59. To obey one's master.

60. To be just.

61. Not to initiate any way that is contrary to that of the generality of the Muslims.

62. To obey the ruler, provided what he orders is not contrary to the Shariah.

63. To make peace between two warring groups or individuals.

64. To assist in noble tasks.

65. To command the good and prohibit the evil.

66. If it is the government. it should mete out punishments according to the Shariah.

67. To fight the enemies of deen whenever such an occasion presents itself.

68. To fulfill one's trusts (amana).

69. To give loans to those who are in need .

70. To see to the needs of one's Neighbor.

71. To ensure that one's income is pure.

72. To spend according to the Shariah.

73. To reply to one who has greeted you.

74. To say Yarhamukallah (‘Allah have mercy on you’) when anyone says Alhamdulillah (‘All praise is Allah’s’) after sneezing.

75. Not to cause harm to anyone unjustly.

76. To abstain from games and amusements contrary to the Shariah.

77. To remove pebbles, stones, thorns, sticks, and the like from the road. [http://www.sunnipath.com/resources/Questions/qa00004226.aspx] [http://www.central-mosque.com/aqeedah/BranchesofEeman.htm]

ee also

* Six Kalimas
* Aqidah
* Five pillars of Islam

References