❖ Introduction to Īmān:
In Islamic theology, Īmān refers to complete belief, encompassing the affirmation of the heart, confession of the tongue, and actions of the limbs. It increases with obedience and decreases with sin.
Imām Abū ʿUthmān al-Ṣābūnī (d. 449 AH) said:
"Among the beliefs of Ahl al-Ḥadīth is that Īmān is composed of statement, action, and knowledge; it increases with obedience and decreases with sin."
(ʿAqīdah al-Salaf wa Aṣḥāb al-Ḥadīth, p. 264)
This was also the creed of classical scholars like Imām Mālik, al-Shāfiʿī, Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, Sufyān al-Thawrī, and many others.
➊ The Branches of Faith
"Faith has over seventy branches; the highest of them is saying 'Lā ilāha illa Allāh' and the lowest is removing something harmful from the path. Modesty is a branch of faith."
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 35 | Darussalam 153)
➋ Love for the Prophet ﷺ
"None of you truly believes until I am more beloved to him than his father, his children, and all people."
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 15 | Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 44)
➌ Best Deeds
"The best of deeds is belief in Allah and His Messenger, then striving in Allah's cause, then an accepted Ḥajj."
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 26 | Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 83)
➍ Definition Given by the Prophet ﷺ
When the tribe of ʿAbd al-Qays asked the Prophet ﷺ about faith, he said:
"To testify that there is no deity but Allah, and that Muḥammad is His Messenger, to establish prayer, give zakāt, fast in Ramaḍān, and give a fifth of war booty."
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 53 | Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 17)
➎ Changing Evil is Part of Īmān
"Whoever sees an evil must change it with his hand; if unable, then with his tongue; if unable, then with his heart, and that is the weakest level of faith."
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 49)
➏ Different Levels of Struggle
"Whoever strives against wrong with his hand is a believer, with his tongue is a believer, and with his heart is a believer. Beyond that, there is no faith the size of a mustard seed."
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 50)
➐ Complete Faith
"Whoever loves for Allah, hates for Allah, gives for Allah, and withholds for Allah has perfected his faith."
(Sunan Abī Dāwūd 4681 – Ḥasan)
➑ Faith in the Final Message
"By the One in whose hand is Muḥammad’s soul! No one from this Ummah hears about me — Jew or Christian — then dies without believing in what I was sent with, except that he will be from the people of Hell."
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 153)
➒ Mustard Seed of Faith
"Whoever has even a mustard seed of faith in his heart will not enter Hell eternally. And whoever has even a mustard seed of arrogance in his heart will not enter Paradise."
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 91)
➓ Allāh is With the Believers
When Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq feared for the Prophet’s life in the cave, the Prophet ﷺ said:
"What do you think of two people when Allah is the third with them?"
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 4663)
In Islamic theology, Īmān refers to complete belief, encompassing the affirmation of the heart, confession of the tongue, and actions of the limbs. It increases with obedience and decreases with sin.
Imām Abū ʿUthmān al-Ṣābūnī (d. 449 AH) said:
"Among the beliefs of Ahl al-Ḥadīth is that Īmān is composed of statement, action, and knowledge; it increases with obedience and decreases with sin."
(ʿAqīdah al-Salaf wa Aṣḥāb al-Ḥadīth, p. 264)
This was also the creed of classical scholars like Imām Mālik, al-Shāfiʿī, Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, Sufyān al-Thawrī, and many others.
❖ 10 Authentic Hadiths on Īmān:
➊ The Branches of Faith
"Faith has over seventy branches; the highest of them is saying 'Lā ilāha illa Allāh' and the lowest is removing something harmful from the path. Modesty is a branch of faith."
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 35 | Darussalam 153)
➋ Love for the Prophet ﷺ
"None of you truly believes until I am more beloved to him than his father, his children, and all people."
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 15 | Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 44)
➌ Best Deeds
"The best of deeds is belief in Allah and His Messenger, then striving in Allah's cause, then an accepted Ḥajj."
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 26 | Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 83)
➍ Definition Given by the Prophet ﷺ
When the tribe of ʿAbd al-Qays asked the Prophet ﷺ about faith, he said:
"To testify that there is no deity but Allah, and that Muḥammad is His Messenger, to establish prayer, give zakāt, fast in Ramaḍān, and give a fifth of war booty."
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 53 | Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 17)
➎ Changing Evil is Part of Īmān
"Whoever sees an evil must change it with his hand; if unable, then with his tongue; if unable, then with his heart, and that is the weakest level of faith."
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 49)
➏ Different Levels of Struggle
"Whoever strives against wrong with his hand is a believer, with his tongue is a believer, and with his heart is a believer. Beyond that, there is no faith the size of a mustard seed."
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 50)
➐ Complete Faith
"Whoever loves for Allah, hates for Allah, gives for Allah, and withholds for Allah has perfected his faith."
(Sunan Abī Dāwūd 4681 – Ḥasan)
➑ Faith in the Final Message
"By the One in whose hand is Muḥammad’s soul! No one from this Ummah hears about me — Jew or Christian — then dies without believing in what I was sent with, except that he will be from the people of Hell."
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 153)
➒ Mustard Seed of Faith
"Whoever has even a mustard seed of faith in his heart will not enter Hell eternally. And whoever has even a mustard seed of arrogance in his heart will not enter Paradise."
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 91)
➓ Allāh is With the Believers
When Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq feared for the Prophet’s life in the cave, the Prophet ﷺ said:
"What do you think of two people when Allah is the third with them?"
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 4663)
❖ Key Beliefs of Ahl al-Sunnah:
- Īmān = Belief (قَول), Actions (عَمل), and Conviction (معرفة)
- It increases with obedience and decreases with disobedience
- This is the consensus of the Salaf, including companions and early scholars.
