Iman increases by performing good deeds and decreases by committing sins.
Allah (Subhanna wa ta'ala) said in Quran:
"Verily, we have sent you, oh Muhammad, as a witness, as a bearer of glad tidings , and as a warner." (Al fath:8)The prophet (Sala Allahu alaihi wa salam) said:
"Iman is seventy odd branches: the hightest is to say Laa Ilaaha Ill -Allah, the lowest is to remove harm from the path; and modesty is a branch of Iman"(Muslim)
Shaikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (rahimahullah) writes in Kitaab al-Imaan:
"One must understand that if any term is found in the Qur'aan and the Hadeeth, and its explanation is known and its meaning is made clear by the Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam), then there is no need to use any linguistic meanings as evidence…
The words Salaah, Zakat, Siyaam (fasting), Hajj are found in the words of Allah and His Messenger (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam). The same is true for the word Khamr (intoxicants) and others. From him (Allah's Messenger (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam)), one knows their meanings. If anyone wants to explain such terms in a way, other than how the Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) explained it, such an explanation will not be accepted… The terms Imaan, Islam, Nifaaq (hypocrisy) and Kufr are more important than these terms.
The Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) explained the meanings of these terms in such a way that it is not necessary to look for their linguistic origins or how they were used by the pre-Islamic Arabs and so forth. Therefore, it is a must that while trying to determine the meanings of such terms, one looks at how Allah and His Messenger (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) explained them. Their explanation is clear and sufficient… the heretics have been misled on this matter.
Eeman is explicitly described in the famous hadeeth of Jibreel (alaihis-salaam), when he (alaihis-salaam) asked the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam): "What is Eeman?" He (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) replied: "Eeman is to believe in Allah, His Angels, His Books, His Messengers, the Last Day and to believe in the Predestination; the good and the bad." [Saheeh al-Bukharee and Saheeh Muslim].
BELIEF OF THE HEART: Heart is the root of Eeman. If the belief of the heart is not firm and correct then no other deed or action can be perfect. The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said: "There is a lump of flesh in the body. When it is sound, the whole body is sound; but when it goes wrong, the whole body goes wrong (as a result). It is the heart!!" [Saheeh al-Bukharee and Saheeh Muslim]
Belief in the heart constitutes of two parts: -
(a) Statement of the Heart, i.e. Tasdeeq (Affirmation) made up of Recognition, Knowledge and Affirmation of Allah and His Commands.
(B) Actions of the Heart i.e. Inqiyaad (Submission) made up of Acceptance and Submission to Allah and His Commands.
The first aspect of Recognition and Knowledge is ingrained in the human nature (i.e. Fitrah Natural Instinct). The second aspect of Submission requires to be implied. Therefore, the main message of all the Messengers of Allah (alaihis-salaam) and their dispute with the disbelievers was specifically the second aspect; i.e. 'Submission to the Commands of Allah.'
Allah says: "And verily, We have sent among every Ummah (community, nation) a Messenger (proclaiming): "Worship Allah (Alone) and avoid Taghoot." [Soorah an-Nahl (16): 36]
It was difficult for the disbelievers to accept and submit to the Commands of Allah because they lacked the love for the Truth.
Allah says: "…he brought them the Truth, but most of them are averse (unwilling, opposed) to the Truth." [(23): 70]
And: "It is not you (O Muhammad (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam)) that they deny, but it is the signs of Allah that the wrongdoers deny." [Soorah al-An'aam: 33]
But "If you ask them (the disbelievers) who created them, they will surely say: "Allah" How then are they turned away (from His worship)?" [(43): 87]
Thus, in general, the truth of Allah's Oneness (Allah's Lordship) is clear to all, but they do not accept and submit to the Commands of Allah, which Allah refers as Truth in the verse. This is one of the major aspects that distinguish Mumin (believer) from Mushrikeen (non-believers).
Thus, the belief of the heart is the most important component of Eeman. One who desires to be certain about his Eeman and safeguard himself from loosing it (Eeman) - he must Recognize the Truth, Desire the Truth and hold Love for it (meaning adhere firmly to the Commands of Allah). This should also be combined with hatred for falsehood and disbelief, because Allah mentioned love for Faith along with the hatred for disbelief and disobedience in the verse:
"But Allah has endured the Faith to you and has beautified it in your hearts and has made disbelief, wickedness and disobedience hateful to you. These are the rightly guided ones." [Soorah Hujurat (49): 7]
SPEECH OF THE TONGUE:
The second necessary component of Eeman is the confessing of one's Eeman by the Tongue. The simple pronouncement of the words 'La ilaha illAllah' is not the intent - Certainly, the hypocrites did so (merely pronounced the Shahadah) but they were not true believers. The pronouncement of the words must accompany: -
- The Correct Belief in the Lordship of Allah and its related aspects.
- Rejection of all kind of Shirk.
- Adherence to the laws of Islam.
If these principles are not the intent of the proclamation, then such a confession is not beneficial. Hence, before one makes the testimony of Faith, he must clearly understand the meaning and purport of confession.
Ibn Taymiyyah (rahimahullah) writes in his book Kitaab al-Eeman:
Ibn Taymiyyah (rahimahullah) writes in his book Kitaab al-Eeman:
"The Arabs do not have any such thing in their language as affirmation or denial unless it be in meaning and wording (i.e. unless one understands and verbally confesses). One will not find in Arabic speech statements such as: 'Mr. X believed in Mr. Y' or 'denied him' if Mr. X only knew it in his heart that he (Mr. Y) was true. (Such a statement would only be made if the person) spoke it. Whoever does not affirm his belief in someone with his speech, if he has the ability to do so, is not a believer according to (the language of the) Arabs. Therefore, our pious predecessors of this nation (the Sahabah) and those who follow them in goodness agree on this point.
One who believes in his heart but does no verbally state his belief is not considered as a believer neither in this life nor in the Hereafter. Allah has not declared such a person to be a believer in the Message (the Qur'aan) - simply due to the Knowledge of Eeman in his Heart. He is not considered a believer unless he confirms it by his speech.
Therefore, the outward speech is an essential aspect of Eeman, and according to the earlier and later scholars, one will not be saved unless he verbally testifies. The Muslims agree that he, who does not make the confession of faith although he has the ability to do so, is a disbeliever. He is a disbeliever both inwardly and outwardly according to the pious predecessors and Imams of this nation." [Ibn Taymiyyah, Kitaab al-Eeman, p.126]
ACTION OF THE LIMBS:True belief of the heart results in external Submission to the Commands of Allah. It is not possible that one's belief of the heart is at a high level of Eeman but is not demonstrated by his deeds.
Ibn Taymiyyah (rahimahullah) said: "It is inconceivable that there be a man who is a believer with confirmed belief in the heart that Allah has obligated him to Pray, give Zakaat, Fast and perform Hajj but he lives his whole life without even making one prostration to Allah or never fasting any month of Ramadaan, never paying Zakaat for the sake of Allah and never making pilgrimage to Allah's House. This is impossible!! This would only happen if the person has hypocrisy and opposition to Islam in his heart - It would never happen with a true faith!! For this reason, Allah describes those who refused to prostrate, as unbelievers…" [Muhammad Ibn Taymiyyah Majmoo vol.7, p.611]
The most important belief that should dictate our actions is that Allah All-Mighty exists, He is the Creator and Provider, and none can benefit not harm us except with His Permission. For example, if a person's Eeman in Allah is firm, he will be able to direct all his worship and obedience to Allah and feel no fear to worldly powers.
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