Summary of Sunni concepts | 14- Concepts about faith and Islam

0:00 A summary of the concepts held by Ahl al-Sunnah.

0:08 The definition of faith (iman).

0:10 Faith according to Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah.

0:15 It consists of belief, speech, and action.

0:17 It increases through obedience and decreases through disobedience.

0:21 Belief is the heart’s affirmation and acknowledgment.

0:25 This is also referred to as the "speech of the heart."

0:29 Speech is the utterance of the two testimonies by the tongue.

0:34 Action includes the action of the heart.

0:37 This is the heart’s submission, acceptance, and surrender.

0:41 The actions of the limbs through acts of obedience constitute the category of action.

0:45 According to the Jahmiyyah, faith is merely knowledge.

0:49 According to the Ash'ariyyah, it is affirmation.

0:52 According to the Karramiyyah, faith is merely the utterance of the tongue.

0:56 Even if affirmation and acceptance are absent.

0:59 According to the Murji'ah, faith is affirmation and the speech of the tongue.

1:04 According to the Khawarij, faith encompasses all prescribed speech and actions, such as performing obligations or abstaining from prohibitions.

1:12 If a person abandons a single obligation or commits a single prohibition, they become a disbeliever.

1:18 The Khawarij and the Murji'ah agree on the claim that faith neither increases nor decreases.

1:24 The jurists of the Murji'ah affirm the actions of the heart and acknowledge their importance.

1:30 However, they categorize them as something other than faith.

1:34 Likewise, they exclude the actions of the limbs from the definition of faith.

1:39 Yet, when they are asked about the relationship of the actions of the heart and the limbs to faith,

1:46 They say these are among its requirements and fruits.

1:50 The inclusion of actions in faith according to Ahl al-Sunnah.

1:55 The category of action is a pillar of faith according to Ahl al-Sunnah.

2:01 Therefore, if it is entirely lost—meaning one abandons all acts of obedience—the foundation of faith is lost.

2:07 Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said regarding the total loss of the category of action:

2:12 It is impossible for a person to perform nothing of what they were commanded, such as prayer, zakat, fasting, and Hajj,

2:20 While committing whatever prohibitions they are able to,

2:23 And yet remain a believer in their heart.

2:26 One would not do this unless there were an absence of faith in their heart.

2:30 As for when some actions are neglected,

2:33 Such as abandoning some obligations or committing some prohibitions,

2:37 Then the foundation of faith remains.

2:40 However, the obligatory faith is diminished.

2:43 Unless the abandoned action is explicitly stated in the Shari'ah to be an act of disbelief,

2:49 Such as the total abandonment of prayer,

2:52 Even if one is lazy,

2:54 Or ruling by other than what Allah has revealed,

2:57 Or rejecting the law of Allah.

3:00 Because the Murji'ah do not include actions in the definition of faith,

3:04 They do not view the one who abandons the category of action as a disbeliever.

3:08 Rather, affirmation is sufficient for them to be a believer.

3:12 The Khawarij view, as Ahl al-Sunnah does,

3:15 That actions are included in the definition of faith.

3:19 But they differ from them because they consider the commission of any prohibition or the abandonment of any obligation

3:25 To be disbelief that necessitates eternal residence in the Fire,

3:28 If the person does not repent from it.

3:31 Even if they performed all other obligations and avoided all other prohibitions.

3:35 This is the opposite of Ahl al-Sunnah,

3:37 Who do not negate the foundation of faith from one who commits a major sin, provided they do not deem it lawful.

3:43 They say:

3:45 They are a believer by virtue of their faith,

3:47 A sinner by virtue of their major sin, and their faith is deficient.

3:51 It has come in the hadith of Jibril

3:53 That the pillars of faith are belief in Allah, His angels,

3:58 “O ye who believe! Believe in Allah and His messenger and the Scripture which He hath revealed unto His messenger, and the Scripture which He revealed aforetime. Whoso disbelieveth in Allah and His angels and His scriptures and His messengers and the Last Day, he verily hath wandered far astray.” (4:136)

4:01 And the divine decree, both its good and its evil.

4:05 A contemporary deviation in understanding faith.

4:09 We live today in a miserable state, unique in the history of Islam,

4:15 If not in the history of all humanity,

4:18 Where many people believe in the oneness of Allah, who has no partner,

4:23 Then do not implement His law in the reality of life,

4:27 And see no harm in that.

4:30 In fact, some of them may see that the interest today

4:33 Lies in removing the law of Allah from the reality of humanity,

4:37 And adopting man-made legislation in its place.

4:41 Yet they claim to be Muslims,

4:44 Loving Islam and its people.

4:47 Such a thing has never occurred before in the history of humanity as a whole.

4:52 For humanity, throughout its entire history,

4:56 Never departed from one of two states:

4:59 Either believing in Allah, the One, the Unique,

5:02 And implementing His law in a general sense,

5:06 Or being polytheistic in belief,

5:09 Believing in the existence of other gods and legislators,

5:13 And implementing their laws instead of Allah’s.

5:16 But to believe in the One Allah,

5:19 Then implement the law of someone else—

5:21 This is a form of insanity.

5:24 It has never happened before in either the Age of Ignorance (Jahiliyyah) or in Islam.

5:34 It states in the dictionary:

5:36 "Aslama" means he submitted and became a Muslim.

5:39 Ibn Taymiyyah says, explaining the meaning of Islam:

5:43 The term "Islam" is used in two ways.

5:46 The first is transitive,

5:48 As in His saying, the Almighty:

5:50 “Who is better in religion than he who surrendereth his purpose to Allah while doing good (to men) and followeth the tradition of Abraham, the upright? Allah (Himself) chose Abraham for friend.” (4:125)

5:56 The second is intransitive,

5:58 As in His saying, the Almighty:

6:00 “When his Lord said unto him: Surrender! he said: I have surrendered to the Lord of the Worlds.” (2:131)

6:03 “When his Lord said unto him: Surrender! he said: I have surrendered to the Lord of the Worlds.” (2:131)

6:06 And as in His saying, the Almighty:

6:08 “Seek they other than the religion of Allah, when unto Him submitteth whosoever is in the heavens and the earth, willingly or unwillingly, and unto Him they will be returned.” (3:83)

6:12 It combines two meanings:

6:14 One of them:

6:16 Submission and surrender.

6:18 The second:

6:19 Sincerity in that and singling it out.

6:22 Its title is the statement "There is no god but Allah."

6:25 It has two meanings:

6:27 One of them:

6:29 The common religion,

6:30 Which is the worship of Allah alone, with no partner,

6:34 With which all the prophets were sent.

6:37 The second:

6:39 That which is specific to Muhammad, peace be upon him,

6:42 Of religion, law, and methodology.

6:45 It is the Shari'ah, the path, and the reality.

6:48 The pillars of Islam are five:

6:51 The testimony that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah,

6:56 Establishing prayer,

6:58 Giving zakat,

7:00 Fasting Ramadan,

7:01 And pilgrimage to the House of Allah for whoever is able to find a way.

7:07 A mistaken understanding of Islam.

7:10 Some people think,

7:13 Either out of ignorance of the reality of Islam,

7:16 Or out of desire and fallacy,

7:18 That a monotheist from any religion whatsoever

7:21 Is a Muslim believer,

7:23 Even if they remained upon their religion after the mission of our Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him.

7:30 They cite as evidence for their opinion His saying, the Almighty:

7:34 “Lo! Those who believe (in that which is revealed unto thee, Muhammad), and those who are Jews, and Christians, and Sabaeans - whoever believeth in Allah and the Last Day and doeth right - surely their reward is with their Lord, and there shall no fear come upon them neither shall they grieve.” (2:62)

7:39 "Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day and does righteousness,

7:44 They will have their reward with their Lord, and no fear will there be concerning them, nor will they grieve."

7:50 This is a deviant understanding,

7:52 Because the verse was revealed regarding those who died upon monotheism from among the Christians, Jews, or Sabians

7:58 Before the mission of the Prophet, peace be upon him.

8:02 As for after his mission, peace be upon him,

8:06 Everyone must believe in him and follow him.

8:10 It is not sufficient for them to be a monotheist while remaining on their religion and not following him, peace be upon him.

8:18 Because disbelief in Muhammad, peace be upon him, after his mission,

8:23 Is disbelief in Musa and 'Isa, peace be upon them.

8:27 For the Almighty said:

8:29 “When Allah made (His) covenant with the prophets, (He said): Behold that which I have given you of the Scripture and knowledge. And afterward there will come unto you a messenger, confirming that which ye possess. Ye shall believe in him and ye shall help him. He said: Do ye agree, and will ye take up My burden (which I lay upon you) in this (matter)? They answered: We agree. He said: Then bear ye witness. I will be a witness with you.” (3:81)

8:36 "Then there came to you a messenger confirming what is with you, so you must believe in him and support him."

8:44 He said, "Have you acknowledged and taken upon that My commitment?"

8:49 They said, "We have acknowledged."

8:51 “When Allah made (His) covenant with the prophets, (He said): Behold that which I have given you of the Scripture and knowledge. And afterward there will come unto you a messenger, confirming that which ye possess. Ye shall believe in him and ye shall help him. He said: Do ye agree, and will ye take up My burden (which I lay upon you) in this (matter)? They answered: We agree. He said: Then bear ye witness. I will be a witness with you.” (3:81)

8:55 And the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: "By the One in whose hand is the soul of Muhammad,

9:02 No one of this Ummah, Jew or Christian, hears of me,

9:07 Then dies without believing in that with which I was sent,

9:11 But they will be among the companions of the Fire."

9:14 Narrated by Muslim.

9:16 The meaning of faith and Islam when mentioned together and when mentioned separately.

9:25 The concept of faith and Islam falls under the well-known rule:

9:30 "When they are mentioned together, they are distinct; when they are mentioned separately, they are synonymous."

9:35 That is, the term "faith,"

9:37 If it is coupled with the term "Islam" in one verse or one hadith,

9:42 Then they differ in meaning.

9:45 The term "faith" expresses

9:47 Inner faith, consisting of affirmation, submission, acceptance, and heart-based beliefs.

9:54 And "Islam" expresses outward faith through the limbs and pillars.

9:59 But if they are mentioned separately,

10:02 For example, if the term "faith" appears in a verse without being coupled with "Islam," or vice versa,

10:09 Then they are synonymous in meaning.

10:13 It is faith and submission, both outwardly and inwardly.

10:17 An example of being coupled in mention:

10:21 The saying of Allah, the Almighty:

10:23 "The bedouins say, 'We have believed.'"

10:26 “The wandering Arabs say: We believe. Say (unto them, O Muhammad): Ye believe not, but rather say "We submit," for the faith hath not yet entered into your hearts. Yet, if ye obey Allah and His messenger, He will not withhold from you aught of (the reward of) your deeds. Lo! Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.” (49:14)

10:34 And His saying, the Almighty:

10:36 “Lo! men who surrender unto Allah, and women who surrender, and men who believe and women who believe, and men who obey and women who obey, and men who speak the truth and women who speak the truth, and men who persevere (in righteousness) and women who persevere, and men who are humble and women who are humble, and men who give alms and women who give alms, and men who fast and women who fast, and men who guard their modesty and women who guard (their modesty), and men who remember Allah much and women who remember - Allah hath prepared for them forgiveness and a vast reward.” (33:35)

10:42 And an example of being separate:

10:44 The saying of Allah, the Almighty, regarding faith:

10:47 “The (true) believers are those only who believe in Allah and His messenger and afterward doubt not, but strive with their wealth and their lives for the cause of Allah. Such are the sincere.” (49:15)

10:53 "And strive with their wealth and their lives in the cause of Allah.

10:58 Those are the truthful."

11:01 And His saying, the Almighty, regarding Islam:

11:04 “When his Lord said unto him: Surrender! he said: I have surrendered to the Lord of the Worlds.” (2:131)

11:07 “When his Lord said unto him: Surrender! he said: I have surrendered to the Lord of the Worlds.” (2:131)

11:11 The value of faith in life and its fruits.

11:15 First, the most important value of faith:

11:20 It is knowledge of the primary truth:

11:23 The existence of Allah, the Almighty.

11:25 That knowledge without which no other knowledge of the existence of anything else can be valid in the human soul.

11:34 Thus, one realizes that existence is the creation of Allah.

11:37 Consequently, the human interacts with the universe

11:40 While knowing its nature,

11:42 Just as they know the laws that govern it.

11:45 They coordinate their movement with the movement of this vast existence according to this understanding,

11:51 And do not deviate from its universal laws.

11:54 They find happiness in this harmony,

11:56 And proceed with the entire universe toward the Creator of existence,

12:00 In obedience, submission, and peace,

12:03 As a servant of Allah, monotheistic, with no partner.

12:08 That is a necessary quality for every human,

12:12 But it is most necessary for the community that leads humanity to the Creator of existence.

12:20 Second, the value of faith also lies in its realization of psychological tranquility,

12:27 Confidence in the path,

12:29 And the absence of confusion, hesitation, fear, or despair.

12:33 These are necessary qualities for every human on their journey on earth,

12:38 But they are most necessary for the leader who explores the path

12:43 And leads humanity on this path.

12:47 Third, the value of faith lies in detachment from desires, interests, agendas, and personal gains,

12:55 As the heart becomes attached to a goal beyond its own self.

12:59 One feels that they have no authority over the matter,

13:02 But rather it is the call of Allah, and they are merely a hired worker for Allah in it.

13:08 This feeling is most necessary for those entrusted with the task of leadership,

13:13 So that they do not despair if the straying flock turns away from them or if they are harmed in the cause of the call,

13:20 And they are not deluded if the masses respond to them or bow their necks to them, for they are but a hired worker.

13:28 Fourth, faith in Allah is evidence of the vitality of the innate nature (fitra) and the soundness of its receptive faculties,

13:36 Of the truthfulness of human perception and the vitality of the human structure,

13:42 And of a breadth in the field of sensing the truths of existence.

13:47 These are all qualifications for success in real life.

13:52 Fifth:

13:54 Faith in Allah is a surging, driving force

13:58 That gathers all aspects of human existence and directs them toward a single goal,

14:05 And releases them to derive their strength from the strength of Allah,

14:09 And to work toward fulfilling His will, may He be glorified and exalted,

14:13 in acting as stewards of the earth, cultivating it, and warding off corruption and strife from it,

14:18 and in advancing and developing life,

14:21 while realizing the reality of its transience and the permanence of the Hereafter.

14:25 Thus, one directs their worldly labor toward a desire for the Hereafter.

14:29 This is also among the qualifications for success in practical life.

14:35 Sixth:

14:37 Faith in Allah is a liberation from servitude to whims and from servitude to fellow creatures.

14:44 There is no doubt that the human being who is liberated through servitude to Allah

14:49 is more capable of a righteous and sound stewardship of the earth.

14:54 Seventh:

14:55 Faith is the foundation of virtues and the bridle of vices,

15:00 the strength of conscience and the support of resolve in times of hardship,

15:04 the balm of patience during calamities,

15:07 the pillar of contentment and satisfaction with one's lot,

15:10 the light of hope in the breasts,

15:13 and the solace and tranquility of souls when life becomes desolate.

15:17 It is the consolation of hearts when death descends or its days draw near,

15:22 and the firmest bond between humanity and its noble ideals.

15:27 Eighth:

15:28 By losing faith, we become the most unfortunate in life,

15:33 and the lowest in rank on the scale of creation,

15:36 lower than the humblest beasts, the most contemptible insects, and the fiercest predators.

15:41 For beasts hunger as we hunger,

15:45 yet they are free from the anxiety of provision, the fear of poverty, and the humiliation of begging.

15:51 They give birth as we give birth,

15:53 and they lose their young as we lose ours,

15:56 yet they are at rest from the panic of bereavement and the fear of orphanhood.

16:01 They suffer in their bodies as we suffer,

16:05 yet they are at rest from that which consumes hearts, severs ties of kinship, and divides the community,

16:11 such as envy, lying, and slander.

16:14 They fall ill as we fall ill and die as we die,

16:18 yet they are at rest from contemplating the consequences of death.

16:23 If we do not have faith that consoles us, satisfies us, and comforts us,

16:28 we would be more wretched and more misguided than the speechless animals.

16:33 Allah the Almighty spoke the truth when He said, describing the disbelievers:

16:37 “Or deemest thou that most of them hear or understand? They are but as the cattle - nay, but they are farther astray?” (25:44)

16:42 ﴾They are only like livestock; nay, they are even further astray in their path.﴿

16:47 Faith in the Unseen regulates the relationship between reason and revelation.

16:53 Faith in the Unseen is the trunk of the tree of faith, which cannot stand without it.

17:00 For faith in Allah, may He be glorified and exalted,

17:03 and in His angels, His books, His messengers, the Last Day, and the divine decree,

17:08 is rooted entirely in faith in the Unseen.

17:11 It is the submission to the reports that have come in the Qur'an and the authentic Sunnah regarding these six pillars.

17:18 It is the certainty that reason has its limits in perception, and upon it—

17:23 for reason is subordinate to revelation.

17:25 Its role is to comprehend from Allah and His Messenger and to reflect upon the texts of the two revelations,

17:30 and to worship Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, by believing in them and their implications.

17:37 Sound reason does not conflict with explicit revelation.

17:41 If any apparent conflict arises,

17:43 its cause is either a corruption in reason and perception,

17:47 or that the report is not authentic or not explicit.

17:51 Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, has described His pious servants by saying:

17:56 “Who believe in the Unseen, and establish worship, and spend of that We have bestowed upon them;” (2:3)

18:03 This is the way of the salaf, may Allah have mercy upon them,

18:06 as they prioritize revelation over reason.

18:09 They benefit from the blessing of reason by reflecting upon the verses and increasing their faith,

18:15 and by preparing for the bliss in the Hereafter that Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, has promised His servants,

18:20 as a reward for righteous deeds,

18:23 or for the punishment with which Allah has threatened the wrongdoers,

18:27 so they distance themselves from its causes and what leads to it.

18:31 The role of reason is to receive from Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, and from His Messenger, peace be upon him,

18:38 and to submit to what it receives,

18:40 not to act as a judge over the texts of the two revelations,

18:44 taking from them what it wills and leaving what it wills.

18:48 The meaning of this religion addressing reason

18:51 is that it awakens, directs, and purifies it, and establishes for it a correct methodology for observation and thought,

18:59 not that it allows it to judge the validity or invalidity of its legislations.

19:04 Once the text is established, it is the authority,

19:08 and it is upon human reason to accept the text, submit to it, and implement it,

19:13 whether it perceives the wisdom behind it or not.

19:17 For revelation is from Allah, the All-Knowing, the All-Aware,

19:20 and reason is not a deity that judges validity or invalidity,

19:24 or acceptance or rejection of what has come from Allah.

19:28 By failing to grasp the correct role of reason, much confusion occurs,

19:34 whether from those who wish to deify human reason

19:37 and make it a judge over the texts,

19:40 or from those who wish to abolish reason

19:43 and deny its role in faith, guidance, and deduction.

19:47 Summary of the concepts of the Ahl al-Sunnah.

Summary of Sunni concepts | 14- Concepts about faith and Islam | Concepts (205-212)

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