Conditions of faith in Islam
It should be known to you, my Muslim brother, may Allah have mercy upon you and us, that the three principles it is due on every Muslim to learn, be he man or woman: to know his Lord, his religion, and his Prophet Muhammad, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.
- Categories: Aqeedah (Islamic Faith) -
All perfect praise be to Allah; and may Allah send blessing and peace upon the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, his family, Companions and those who take him as an ally. To go further:
It should be known to you, my Muslim brother, may Allah have mercy upon you and us, that the three principles it is due on every Muslim to learn, be he man or woman: to know his Lord, his religion, and his Prophet Muhammad, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.
Our Lord is Allah Almighty, Who cherishes and sustains us as well as all the worlds with His favors. He is the One Whom we worship, and we have none to worship other than Him.
Our religion is Islam; that is to surrender to Allah by Tawhid (monotheism, i.e. to affirm His Oneness), submit to Him by obedience, and dissociate from Shirk (polytheism) and its men (polytheists).
Our Prophet is Muhammad, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, Ibn ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Abdul-Muttalib Ibn Hashim; and Hashim belongs to the Quraish, and the Quraish people belong to the Arabs, and the Arabs are the descendants of Ishmael Ibn Abraham Al-Khalil, peace be upon them.
The foundation of religion consists of two things:
The first is to enjoin the worship of Allah Alone, with Whom there is no partner, persist in doing so, take as allies such as do so, and render disbelievers such as do not do so.
The other is to warn of ascribing partners to Allah in worship, be severe in doing so, and take as enemies such as do so.
The conditions of the testimony that ‘there is no deity except for Allah’
1- Knowledge of its meaning, in terms of negation (of any deity other than Allah), and affirmation (of godhood to Allah Alone), so that the heart should know well what is uttered by the tongue.
In confirmation of that, Allah Almighty says (what means):
- “So know, [O Muhammad], that there is no deity except Allah [Muhammad 47:19]
Transliteration: FaiAAlam annahu la ilaha illa Allahu
- “but only those who testify to the truth [can benefit], and they know.” [Az-Zukhruf 43:86]
Transliteration: illa man shahida bialhaqqi wahum yaAAlamoona
The Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “He, who dies and he knows (and has faith in the fact) that there is no deity except for Allah would enter Paradise.” [Muslim]
It means, there is none worthy of worship except for Allah Almighty. Worship applies to everything Allah loves and is pleased with, concerning apparent and hidden word and deed.
2- Certainty (of faith): that is, the perfect knowledge of it, which is opposed to any doubt and suspicion.
In confirmation of that, Allah Almighty says (what means): “The believers are only the ones who have believed in Allah and His Messenger and then doubt not but strive with their properties and their lives in the cause of Allah. It is those who are the truthful.” [Al-Hujurat 49:15]
Transliteration: Innama almuminoona allatheena amanoo biAllahi warasoolihi thumma lam yartaboo wajahadoo biamwalihim waanfusihim fee sabeeli Allahi olaika humu alssadiqoona
The Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “I testify that there is no deity except for Allah, and that I am the Messenger of Allah: no servant meets Allah with (faith in) them, having no doubt in them but that he shall enter Paradise.” [Muslim]
3- Sincerity (to Allah Alone) that is opposed to association (of anything with Allah).
In confirmation of that, Allah Almighty says (what means):
- “Unquestionably, for Allah is the pure religion.” [Az-Zumur 39:3]
Transliteration: Ala lillahi alddeenu alkhalisu
- “And they were not commanded except to worship Allah , [being] sincere to Him in religion, inclining to truth.” [Al-Bayyina 98:5]
Transliteration: Wama omiroo illa liyaAAbudoo Allaha mukhliseena lahu alddeena hunafaa
The Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “The luckiest among the people to have my intercession on the Day of Judgment will be the one who said sincerely, from the bottom of his heart or soul: ‘There is no deity except for Allah’.” [Al-Bukhari]
4- Love: for this testification and its implications and pleasure with that.
In confirmation of that, Allah Almighty says (what means): “And [yet], among the people are those who take other than Allah as equals [to Him]. They love them as they [should] love Allah . But those who believe are stronger in love for Allah.” [Al-Baqara 2:165]
Transliteration: Wamina alnnasi man yattakhithu min dooni Allahi andadan yuhibboonahum kahubbi Allahi waallatheena amanoo ashaddu hubban lillahi
The Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “Whoever possesses the following three qualities will have the sweetness (delight) of faith: the one to whom Allah and His Messenger become dearer than anything else; who loves a person and he loves him only for Allah's sake; and who hates to revert to disbelief as he hates to be thrown into the fire (of Hell)." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
5- Truth that is opposed to falsehood and against hypocrisy.
In confirmation of that, Allah Almighty says (what means):
- “and Allah will surely make evident those who are truthful, and He will surely make evident the liars.” [Al-Ankaboot 29:3]
Transliteration: falayaAAlamanna Allahu allatheena sadaqoo walayaAAlamanna alkathibeena
- “And the one who has brought the truth and [they who] believed in it - those are the righteous.” [Az-Zumur 39:33]
Transliteration: Waallathee jaa bialssidqi wasaddaqa bihi olaika humu almuttaqoona
The Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “He, who dies and he testifies, truthfully, from the bottom of his heart, that there is no deity except for Allah, and that Muhammad, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is the Messenger of Allah, shall enter Paradise.” [Ahmad]
6- Compliance with its rights, i.e. the obligatory deeds to be done with sincerity to Allah Alone, and seeking His good pleasure.
In confirmation of that, Allah Almighty says (what means):
- “And return [in repentance] to your Lord and submit to Him.” [Az-Zumur 39:54]
Transliteration: Waaneeboo ila rabbikum waaslimoo lahu
- “And whoever submits his face to Allah while he is a doer of good - then he has grasped the most trustworthy handhold.” [Luqman 31:22]
Transliteration: Waman yuslim wajhahu ila Allahi wahuwa muhsinun faqadi istamsaka bialAAurwati alwuthqa
7- Acceptance that is opposed to rejection. Although one who knows it may say it, he may not accept it from him who calls him to say it, out of fanaticism or arrogance.
In confirmation of that, Allah Almighty says (what means): “Indeed they, when it was said to them, "There is no deity but Allah," were arrogant” [As-Saffat 37:35]
Transliteration: Innahum kanoo itha qeela lahum la ilaha illa Allahu yastakbiroona
Nullifiers of Islam
It should be known to you, my Muslim brother, may Allah teach you and us, that the nullifiers of Islam are ten:
1- To associate partners with Allah in worship. Allah Almighty says (what means): “Indeed, Allah does not forgive association with Him, but He forgives what is less than that for whom He wills.” [An-Nisaa’ 4:116]
Transliteration: Inna Allaha la yaghfiru an yushraka bihi wayaghfiru ma doona thalika liman yashao
This implies to slaughter for others than Allah Almighty, like the jinn or the grave.
2- To hold between one and Allah Almighty intermediaries to invoke, ask and rely on.
3- Whoever neither renders disbelievers, nor has doubt in the disbelief, nor modifies the doctrine of the polytheists, has indeed disbelieved.
4- Whoever believes that the guidance of others than the Prophet, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is more perfect than his guidance, or that the judgement of others is better than his judgment, like the one who gives preference to the judgment of the evil ones over the judgement of the Prophet, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, has indeed disbelieved.
5- Whoever hates anything brought by the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, has indeed disbelieved, even if he acts upon it.
6- Whoever ridicules anything of the religion, or of its reward or punishment, is a disbeliever. In confirmation of that, Allah Almighty says (what means): “Say, "Is it Allah and His verses and His Messenger that you were mocking?" Make no excuse; you have disbelieved after your belief.” [At-Tawba 9:65-66]
Transliteration: qul abiAllahi waayatihi warasoolihi kuntum tastahzioona (65) La taAAtathiroo qad kafartum baAAda eemanikum
7- Magic: whoever does or approves it has indeed disbelieved. Allah Almighty says (what means): “But the two angels do not teach anyone unless they say, "We are a trial, so do not disbelieve [by practicing magic]."” [Al-Baqara 2:102]
Transliteration: wama yuAAallimani min ahadin hatta yaqoola innama nahnu fitnatun fala takfur
8- To back and help the polytheists against the Muslims. Allah Almighty says (what means): “And whoever is an ally to them among you - then indeed, he is [one] of them. Indeed, Allah guides not the wrongdoing people.” [Al-Ma’ida 5:51]
Transliteration: waman yatawallahum minkum fainnahu minhum inna Allaha la yahdee alqawma alththalimeena
9- Whoever thinks that it is possible for anyone to leave the ordinance of Muhammad, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is a disbeliever.
10- To turn away from the religion of Allah: neither to learn nor to act upon it. Allah Almighty says (what means): “And who is more unjust than one who is reminded of the verses of his Lord; then he turns away from them? Indeed We, from the criminals, will take retribution.” [As-Sajda 32:22]
Transliteration: Waman athlamu mimman thukkira biayati rabbihi thumma aAArada AAanha inna mina almujrimeena muntaqimoona
It should be known to you, my Muslim brother, may Allah guide you to the truth, that in all of those nullifiers, there is no difference between the one who is joking, the one who is serious, and the one who is fearful, unless one is coerced.
All of them are very risky, and, more often, take place. So, a Muslim has to beware of them, and fear them for himself. We seek refuge with Allah from the things that bring about His wrath and painful punishment.
And may Allah send blessing and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, his family and Companions
Translated by Wathakker.net website