| 18 June 2010
In Fathul-al-Bari (a famous commentary on Sahih-Bukhari, by Hafiz Hajar Asqalaani), some important points have been brought to our notice on the subject of Iman and Islam. Following is the resume of the same.
Belief can be revived for time being for the reason, that the worldly entanglements sometimes divert us from the taste of Iman. Hazrat Ma’az Ibn Jabal (RA) used to say: “Come let us (revive) our belief for sometime” and Hazrat Ibn Masa’od (RA) used to say: “Certitude (yaqeen) is the complete belief”. Ibn Umar (RA) said: “A servant will never reach to the essence of piety, unless he abandons that which perturbs his heart”. 1/(P.45).
From the literal point of view “Iman” means confirmation, but from the Shariah point of view, it is confirmation of the message of the prophet (SAW) which he has received from His Lord. This much about Iman has been endorsed by all the religious scholars of Islam and about the details; there has arisen a difference of opinion.
Bukhari says that ‘Iman’ consists of belief and actions and is subject to decrease and increase. The statement of Bukhari that ‘Iman’ consists of utterance and action and secondly that it is subject to increase and decrease as explained by Hajar Asqalaani by saying that ‘utterance’ indicates two things confirmations and action is wider in its meaning than an act of heart and bodily organs, it includes belief and prayers also. The ancestors (salaf) used to say that it consists of action utterance and belief. The difference between him and the salaf is that they have made actions a condition of its (Iman’s) authenticity, while as he of its (Iman’s) completion. But Asqalaani regards Iman to be only confirmation. Therefore, a person, who makes a verbal confession, worldly commandments will be applicable on him and he will not be decreed as an infidel, unless he commits a sin amounting to him blasphemy like prostration before an idol etc. In this case if an act of infidelity is not committed by him, but only an act of capital sin is committed by him, still the denomination of belief will be applicable on him, observing to his verbal confession of the belief, and in case the belief is negated from him, it will amount to complete negation of belief only not its negation as such. In the same way any attribution of infidelity to him will be only tantamount to his performance of an act blasphemous, which will not render him an infidel in real sense of the word, but practical infidelity, despite his verbal confession of the faith, will be ascribed to him.
The Mutazilites have taken to the middle course and they say: “A man, who acts wrongly (Fasiq), he is neither a believer nor an infidel”. The second point is concerned the salaf who have held that belief is subject to increase and decrease. While as the Mutakallimin (scholastics of Islam) have denied this statement of the salf and claimed: “When the (Iman) was scepticism’ (if it is subject to increase and decrease).
Sheikh Mohiuddin says that it is quite evident that endorsement (Tasdeeq) increases and decreases by the availability of good number of observation (al-nazar) and explicit arguments (wazuhul-al-Addilah). It was because of this reason that the belief of Hazrat Abu Bakr (RA) was stronger than others, as this belief was never touched up by any suspicion. Everybody was supporting that whatever he cherishes in his heart is superior to others. In some situations belief of a person is more in certainty, purity, authentication and trustworthiness from other situation as is experienced by a believer.
In the same way, in case of Tasdeeq and Ma’rifah (endorsement and gnosis) in the sense of support arguments, it excels from other conditions. Such type of arguments are found in Muhammad. Ibn Nasr Marugi’s book Ta’azim Qadr-I-al-Salah.
Moreover, Abdur Razzaq in his Mussanaff has narrated such statements from people like Sufiyan Thuri, Malik Ibn Anas, Al-Auzaie and others. Similar views are found in Abul Qasim al-Lakayees’ book Kitab-ul-Sunnah which he has reported from Shafi, Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, Ishaq Ibn Rahwiyah, etc. From Bukhari a narration has been reported from authentic sources that he said:
“I met more than a thousand scholars in different cities of the world, and I did not happen to meet even a single person amongst then, who denied that belief is consisting of utterance and action and that it is subject to increase and decrease”.
Abul Abbas al-Asm narrates that Rabiah told us: I have heard Shafie saying: “Belief is utterance (Qoul) and action. (Amal) and subject to increase and decrease”. However, Abu Nain has added that: (Shafie believed that Iman) “…increases with obedience and decreases by disobedience” and then he recited the Quranic verse… “The belief of the believers was increased….”2/ (P.48).
In commentary of the statement of Hazrat Ibrahim (AS): Walakin liyatminana Qalbi, Ibn Jareer on the sound authority of Abu Said says: “It means that Ibrahim said that his certitude (of Iman) should increase”, while as Mujahid says: “Belief should get added to my belief Li Aadad Imanan Ila Imani.
When this has been established about Ibrahim (AS), since we have been commanded to follow the path of Ibrahim (AS) that is just established in case of our Prophet (SAW) also.
So far as the Maiz Ibn Jabal’s (RA) statement Ta’al Nominu S’aatan is concerned, it indicates renewal of the belief. Because the first coming to belief of a man is obligatory, then he will be reviving his belief all along, with every consideration for belief or thought thereof. Thus the revival of belief itself is a belief. So far as Bukhari’s mention of the Ibn Masud’s (RA) statement (Al-yaqeen-al-Iman) is concerned, it is an appendix of one of the report from Tabrani and its second part is “As-sads-u nisful-al Iman”. About ‘Iman’ Ahmad has narrated on the authority of Abdullah Ibn Akeen from Ibn Masud, who used to say: Allahuma Zidna Imanan wa yaqeenan wa fuqahan i.e. Oh! Allah increase us in belief, in certitude and understanding. The chain of narrators of this Hadith is very sound and it is quite explicit in its connotations, though Bukhari has not made mention of it.3/ (P.48).
Hajar Asqalaani strikes a note of caution here and says that there may be someone who claims on the basis of the report that belief is just a confirmation (of the truth) (Al-Tasdeeq)? I will reply to such a person the intention of Ibn Masud was when he said Al-yaqeenu hua aslul-al-Iman and when the heart is certain about (it), the organs of a man will hasten to face Allah with the pious deeds. Sufiyan Thuri has gone to extent of saying: “If certainty and certitude has settled into someone’s heart as it should settle he would hasten with zeal and zest to go to (perform actions which lead to) paradise and remain away from the (practices, which lead to hell-fire)”.
Shafi and Ahmad include actions in the fabric of belief on the basis of this verse (Wa man Umiru Ila Liyabudu Allah …”). 4/(P.48). However, the application of “Din” on the place of “Iman” is quite pertinent according to Al-Asqalani. (P.69).
Ibn Bital has brought a very important thing to our notice that the difference between the confirmations (Tasdeeq) of (the people) depends on the courage and natures of the people. A person whose knowledge is lesser, his confirmation will accordingly be equivalent to a particle and a person who is excellent in knowledge, his confirmation will figure accordingly. In this sense the root of the confirmation is found in everyone amongst them, which defies any decrease; however, in subject to increase by dent of the increase in knowledge all connotations.5/ (P.113).