The second quality is having iman (faith). This is the inner facet of religion and here it implies the full faith one has about the promises of God together with His true cognizance. Thus a person who believes in God in such a manner that he submits himself totally to him and is satisfied over His decisions in the utmost manner, then such a person is called a mumin (true believer). It is through iman that hearts are purified, intellect receives guidance and intentions are cleansed. It is this faith which affects both one’s ideologies and one’s deeds simultaneously and embraces one’s whole being. Then with the remembrance of God, with reciting His revelations and with the manifestation of His signs in the world within a person and that outside, his faith grows. The Quran says:

إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ الَّذِينَ إِذَا ذُكِرَ اللّهُ وَجِلَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَإِذَا تُلِيَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ آيَاتُهُ زَادَتْهُمْ إِيمَانًا وَعَلَى رَبِّهِمْ يَتَوَكَّلُونَ (2:8)

True believers are those whose hearts are filled with awe at the mention of God, and whose faith grows stronger as they listen to His revelations and who trust in God alone. (8:2)

The Prophet (sws) is reported to have said that he gained sweetness of faith who was pleased to accept God as Lord, Islam as religion and Muhammad as prophet. [1] The Quran has compared faith to a tree whose roots are deep in the soil and branches spread in the vastness of the sky:

أَلَمْ تَرَ كَيْفَ ضَرَبَ اللّهُ مَثَلاً كَلِمَةً طَيِّبَةً كَشَجَرةٍ طَيِّبَةٍ أَصْلُهَا ثَابِتٌ وَفَرْعُهَا فِي السَّمَاء تُؤْتِي أُكُلَهَا كُلَّ حِينٍ بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهَا وَيَضْرِبُ اللّهُ الأَمْثَالَ لِلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَذَكَّرُونَ (14: 24-25)

Have you not reflected how God has mentioned the example of the word of purity? Its example is like that of a pure tree whose roots are deep in the earth and branches are spread in the sky; it yields its fruit in every season by the directive of God. [This is a parable of the pure word] and God mentions such parables to men so that they may take heed. (14:24-25)

While explaining these verses, Imam Amin Ahsan Islahi has written:

In the verse, the expression “word of purity” obviously refers to the “word of faith”. It is compared by the Almighty to a fruit-laden tree whose roots are firmly implanted in the soil and whose branches are nicely spread in the sky and it is bearing fruit in every season with the blessing of its Lord. Its roots being deeply implanted in the soil refers to the fact that faith is deeply and firmly implanted in human nature and that it is not like a plant which has sprouted from dung which has no root and a slight calamity can uproot it like the word of disbelief about which the Qur’an has used the words إِجْتُـثَّتْ مِنْ فُوْقِ الأَرْضَ مَا لَهَا مِنْ قَرَار (14: 26) (which can be uprooted from the very surface of the earth; it has no stability, (14:26)). On the other hand, like a strong tree it has firm and deeply set roots so that even if a storm passes upon it, it is not disturbed by the slightest. The verse goes on to describe that it is lavishly fruit-laden and that it is not like a barren tree which neither provides anyone with shade nor with fruit. Its spaciously spread branches in the sky provide shade to caravans and in every season obtain sustenance and nourishment from its fruit. This obviously refers to the blessings and benefits which a believer bestows on his own life and through it on others who in some way come in his contact. These blessings and benefits by nature are both ideological as well as practical. They bear witness to a person’s faith and through it a person becomes dear to God and attains His nearness.[2]

It is this faith whose aforementioned requirement is statedin the Quran that nothing in this world should be dearer to a true believer than faith. The Quran says:

قُلْ إِن كَانَ آبَاؤُكُمْ وَأَبْنَآؤُكُمْ وَإِخْوَانُكُمْ وَأَزْوَاجُكُمْ وَعَشِيرَتُكُمْ وَأَمْوَالٌ اقْتَرَفْتُمُوهَا وَتِجَارَةٌ تَخْشَوْنَ كَسَادَهَا وَمَسَاكِنُ تَرْضَوْنَهَا أَحَبَّ إِلَيْكُم مِّنَ اللّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَجِهَادٍ فِي سَبِيلِهِ فَتَرَبَّصُواْ حَتَّى يَأْتِيَ اللّهُ بِأَمْرِهِ وَاللّهُ لاَ يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الْفَاسِقِينَ (24:9)

[O Prophet!] Tell them: “If your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your wives, your tribes, the wealth you have acquired, the merchandise you fear may not be sold, and the homes you like, are dearer to you than God, His Prophet and the struggle for His cause, then wait until God makes His Judgement and [remember that] God does not guide such people who break their promises.” (9:24)

The Prophet (sws) has explained this reality in various ways. He has said that no one can be a true believer unless he loves the Prophet (sws) more than his children, parents and relatives. [3] At another instance, he has remarked that it is this love with God and the Prophet (sws) after which a person can be aware of the real taste of faith. [4]

But what is the nature of this love? Since there are a lot of misconceptions about it and people have gone to the two extremes in this regard, it is appropriate that one understands it. Imam Amin Ahsan Islahi writes:

… it does not merely imply the passionate love one naturally has for one’s wife, children and other relatives, but it also refers to the love on the basis of intellect and principles for some viewpoint and stance. It is because of this love that a person, in every sphere of life, gives priority to this viewpoint and principle. For it, he sacrifices everything – every directive and desire and every other viewpoint and principle but never sacrifices this for anything of the world. To uphold this viewpoint and principle, he holds every other thing as inferior and subservient but in no way puts up with seeing it inferior and subservient. If his own desires oppose this viewpoint, he fights with them. So much so, if the demands of his wife, children and relatives clash with the demands of this viewpoint, he adheres to it and without any hesitation turns down the desires of his wife and children and the demands of his family and clan.[5]

This is the essence of Iman and Islam which has come out from the tongue of the Prophet (sws) in the form of a sublime prayer:

أَللَّهُمَّ أَسْلَمْتُ وَجْهِي إِلِيْكَ وَفَوَضَّتُ أَمْرِيِ إِلِيْكَ وَأَلْجَأْتُظَهْرِيْ إِليِْكَ رَغْبَةً وَرَهْبَةً إِلِيْكَ لاَ مَلْجَأ وَلاَ مَنْجَى مِنْكَ إِلاَّ إِلِيْكَ أَللَّهُمَّ آمَنْتُ بِكِتاَبِكَ الذَّي أَنْزَلْتَ وَبِنَبِيِّكَ الذَّيِ أَرْسَلْتَ

O God! I have resigned myself to You and I have consigned my matter to you and have taken support from You fearing Your grandeur and moving towards You in anticipation. There is no refuge and shelter after running away from You, and if there is, it is with You. Lord! I have professed faith in your Book which You have revealed and have professed faith in the Prophet you have sent as a Messenger.[6]

(Javed Ahmed Ghamidi)

(Translated by Dr. Shehzad Saleem)

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[1]. Muslim, Al-Jami‘ al-sahih, 38, (no. 151).

[2]. Amin Ahsan Islahi, Tazkiyah-i nafs, 325.

[3]. Al-Bukhari, Al-Jami‘ al-sahih,6, (no. 15); Muslim, Al-Jami‘ al-sahih,41, (no. 169).

[4]. Al-Bukhari, Al-Jami‘ al-sahih,6-7, (nos. 16, 21); Muslim, Al-Jami‘ al-sahih,40, (no. 165).

[5]. Amin Ahsan Islahi, Tazkiyah-i nafs, 119.

[6]. Al-Bukhari, Al-Jami‘ al-sahih,45, (no. 247).