Mukhtārāt min Zād Al-Ma’ād – Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymīn
Translated by Abū Humayd
Allah says:
قَالَتِ ٱلۡأَعۡرَابُ ءَامَنَّاۖ قُل لَّمۡ تُؤۡمِنُواْ وَلَـٰكِن قُولُوٓاْ أَسۡلَمۡنَا
The bedouins say: “We believe.” Say: “You believe not but you only say, ‘We have surrendered (in Islaam),’ (Al-Hujuraat: 14)
What is the meaning of this verse? And is there a difference between Eemaan and Islaam? (If so) what is it?
Shaykh Saalih Al-Fawzaan answered:
The religion is of three levels:
The first is Al-Islaam, higher than that is Al-Eemaan and higher than that is Al-Ihsaan, just as has been reported in the Hadeeth of Jibreel (alayhis salaatu was salaam), when he asked the Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) about these levels and the Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) answered regarding every level and at the end of the hadeeth, he (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) said:
“This is Jibreel, he came to you to teach you your religion.”
Verily, he mentioned these levels beginning with the lowest, then that which is higher, and that which is above that.
So, the Bedouins (mentioned in above verse) came to the Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) when they had first entered Islaam and claimed a level for themselves which they hadn’t yet reached, Muslims came and claimed the level of Eemaan and it was a level that they hadn’t reached yet and due to this Allah replied to them with his statement:
قَالَتِ ٱلۡأَعۡرَابُ ءَامَنَّاۖ قُل لَّمۡ تُؤۡمِنُواْ وَلَـٰكِن قُولُوٓاْ أَسۡلَمۡنَا وَلَمَّا يَدۡخُلِ ٱلۡإِيمَـٰنُ فِى قُلُوبِكُمۡۖ
The bedouins say: “We believe.” Say: “You believe not but you only say, ‘We have surrendered (in Islâm),’ for Faith has not yet entered your hearts. (Al-Hujuraat: 14)
So, they were at the beginning (of their religion) and eemaan hadn’t been firmly established in their hearts, and if they did have eemaan it was weak eemaan, or a small amount of eemaan.
The benefit derived from this statement of Allah:
وَلَمَّا يَدۡخُلِ ٱلۡإِيمَـٰنُ فِى قُلُوبِكُمۡۖ
Faith has not yet entered your hearts. (Al-Hujuraat: 14)
is that Eemaan will enter (their hearts) in the future and they were not disbelievers or hypocrites, rather they were Muslims and they had something from eemaan, however it was as small amount and did not justify them being called Muminoon (possessors of eemaan), however eemaan would firmly establish in their hearts later, due to His statement:
وَلَمَّا يَدۡخُلِ ٱلۡإِيمَـٰنُ فِى قُلُوبِكُمۡۖ
Faith has not yet entered your hearts. (Al-Hujuraat: 14)
And if Al-Islaam and Al-Eemaan are mentioned together, then each one takes a different meaning, Islaam then has a specific meaning as does Eemaan, as is in the Hadeeth of Jibreel (alayhis salaam), that he asked the Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) about Islaam and he (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) said:
“Islaam is to testify that there is no deity truly deserving of worship, except Allah alone, and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, to establish the prayer, pay the zakaah, to fast the month of Ramadhaan and to make pilgrimage to the house (Kaaba), if you have the ability.” (1)
And he was asked about Eemaan, so he (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) said,
“Al-Eemaan is to believe in Allah, and His Angels, His Books, His Messengers and the Last Day and to believe in the Decree, the good of it and the bad of it.”(2)
So, based upon this: Al-Islaam is outward compliance and Al-Eemaan is inward compliance, if they are mentioned together.
As for if Al-Islaam is mentioned alone, or Al-Eemaan is mentioned alone, then the meaning of one enters the other; if Al-Islaam only is mentioned, then the meaning of Al-Eemaan enters it and if Al-Eemaan is mentioned only, then the meaning of Al-Islaam enters it. The people of knowledge have said, if they are mentioned together they are separate (in meaning), and if they are mentioned separate they are together (in meaning).
Al-Eemaan according to Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jamaa’ah is: Speech of the tongue, action of the limbs and belief of the heart, based on this definition, the meaning of Al-Islaam is included into Al-Eemaan; statement of the tongue, action of the limbs (Al-Islaam i.e. outward compliance) and belief of the heart (Al-Eemaan i.e. inward compliance).
Paraphrased from Majmoo’ Fataawa of Shaykh Saalih Al-Fawzaan (hafidahullah) Vol. 1 Page 11-12
(1) Bukhaari: Hadith number 50 & 4777. Muslim Hadith number 8
(2) Ibid.
Shaykh Saalih Al-Fawzaan (hafidahullah) was asked:
In our country, we know that every act of worship must have an intention for it. Due to this, then it’s a must to pronounce the intention before commencing the prayer (or any other act of worship). So, if this is not allowed, or is an innovation, then what is the meaning of the hadeeth: “Verily actions are by intentions…”?
The Shaykh answered:
Yes. Every action requires an intention, due to the hadeeth that you mentioned; that the Messenger (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) said
“Verily actions are by intentions, and for every person is what he intended.” (1)
However the meaning (of this) is not to pronounce the intention verbally. The meaning is that you believe and intend with your heart, the performance of worship sincerely for Allah (azza wa jal)- and suffice with this.
Therefore the place of intention is the heart and not the tongue. Pronouncing the intention is an innovation, because it is not (authentically) established from the Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam); or from his Rightly-Guided Caliphs; or his Companions; or the Virtuous Generations.
It is not established that they would pronounce the intention, for indeed the place of intention is only the heart. Allah says:
قُلۡ أَتُعَلِّمُونَ ٱللَّهَ بِدِينِڪُمۡ وَٱللَّهُ يَعۡلَمُ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِۚ وَٱللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَىۡءٍ عَلِيمٌ۬ (الحُجرَات:16)
Say: “Will you inform Allâh of your religion While Allâh knows all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth, and Allâh is All-Aware of everything”. (Al-Hujuraat: 16)
So, if you intend with your heart, then Allah knows; and he does not need that you pronounce (your intention) with your tongue.
Slightly paraphrased from Majmoo’ Fataawa of Shaykh Saalih Al-Fawzaan (hafidahullah) Vol. 2 Page 675
(1) Al-Bukhaari Hadith Nos: 1, Muslilm: 1907
On the Authority of Abdullah ibn Masood who said:
“Whoever wants to know if he loves Allah and His Messenger then let him look! If he loves the Quraan (reciting it, acting upon it), then indeed he loves Allah and His Messenger (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam).”
Shu’ab al-Eemaan lil Bayhaqee 1861
Yahya ibn Mu’aadh (rahimahullah) said:
He is not truthful, (the one) who claims to love Allah, whilst he isn’t mindful of the limits ordained by Allah.
Istinshaaq Naseem al-Anas Page 32
Ibnul Mubaarak (rahimhullah) said: “The first (stage) of knowledge is the intention, then listening, then understanding, then memorisation, then action, then dissemination.”
Jaami’ Bayaan Al-ilm wa Fadlih
Vol 1 pg 118
Shaikh Saaleh Al-Fawzaan [may Allaah preserve him] said:
None violates the honour of the scholars who are upon the truth, except one of three [people]: Either a hypocrite known for [his] hypocrisy, or an evil sinner who hates the scholars because they prevent him from his sinful [acts] of disobedience, or a misguided hizbi who hates the scholars because they neither agree with his hizbiyyah nor with his deviated views.
Al-Ajwibah Al-Mufeedah page 51 and Muhaadaraat Fil Aqeedah Wad-Dawa 2/190]
Ammaar Bin Yaasir (radiyallaahu-anhu) said:
Death is enough as an admonition, certainty is enough as richness and worship is enough as an occupation.
[Jaami-ul Uloom Wal-Hikam: 308]
Question: Is it permissible for a person to say about a dead person, “Fulaan [i.e. such and such] is Marhoom [i.e. he has been forgiven or bestowed with mercy] or my father is Marhoom [i.e. he has been forgiven or bestowed with mercy]?”
Answer: The statement Al-Marhoom [i.e. the one forgiven or bestowed with mercy] is not permissible to be uttered about a dead person, rather it is to be said: ‘’Rahimahullaah [may Allaah have mercy upon him]- because the first statement [i.e. al-Marhoom] is information given by the speaker whilst he is not aware of the true state of affairs [of the dead person], rather Allaah is the [only] One who knows about it.
[Fataawaa Al-lajnah Ad-Daa-imah 9/141]
Abu Ad-Dardaa [radiyallaahu-anhu] said:
Supplicate to Allaah in your times of ease and He will answer your supplication in your times of difficulty.” A man said to him, ‘’Advise me.” So he said to him, ‘’Remember Allaah in times of ease and He [The Mighty and Majestic] will remember you when you are in difficulty.”
[Jaami-ul Uloom Wal-Hikam: page:203]