Imaan

[shamsu]

Found this hidden in Ismaili.net


A chapter from Da ' aim al-Islam of Qadi al-Nu'man

On the difference between 'Islam' (submission) and 'Iman' (faith),
Allah the Most High says in the Holy Qur'an: "The Arabs of the desert declare: We are true believers'. Say (to them O Muhammad!): ' You are not. Rather say: We profess Islam, for faith has not yet found its way into your heart'." - Ch. 49 : v. 14.

And again Allah says:

"They regard it as a favor to you that they embraced Islam. Say (to them O Muhammad!): 'In accepting Islam you have conferred on me no favor. It was Allah Who bestowed a favor on you in guiding you to the true faith. Admit this, if you are men of truth'." - Ch. 49 : v.17

Yet in another verse, Allah says:
"We saved all the faithful in the town - We found but one household of true believers." - Ch. 51 : v.35.
It is obvious from the above verses that IMAN (faith) is a different thing altogether. To say, as some believe, that IMAN (faith) and Islam (submission) are one and the same is absolutely incorrect. It is related of Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq as having said: "IMAN (faith) is contained within Islam (submission) but Islam does not imply IMAN. Islam is the outward profession of faith and work, whereas Iman is the hidden (basin) aspect of faith namely, the purity of heart (khulus-i- qalb)."When asked about the meaning of Islam and IMAN, Hazrat IMAN Ja'far al-Sadiq replied: "IMAN is the state within the heart and Islam is the keeping of the laws of marriage and inheritance. One who enters the fold of Islam is forbidden to shed blood for the reason that his life, honour, wealth, etc., are also safe and secure. IMAN comes within Islam but Islam does not mean IMAN."Imam Muhammed al-Baqir explained about Islam and IMAN with anillustration. He drew a small circle on his palm and said: "This represents IMAN." He then drew another circle outside the smaller one and said: This outer circle represents Islam. The inner circle is IMAN because IMAN is related to the knowledge of the heart which lies within the body." This illustration thus proves that IMAN (faith) is the inner spirit of Islam, but Islam (submission) which s the outer form is not IMAN. A person can be a Muslim without his being a mu'min (faithful) but he cannot be a mu'min (faithful) without being a Muslim. From this clarification on Islam and IMAN our discussion in the earlier chapter that IMAN (faith) depends on niyyat (intent of the heart), is further strengthened.

It is reported that Hazrat Mowlana Murtaza Ali once explained the meaning of Islam and IMAN, saying: "Islam is mere verbal affirmation whilst IMAN is both, verbal affirmation and its acceptance by the heart. When Allah gives the knowledge to a believer regarding Himself, His Prophet and Imam, and the believer accepts it truthfully, he becomes a mu'min (faithful) in the real sense of the word." Hazrat Mowla Ali was asked to explain further and he said: "Knowledge is bestowed by Allah, it is His gift to man but its acceptance is man's own act." Amirul Mu'minim added: "It is by Allah's Grace and Mercy that man receives knowledge, it is inspired within him by Allah. When a person receives this knowledge and accepts it, he does so by the Grace of Allah and Allah bestows this Grace when it so pleases Him. Knowledge is Allah's greatest favor which He inspires in a man's heart, and its profession by the tongue and acceptance within the heart is Allah's Kindness to man. He who is not bestowed with true knowledge is without a Guide, but it is incumbent upon him to act according to the knowledge that he possesses. Allah will not punish him for the duties he has not fulfilled out of ignorance, but all the same, Allah will reward him for his virtuous acts. But he who is ignorant must bring all his difficulties before us as commanded in the Holy Qur'an: 'Let them ask the People of the Book (ahl al-dhikr) if they do not know' (Ch. 21 : v.7)."Hazrat Mowlana Murtaza Ali, Master of the believers, was once asked: "O Mowla! which is the smallest act which makes one a mu'min (faithful) and that Which makes one a disbeliever or misguided?" Hazrat Ali replied: "if a person is guided to a belief in Allah, he should profess this belief with his heart; ii he is guided to the knowledge of Allah's Prophet, he should accept him and obey his commands; if he is guided to the recognition of the Living Imam, Allah's Proof on this earth, he should give him his allegiance and follow him. This makes one a mu'min (faithful)." To this, Hazrat Ali was asked: "What if a person is ignorant about all these matters?" He replied: "Yes, this may be the case, but whenever he is guided to the Truth, he must accept it and then desist from doing things which are forbidden to him. The smallest act by which one becomes a disbeliever is when he believes such acts to be religious which are in fact forbidden by Allah and which he falsely says are the commands of Allah; and also when he gives a partner to Allah and worships it saying that its worship has been commanded by Allah. A person becomes misguided when he has no knowledge of the Proof of Allah (Imam) on this earth."