Faith
Faith is the complete trust or confidence in someone or something (belief)
You can believe in something without having faith, but you cannot have faith without belief.
Faith is a supernatural gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
| In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Eternally Merciful | Faith | بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَانِ الرَّحِيْمِ |
| Say, “If you were to love Allah (SWT) then follow me Allah (SWT) will love you | قُلْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تُحِبُّوْنَ اللهَ فَاتَّبِعُوْنِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللهُ | |
| and forgive for you your sins” and Allah (SWT) is Oft-Forgiving, Most-Merciful | 3-31 | وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوْبَكُمْ وَاللهُ غَفُوْرٌ رَّحِيْمٌ |
| So, remember Me, I will remember you and be grateful to Me and never be ungrateful to Me | 2-152 | فَاذْكُرُوْنِي أَذْكُرْكُمْ وَاشْكُرُوْا لِي وَلَا تَكْفُرُوْنَ |
| O you who believe, Seek help through patience and prayer | يَآ أَيُّهَا الَّذِيْنَ ءَامَنُوْا اسْتَعِيْنُوْا بِالصَّبْرِ وَالصَّلَاةِ | |
| Truly Allah (SWT) is with the patient | 2-153 | إِنَّ اللهَ مَعَ الصَّابِرِيْنَ |
Book of Faith
1. Sahih Muslim Vol 1, chapter 1, 97-5-9, pg 96
What is Islam, Iman and Ihsan
| In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Eternally Merciful | بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَانِ الرَّحِيْمِ | |
| It was narrated that Abu Hurairah (RA) said, “One day the Messenger of Allah (SWT) appeared before the | عَن أَبِي هُرَيرَةَ قَالَ كَانَ رَسُوْلُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُ يَومًا بَارِزًا | |
| people and there came to him, a man who said, “O Messenger of Allah (SWT), what is faith? he said, ‘to | لِلنَّاسِ فَأَتَاهُ رَجُلُ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ مَا الإِيمَانُ قَالَ أَنْ | |
| believe in Allah (SWT), His Angels, His Books, the meeting with Him, and His Messengers and to believe | تُؤْمِنَ بِاللهِ وَمَلَائِكَةِ وَكِتَابِهِ وَلِقَائِهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَتُؤْمِنَ | |
| in the resurrection hereafter’ he said, ‘O Messenger of Allah (SWT), what is Islam? he said, ‘Islam is to | بِالبَعْثِ الآخِرِ قَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ مَا الإِسْلَامُ قَالَ الإِسْلَامُ أَنْ | |
| worship Allah (SWT) and not associate anything with Him, to establish the prescribed prayer, to pay the | تَعْبُدَ اللهَ وَلَا تُشْرِكَ بِهِ شَيْئًا وَتُقِيمَ الصَّلَاةَ المَكْتُوبَةَ وُتُؤَدَّى | |
| obligatory tax and to observe the fast in Ramadan’ he said, ‘O Messenger of Allah (SWT), what is Ihsan? | الزَّكَاةَ المَفْرُوضَةَ وَتَصَومَ رَمَضَانَ قَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ مَا الإحْسَانُ | |
| he said, ‘It is to worship Allah (SWT) as though you can see Him, for although you cannot see Him, He | قَالَ أَن تَعْبُدَ اللهَ كَأَنَّكَ تَرَاهُ فَإِنَّكَ إِن لَا تَرَاهُ | |
| indeed, sees you’ he said, ‘O Messenger of Allah (SWT), when is the hour? he said, ‘the one who is asked | فَإِنَّهُ يَرَاكَ قَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ مَتَى السَّاعَةُ قَالَ مَا المَسْؤُولُ | |
| about it does not know more than the one who is asking, but I shall tell you of its portents, when the | عَنْهَا بِأَعْلَمَ مِنَ السَّائِلِ وَلَاكِنْ سَأُحَدَّثُكَ عَنْ أَشْرَاطِهَا إِذَا | |
| slave woman gives birth to her mistress, that is one of its portents. When the barefoot and naked | وَلَدَتِ الأَمَةُ رَبَّهَا فَذَاكَ مِنْ أَشْرَاطِهَا وَإِذَا كَانَتِ العُرَاةُ الحُفَاةُ | |
| become the leaders of the people, that is one of its portents. When the herdsmen of sheep compete in | رُءُوسَ النَّاسِ فَذَاكَ مِنْ أَشْرَاطِهَا وَإِذَا تَطَاوَلَ رِعَاهُ البَهْمِ فِي | |
| construction of lofty buildings, that is one of its portents. The Hour is one of the five things that no one | البُنْيَانِ فَذَاكَ مِنْ أَشْرَاطِهَا فِي خَمْسٍ لَا يَعْلَمُهُنَّ | |
| knows except Allah (SWT)’ then he recited, ‘Verily, Allah (SWT) with Him is the knowledge of the Hour, He | إِلَّا اللهُ ثُمَّ تَلَا صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُ إِنَّ اللهَ عِنْدَهُ عِلْمُ السَّاعَةِ | |
| sends down the rain and knows that which is in the wombs and no person knows what he will earn | وَيُنَزِّلُ الغَيْثَ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا فِى الأَرْحَامِ وَمَا تَدْرِى نَفْسٌ مَّاذَا تَكْسِبُ | |
| tomorrow, and no person knows in what land he will die. Verily Allah (SWT) is All-Knower, All-Aware'” | غَدًا وَمَا تَدْرِى نَفْسٌ بِأَيِّ أَرْضِ تَمُوتُ إِنَّ اللهَ عَلِيْمٌ خَبِيْرٌ | |
| he said, “Then the man went away, and the Messenger of Allah (SWT) said, ‘bring the man back to me’ | قَالَ ثُمَّ أَدْبَرَ الرَّجُلُ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُ رُدُّوا عَلَيَّ الرَّجُلَ | |
| they went to bring him back, but they did not see him. The Messenger of Allah (SWT) said, “that was | فَأَخَذُوا لِيَرُدُّوهُ فَلَم يَرَوا شَيْئًا فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُ هَذَا | |
| Gabriel, who came to teach the people their religion | جِبْرِيْلُ جَآءَ لِيُعَلِّمَ النَّاسَ دِيْنَهُم | |
2- Sahih Muslim Vol 7, chapter 1, 6723-1-2643, pg 15, Book of Al-Qadr
Creation in the womb, provision, lifespan, deeds and misery or happiness
| In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Eternally Merciful | بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَانِ الرَّحِيْمِ | |
| It was narrated that Abdullah (RA) said, “the Messenger of Allah (SWT) and he is the truthful, the one who | عَن عَبْدِ اللهِ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا رَسُوْلُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُ وَهُوَ الصَّادِقُ المَصْدُوقُ | |
| is believed, told us, ‘The creation of any one of you is put together in his mother’s womb for forty days, | إِنَّ أَحَدَكُم يُجْمَعُ خَلْقُهُ فِي بَطْنِ أُمِّهِ أَرْبَعِيْنَ يَوْمًا | |
| then, he is during that, an Alaqah for a similar period, then, he becomes a Mudghah for a similar period, | ثُمَّ يَكُونُ فِي ذَلِكَ عَلَقَةٌ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ ثُمَّ يَكُونُ فِي ذَلِكَ مُضْغَةٌ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ | |
| then Allah (SWT) sends to him an Angel who breathes the soul into him and is enjoined to write down | ثُمَّ يُرْسِلُ اللهُ المَلَكَ فَيَنْفُخُ فِيهِ الرُّوحَ وَيُؤْمَرُ بِأَرْبَعِ كَلِمَاتٍ | |
| four things, his provision, his lifespan, his deeds, and his misery or happiness, by the One besides Whom | بِكَتْبِ رِزْقِهِ وَأَجَلِهِ وَعَمَلِهِ وَشَقِيٌّ أَو سَعِيْدٌ فَوَالَّذِي لَا إِلَهَ غَيْرُهُ | |
| none has the right to be worshipped, one of you may do the deeds of the people of Paradise until there | إِنَّ أَحَدَكُم لَيَعْمَلُ بِعَمَلِ أَهْلِ الجَنَّةِ حَتَّى مَا | |
| is nothing between him and it but a cubit, then the Decree overtakes him, and he does the deeds of the | يَكُونُ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَهَا إِلَّا ذِرَاعٌ فَيَسْبِقُ عَلَيهِ الكِتَابُ فَيَعْمَلُ بِعَمَلِ | |
| people of the fire and enters it, and one of you may do the deeds of the people of the fire until there is | أَهْلِ النَّارِ فَيَدْخُلُهَا وَإِنَّ أَحَدَكُم لَيَعْمَلُ بِعَمَلِ أَهْلِ النَّارِ حَتَّى مَا يَكُونُ | |
| nothing between him and it but a cubit then, the Decree overtakes him, and he does the deeds of the | بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَهَا إِلَّا ذِرَاعٌ فَيَسْبِقُ عَلَيهِ الكِتَابُ فَيَعْمَلُ بِعَمَلِ | |
| people of Paradise and enters it | أَهْلِ الجَنَّةِ فَيَدْخُلُهَا | |
3- Sahih Muslim Vol 7, chapter 1, 6731-6-2647, pg 20, Book of Al-Qadr
Do good deeds for everyone is helped to do their deeds
| In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Eternally Merciful | بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَانِ الرَّحِيْمِ | |
| It was narrated that Ali (RA) said, “We were at a funeral in Baqi Al-Gharqad and the Messenger of Allah | عَن عَلِيِّ قَالَ كُنَّ فِي جَنَازَةٍ فِي بَقِيعِ الغَرْقَدِ فَأَتَانَا رَسُوْلُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُ | |
| (SWT) came to us, he sat down, and we sat down around him, he had a stick and he looked down at the | فَقَعَدَ وَقَعَدْنَا حَوْلَهُ وَمَعَهُ مِخْصَرَةٌ فَنَكَّسَ فَجَعَلَ يَنْكُتُ | |
| ground and started to scratch the ground with the stick then, he said, ‘There is no one among you, no | بِمِخْصَرَتِهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ مَا مِنْكُم مِن أَحَدٍ مَا | |
| living soul, but Allah (SWT) has decreed his place in Paradise or the Fire and it has been decreed whether | مِن نَفْسٍ مَنْفُوسَةٍ إِلَّا وَقَد كَتَبَ اللهُ مَكَانَهَا مِنَ الجَنَّةِ وَالنَّارِ وَإِلَّا وَقَدْ كُتِبَت | |
| he is miserable or happy’ a man said, ‘O Messenger of Allah (SWT), shouldn’t we rely on our destiny and | شَقِيَّةً أَو سَعِيدَةً قَالَ فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ أَفَلَا نَمْكُثُ عَلَى كِتَابِنَا | |
| and stop striving?’ he said, ‘Whoever is one of the happy, he will find himself doing the deeds of the | وَنَدَعُ العَمَلَ فَقَالَ مَن كَانَ مِن أَهْلِ السَّعَادَةِ فَسَيَصِيرُ إِلَى عَمَلِ أَهْلِ | |
| happy, and whoever is one of the miserable, he will find himself doing the deeds of the miserable’ he | السَّعَدَةِ وَمَن كَانَ مِن أَهْلِ الشَّقَاوَةِ فَسَيَصِيْرُ إِلَى عَمَلِ أَهْلِ الشَّقَاوَةِ فَقَالَ | |
| said, ‘do good deeds, for everyone is helped, the happy are helped to do the deeds of the happy, and | اعْمَلُوا فَكُلٌّ مَيَسَّرٌ أَمَّا أَهْلُ السَّعَادَةِ فَيُيَسَّرُونَ لِعَمَلِ أَهْلِ السَّعَادَةِ وَ | |
| the miserable are helped to do the deeds of the miserable’ then he recited, ‘As for him who gives and | وَأَمَّا أَهْلُ الشَّقَاوَةِ فَيُيَسَّرُونَ لِعَمَلِ أَهْلِ الشَّقَاوَةِ ثُمَّ قَرَأَ فَأَمَّا مَن أَعْطَى | |
| keeps his duty to Allah (SWT) and fears Him, and believes in Al-Husna, We will make smooth for him, the | وَاتَّقَى وَصَدَّقَ بِالحُسْنَى فَسَنُيَسِّرُهُ لِلْيُسْرَى | |
| path of ease, but he who is greedy, miser and thinks himself self-sufficient and belies Al-Husna, We will | وَأَمَّا مَن بَخِلَ وَاسْتَغْنَى وَكَذَّبَ بِالحُسْنَى | |
| make smooth for him, the path for evil'” | فَسَنُيَسِّرُهُ لِلعُسْرَى | |
4- Sahih Muslim Vol 7, chapter 8, 6774-34-2664, pg 40, Book of Al-Qadr
Submission to the Devine Decree
| In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Eternally Merciful | بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَانِ الرَّحِيْمِ | |
| It was narrated that Abu Hurairah (RA) said, “The Messenger of Allah (SWT) said, ‘The strong believer is | عَن أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُوْلُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُ المُؤْمِنُ القَوِيُّ | |
| better and more beloved to Allah (SWT) than the weak believer, although both are good, strive to do that | خَيْرٌ وَأَحَبُّ إِلَى اللهِ مِنَ المُؤْمِنِ الضَّعِيْفِ وَفِي كُلَّ خَيْرٌ احْرِصْ عَلَى مَا | |
| which will benefit you and seek the help of Allah (SWT) and do not feel helpless, if anything befalls you, | يَنْفَعُكَ وَاسْتَعِنْ بِاللهِ وَلَا تَعْجِزْ وَإِنْ أَصَابَكَ شَيْءٍ | |
| do not say, ‘if only I had done so than such would have happened’ rather say, ‘Allah (SWT) has decreed | فَلَا تَقُلْ لَوْ أَنِّي فَعَلْتُ كَانَ كَذَا وَكَذَا وَلَاكِنْ قُلْ قَدَرُ اللهِ | |
| and what He wills, He does’ for, if only opens the door to the work of the Shaitan | وَمَا شَآءَ فَعَلَ فَإِنَّ لَوْ تَفْتَحُ عَمَلَ الشَّيْطَانِ | |
| In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Eternally Merciful | بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَانِ الرَّحِيْمِ | |
| I think, I believe, I have a dream in which i am a parent of 3 sons, i have a wife, a father, a mother, 3 brothers, 2 sisters and a big extended family and community. I have good health and many abilities such as seeing, hearing, smelling, taste, touch, feeling and reasoning. I earn a good living and have been blessed with health, freedom and independance. | الأَسْمَآءُ | |
| When my eyes close (death) I am going to awake from this thought/belief/dream. At this time I will be faced with my true reality. Will my reality coincide with my dream? or will i find that i believed in a lie? | ||
Am I my body? no, as i will still exist after my body is buried and turns to dust. Am I my status or titles? such as an businessman, dad, son etc? no, as this will all end upon my passing. Am I my thoughts and beliefs? (as I feel a connection to my self/awareness/me, an aliveness and a point of existence at this level) ? yes, however thoughts and beliefs could be true or false (reality or a lie) It seems like I must be constantly mindful, aware and reason with/question my thoughts and beliefs as my heaven/reality/success or hell/lie/failure depends on them. | ||
| Who am I? The answer lies in what I think and in what I believe. | ||
Let me ponder what the Quran says about my reality. I am a creation of the Mighty, Merciful Allah SWT who created existence and me, owns all, provides and sustains all, Sees all, Hears all, Aware of all, originates all, fashions all, oversees and witnesses all, empowers all (Giver of gifts), dominates all, controls all, guides all to their specified end (His Will) He is Merciful, Pure, at Peace, Secure/Faithful, Mighty, Compeller, Majestic, Creator, Originator, Fashioner, Most forgiving, The Judge, All Knowing, The Withholder, The Extender, The reducer, The Exalter, The Honorer, The Dishonorer, Just, Subtle, Supreme, Most Appreciative, The Exalted, | 38 names so far | |