Deeds: Between the Condition for the Validity of Faith and the Condition for Its Perfection
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
He says: Your Eminence, father, are deeds a condition for the validity of faith, or are they a condition for its perfection? May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
Some are a condition for validity, and some are a condition for perfection. A person fearing Allah, watching Allah, and being sincere to Allah in his deeds is a condition for the validity of faith. Praying is a condition for the validity of faith, according to the correct view. Some are not a condition, but rather a matter of perfection. Giving zakah is a matter of perfection. Fasting Ramadan is a matter of perfection; it is one of the greatest obligations. Abandoning sins is a matter of the perfection of faith. If he sins, if he commits zina, he does not become a disbeliever. If he drinks intoxicants, he does not become a disbeliever. But his faith is deficient. Likewise, if he backbites his brother, he does not become a disbeliever; his faith is deficient. Likewise, if he deals in riba (usury or interest), he does not become a disbeliever; his faith is deficient. Likewise, if he smokes, or shaves his beard, or shortens it, his faith is deficient and weak, and he does not become a disbeliever. And so it is with the rest of the sins.
He says: Your Eminence, father, are deeds a condition for the validity of faith, or are they a condition for its perfection? May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
Some are a condition for validity, and some are a condition for perfection. A person fearing Allah, watching Allah, and being sincere to Allah in his deeds is a condition for the validity of faith. Praying is a condition for the validity of faith, according to the correct view. Some are not a condition, but rather a matter of perfection. Giving zakah is a matter of perfection. Fasting Ramadan is a matter of perfection; it is one of the greatest obligations. Abandoning sins is a matter of the perfection of faith. If he sins, if he commits zina, he does not become a disbeliever. If he drinks intoxicants, he does not become a disbeliever. But his faith is deficient. Likewise, if he backbites his brother, he does not become a disbeliever; his faith is deficient. Likewise, if he deals in riba (usury or interest), he does not become a disbeliever; his faith is deficient. Likewise, if he smokes, or shaves his beard, or shortens it, his faith is deficient and weak, and he does not become a disbeliever. And so it is with the rest of the sins.
Source
فضل العلم وآدابه — islamhouse.com (52:26)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.