The Ranks of the Islamic Religion
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Question: Allah the Exalted says in the clear revelation: [Al-Hujurat: 14]. What is the meaning of this verse? Is there a difference between faith and Islam? And what is it?
Answer: The religion has three ranks:
The first: Islam, and above it is faith, and above it is excellence in worship, as
that came in the hadith of Jibril (peace be upon him), when he asked the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) about these ranks and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) answered him about each rank, and at the end the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to his Companions:Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah 24:120, and he mentioned them in order, starting with the lowest, then what is higher than it, then what is higher than that.
So when the Bedouins came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) at the beginning of their entry into Islam, they claimed for themselves a rank they had not reached. They came as Muslims and claimed the rank of faith, which is a rank they had not yet reached,For this reason, Allah the Exalted responded to them by saying: [Al-Hujurat: 14]. So at the beginning of their affair, faith had not become established in their hearts, even though they had faith, but it was weak faith, or little faith.
And it is derived from His saying:[Al-Hujurat 49:14]: that it will enter in the future. They are not disbelievers or hypocrites, but they are Muslims, and they have some faith with them, but it is little, and they do not deserve to be called believers by it, but faith will become established in their hearts later,Regarding His saying: [Al-Hujurat 49:14] .
and Islam and faith, when mentioned together, they differ, and Islam has a specific meaning, and faith has a specific meaning, as in the hadith of Jibril (peace be upon him), for he asked the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) about Islam and he said:Sahih Muslim 8a
Sahih Muslim 8a ،And he asked him about faith, and he said: Sahih Muslim 8a .
So according to this, Islam is: It is outward submission.And faith is: It is inward submission. This is when they are mentioned together.
As for when Islam is mentioned alone, or faith is mentioned alone, then one of them enters into the other. If Islam is mentioned only, faith enters into it, and if faith is mentioned only, Islam enters into it,For this reason, the scholars say: if they are gathered together they differ, and if they differ they are gathered together,So faith, according to the people of the Sunnah and the community, is: it is a statement with the tongue, and action with the pillars, and affirmation with the heart - meaning the heart -.
And Islam enters into it with this definition, so it becomes a statement with the tongue, action with the pillars, and affirmation with the heart, and Islam enters into it.
The bedouins say, "We have believed." Say, "You have not [yet] believed; but say [instead], 'We have submitted,'
قَالَتِ الْأَعْرَابُ آمَنَّا قُلْ لَمْ تُؤْمِنُوا وَلَكِنْ قُولُوا أَسْلَمْنَاAnswer: The religion has three ranks:
The first: Islam, and above it is faith, and above it is excellence in worship, as
that came in the hadith of Jibril (peace be upon him), when he asked the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) about these ranks and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) answered him about each rank, and at the end the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to his Companions:
This is Jibril who has come to you to teach you the matters of your religion.
هذا جبريل أتاكم يعلمكم أمر دينكمSo when the Bedouins came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) at the beginning of their entry into Islam, they claimed for themselves a rank they had not reached. They came as Muslims and claimed the rank of faith, which is a rank they had not yet reached,For this reason, Allah the Exalted responded to them by saying:
The bedouins say, "We have believed." Say, "You have not [yet] believed; but say [instead], 'We have submitted,' for faith has not yet entered your hearts.
قَالَتِ الْأَعْرَابُ آمَنَّا قُلْ لَمْ تُؤْمِنُوا وَلَكِنْ قُولُوا أَسْلَمْنَا وَلَمَّا يَدْخُلِ الْإِيمَانُ فِي قُلُوبِكُمْAnd it is derived from His saying:
for faith has not yet entered your hearts
وَلَمَّا يَدْخُلِ الْإِيمَانُ فِي قُلُوبِكُمْfor faith has not yet entered your hearts
وَلَمَّا يَدْخُلِ الْإِيمَانُ فِي قُلُوبِكُمْand Islam and faith, when mentioned together, they differ, and Islam has a specific meaning, and faith has a specific meaning, as in the hadith of Jibril (peace be upon him), for he asked the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) about Islam and he said:
Al-Islam implies that you testify that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah, and you establish prayer, pay Zakat, observe the fast of Ramadan, and perform pilgrimage to the
الإسلام أن تشهد أن لا إله إلا الله، وأن محمدًا رسول الله، وتقيم الصلاة، وتؤتي الزكاة، وتصوم رمضان، وتحج البيتif you are solvent enough (to bear the expense of) the journey
إن استطعت إليه سبيلًاThat you affirm your faith in Allah, in His angels, in His Books, in His Apostles, in the Day of Judgment, and you affirm your faith in the Divine Decree about good and evil.
الإيمان أن تؤمن بالله، وملائكته، وكتبه، ورسله، واليوم الآخر، وتؤمن بالقدر خيره وشرهSo according to this, Islam is: It is outward submission.And faith is: It is inward submission. This is when they are mentioned together.
As for when Islam is mentioned alone, or faith is mentioned alone, then one of them enters into the other. If Islam is mentioned only, faith enters into it, and if faith is mentioned only, Islam enters into it,For this reason, the scholars say: if they are gathered together they differ, and if they differ they are gathered together,So faith, according to the people of the Sunnah and the community, is: it is a statement with the tongue, and action with the pillars, and affirmation with the heart - meaning the heart -.
And Islam enters into it with this definition, so it becomes a statement with the tongue, action with the pillars, and affirmation with the heart, and Islam enters into it.