Continuation of the previous explanation: The Chapter on Faith, and the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): “Islam is built on five pillars.”
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The Shaykh : ... Faith does not increase or decrease, it does not increase or decrease, because it is a belief in the heart, and it does not increase or decrease. People are all the same in faith, like a comb when its teeth are equal. Therefore, the most complete person in action and speech is like the most sinful person in action and speech, as long as he does not reach the limit of disbelief.
And others said the opposite of what these people said. They said that faith is composed of these four things, and it is not possible to have faith unless these four are completed. They even said that the doer of a major sin is either a disbeliever or not a believer, and he is in a position between two positions. As for the people of the Sunnah and the community, they said that faith includes these four things: belief of the heart, action of the heart, speech of the tongue, and action of the limbs. But some of them are a pillar and a condition in faith, so if they are lost, faith is lost, and some are not so. Then, does this faith increase and decrease?
We say: Yes. As for the methodology of the Sunnah and the community, it is clear. The one who gives charity with one dirham is not like the one who gives charity with two dirhams. Which is more? The second. Both are called faith, the charity with one dirham and with two dirhams. So the second is more in faith than the first. Likewise in speech, the one who says “There is no god but Allah” ten times is not like the one who says it a hundred times. The second is more, because he has more action. Therefore, we say that according to the methodology of the people of the Sunnah and the community, in the speech of the tongue and the action of the limbs, it is clear.
We remain with the action of the heart. We say yes, even the action of the heart increases and decreases. A man who does not rely except on Allah, does not fear except Allah, and does not hope except in Allah, is not like a person who does not rely except on Allah, but in hope and fear, he hopes in other than Allah and fears. The Shaykh said the first is more complete and more. Good, in belief, do people differ in that?
Yes, they differ in that. If a man tells you a news and you believe what the news indicates, then another comes and tells you about it, you increase in certainty. Then a third comes and tells you about it, what?
You increase in certainty. Then you witness the thing about which you were informed, you increase in certainty. For this reason, Ibrahim said, when he said:[Al-Baqarah 2:260] Allah the Exalted said: [Al-Baqarah 2:260], and Allah knows best.
The Shaykh : I have: The Chapter on Faith and Speech. Do you have The Chapter on Faith, Chapter and Speech?
The reader: There is no "wa" (and) in it.
The Shaykh : The Chapter on Faith, Chapter Speech?
The reader: Yes, the Book of Faith, Chapter Speech.
The Shaykh : The Book of Faith and Speech. I have: The Book of Faith, this is a general book, then he said: The Chapter on Faith and Speech.
The reader: The commentator says that in some copies, "Chapter" was dropped.
The Shaykh : Yes, good, you did well.
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : No, there is nothing, there is nothing. These are the hadiths of benefits, they are not many.
The reader: Allah the Exalted said:[Al-Fath 48:4] [Maryam 19:76] [Muhammad 47:17] [Al-Muddaththir 74:31] And His saying: [At-Tawbah 9:124]. And His saying, Glorious is His mention: [Ali 'Imran 3:173]. And His saying, the Exalted: [Al-Ahzab 33:22]. Loving for the sake of Allah and hating for the sake of Allah are part of faith. And 'Umar ibn 'Abd al-'Aziz wrote to 'Adi ibn 'Adi: “Faith has obligations, laws, limits, and recommended practices. Whoever completes them has completed faith, and whoever does not complete them has not completed faith. If I live, I will explain them to you so that you may act upon them, but if I die, I am not eager for your company”. And Ibrahim (peace be upon him) said: . And Mu'adh said: “Sit with us so that we may believe for a while”. And Ibn Mas'ud said: “Certainty is all of faith”. And Ibn 'Umar said: “A servant does not reach the reality of piety until he leaves what stirs in the chest”. And Mujahid said: “: We have enjoined upon you, O Muhammad, and upon him, one religion”. And Ibn 'Abbas said: “: A path and a Sunnah”.
The Shaykh : In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate. This chapter, this book, the Book of Faith. People differ on faith in two extremes and a middle, like most disagreements in the chapter of creed. Some people say that faith is the belief of the heart. Some of them even added and said: Faith is only knowledge. They did not make speech part of faith, and they did not make action part of faith. These are the Murji'ah, the extreme Murji'ah, and they are the Jahmiyyah. The Jahmiyyah gathered three "jims," all of which are misguidance.
The Jahmiyyah in the attributes, the Jabriyyah in the actions of the servant, and the Murji'ah in faith. So what bad "jims," yes, and what a bad combination between them.
And another group of people were strict in affirming that faith is belief, speech, and action. They made action part of faith, and the existence of these actions a condition in faith. These are the Khawarij and the Mu'tazilah. For this reason, they said that the doer of a major sin is declared a disbeliever.
And the third group is the middle. They said: Faith is belief, speech, and action. And it is not the meaning of our saying: speech and action, that these parts are a condition in the establishment of its origin. He saidThe Shaykh : As the Khawarij and the Mu'tazilah said. And this is the methodology of the Salaf.
And the author (may Allah have mercy on him) added to the fact that faith is: speech and action, he said it increases and decreases. And I think we explained this chapter?
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : In this same lesson. We explained it, we said it increases and decreases, and it increases in belief, in speech, and in action. That means the place of the increase of faith is in belief, in speech, and in action. As for belief, a person's belief in a thing increases as the news about this thing increases, is that not so? And belief increases by witnessing instead of news. Did you see if a man came to you and said: Such and such happened today in the market, and he is trustworthy, then you have some belief. Then another came and told you what the first told you, and he is trustworthy, your knowledge increases, is that not so? Then the third and fourth came, it increased. And as the informants multiply, the person increases in certainty. For this reason, the scholars said that mass-transmitted reports provide certain knowledge. Likewise, witnessing is not like news, for a person finds the difference between his belief based on the news of the trustworthy and witnessing. And Ibrahim (peace and blessings be upon him), when he said:[Al-Baqarah 2:260].
So faith increases in its origin, which is belief, and this is a matter with no doubt. People differ in that in various groups. And a person himself finds from himself sometimes a faith as if he witnesses the unseen with the eye, and sometimes he becomes heedless.
Faith increases with the increase of speech, and this is clear. So the reward of the one who testifies “There is no god but Allah” a thousand times is not like the reward of the one who testifies it ten times. And it also increases by action, so the one who fasts one day is not like the one who fasts ten days. So it increases and decreases. The author cited as evidence the verses he mentioned.
Then he quoted the book of 'Umar ibn 'Abd al-'Aziz, affirming it with certainty. He wrote to 'Adi ibn 'Adi, who was one of his commanders: "Indeed, faith has obligations, laws, limits, and sunnahs. Whoever fulfills them all has completed faith, and whoever does not fulfill them has not completed faith". He did not say, "He is not a believer," but rather he said: "He has not completed faith", because not every action that a person misses makes him a disbeliever. Then he said, may Allah have mercy on him: "If I live, I will explain them to you so that you may act upon them". May Allah reward him with good and reward him for what he intended, namely that he would explain them, for he was a knowledgeable jurist, one of the jurists of the Tabi'un, 'Umar ibn 'Abd al-'Aziz, may Allah have mercy on him. "And if I die, I am not eager for your company". Why?
Because they had exhausted him, and they did not come to what he desired. The people, before his rule, had among them trials and fighting, which is known in history. But when he took office, may Allah have mercy on him, war laid down its burdens in much of the fighting that occurred between the Khawarij and others. However, Allah the Exalted did not prolong his life. He remained for about two years and four months, then he died. If someone were to ask: Does his statement, "I am not eager for your company", indicate his annoyance with what happened?
The questioner : No.
The Shaykh : Why not? He says, "I am not eager for you; I love to part from you." We say that annoyance is of two types: annoyance with the decreed matter, and annoyance with the decree itself. If a person is annoyed with the decreed matter, he is not to be blamed; he sees the conditions of people as not being on the right path, so he becomes annoyed and pained.
As for the decree itself, it is not permissible to be annoyed with it, because the decree of Allah the Exalted is all wisdom, and all of it deserves praise, whether it is what distresses a person or what does not distress him.
And Mu'adh said: "Sit with us so that we may believe for a while". Is "a while" connected to "sit" or to "believe"?
The questioner : To "sit."
The Shaykh : Sit?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Or do the two verbs compete for it?
It is better to say the two verbs compete for it, but it does not mean "we believe for a while, and then we do not believe." The meaning is: we strengthen our faith in this hour. For a person may be negligent, but when his brother sits with him and they discuss the signs of Allah in creation and in the Shari'ah, and each of them offers the other admonition, their faith increases. There is no difficulty in the rest.
And others said the opposite of what these people said. They said that faith is composed of these four things, and it is not possible to have faith unless these four are completed. They even said that the doer of a major sin is either a disbeliever or not a believer, and he is in a position between two positions. As for the people of the Sunnah and the community, they said that faith includes these four things: belief of the heart, action of the heart, speech of the tongue, and action of the limbs. But some of them are a pillar and a condition in faith, so if they are lost, faith is lost, and some are not so. Then, does this faith increase and decrease?
We say: Yes. As for the methodology of the Sunnah and the community, it is clear. The one who gives charity with one dirham is not like the one who gives charity with two dirhams. Which is more? The second. Both are called faith, the charity with one dirham and with two dirhams. So the second is more in faith than the first. Likewise in speech, the one who says “There is no god but Allah” ten times is not like the one who says it a hundred times. The second is more, because he has more action. Therefore, we say that according to the methodology of the people of the Sunnah and the community, in the speech of the tongue and the action of the limbs, it is clear.
We remain with the action of the heart. We say yes, even the action of the heart increases and decreases. A man who does not rely except on Allah, does not fear except Allah, and does not hope except in Allah, is not like a person who does not rely except on Allah, but in hope and fear, he hopes in other than Allah and fears. The Shaykh said the first is more complete and more. Good, in belief, do people differ in that?
Yes, they differ in that. If a man tells you a news and you believe what the news indicates, then another comes and tells you about it, you increase in certainty. Then a third comes and tells you about it, what?
You increase in certainty. Then you witness the thing about which you were informed, you increase in certainty. For this reason, Ibrahim said, when he said:
show me how You give life to the dead
أرني كيف تحي الموتىHave you not believed?" He said, "Yes, but [I ask] only that my heart may be satisfied.
أولم تؤمن قال بلى ولكن ليطمئن قلبيThe Shaykh : I have: The Chapter on Faith and Speech. Do you have The Chapter on Faith, Chapter and Speech?
The reader: There is no "wa" (and) in it.
The Shaykh : The Chapter on Faith, Chapter Speech?
The reader: Yes, the Book of Faith, Chapter Speech.
The Shaykh : The Book of Faith and Speech. I have: The Book of Faith, this is a general book, then he said: The Chapter on Faith and Speech.
The reader: The commentator says that in some copies, "Chapter" was dropped.
The Shaykh : Yes, good, you did well.
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : No, there is nothing, there is nothing. These are the hadiths of benefits, they are not many.
The reader: Allah the Exalted said:
that they would increase in faith along with their [present] faith
ليزدادوا إيماناً مع إيمانهمAnd We increased them in guidance
وزدناهم هدىAnd Allah increases those who were guided, in guidance,
ويزيد الله الذين اهتدوا هدىAnd those who are guided - He increases them in guidance and gives them their righteousness.
والذين اهتدوا زادهم هدى وءآتاهم تقواهمand those who have believed will increase in faith
ويزداد الذين آمنوا إيماناAnd whenever a surah is revealed, there are among the hypocrites those who say, "Which of you has this increased faith?" As for those who believed, it has increased them in faith, while they are rejoicing.
أيكم زادته هذه إيمانا فأما الذين ءآمنوا فزادتهم إيماناso fear them." But it [merely] increased them in faith
فاخشوهم فزادهم إيماناAnd it increased them only in faith and acceptance.
وما زادهم إلا إيماناً وتسليماًBut to make my heart at ease
ولكن ليطمئن قلبيHe has prescribed for you
شرع لكمA law and a way.
شرعة ومنهاجاThe Shaykh : In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate. This chapter, this book, the Book of Faith. People differ on faith in two extremes and a middle, like most disagreements in the chapter of creed. Some people say that faith is the belief of the heart. Some of them even added and said: Faith is only knowledge. They did not make speech part of faith, and they did not make action part of faith. These are the Murji'ah, the extreme Murji'ah, and they are the Jahmiyyah. The Jahmiyyah gathered three "jims," all of which are misguidance.
The Jahmiyyah in the attributes, the Jabriyyah in the actions of the servant, and the Murji'ah in faith. So what bad "jims," yes, and what a bad combination between them.
And another group of people were strict in affirming that faith is belief, speech, and action. They made action part of faith, and the existence of these actions a condition in faith. These are the Khawarij and the Mu'tazilah. For this reason, they said that the doer of a major sin is declared a disbeliever.
And the third group is the middle. They said: Faith is belief, speech, and action. And it is not the meaning of our saying: speech and action, that these parts are a condition in the establishment of its origin. He saidThe Shaykh : As the Khawarij and the Mu'tazilah said. And this is the methodology of the Salaf.
And the author (may Allah have mercy on him) added to the fact that faith is: speech and action, he said it increases and decreases. And I think we explained this chapter?
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : In this same lesson. We explained it, we said it increases and decreases, and it increases in belief, in speech, and in action. That means the place of the increase of faith is in belief, in speech, and in action. As for belief, a person's belief in a thing increases as the news about this thing increases, is that not so? And belief increases by witnessing instead of news. Did you see if a man came to you and said: Such and such happened today in the market, and he is trustworthy, then you have some belief. Then another came and told you what the first told you, and he is trustworthy, your knowledge increases, is that not so? Then the third and fourth came, it increased. And as the informants multiply, the person increases in certainty. For this reason, the scholars said that mass-transmitted reports provide certain knowledge. Likewise, witnessing is not like news, for a person finds the difference between his belief based on the news of the trustworthy and witnessing. And Ibrahim (peace and blessings be upon him), when he said:
"My Lord, show me how You give life to the dead." [Allah] said, "Have you not believed?" He said, "Yes, but [I ask] only that my heart may be satisfied."
رب أرني كيف تحيي الموتى قال أولم تؤمن قال بلى ولكن ليطمئن قلبيSo faith increases in its origin, which is belief, and this is a matter with no doubt. People differ in that in various groups. And a person himself finds from himself sometimes a faith as if he witnesses the unseen with the eye, and sometimes he becomes heedless.
Faith increases with the increase of speech, and this is clear. So the reward of the one who testifies “There is no god but Allah” a thousand times is not like the reward of the one who testifies it ten times. And it also increases by action, so the one who fasts one day is not like the one who fasts ten days. So it increases and decreases. The author cited as evidence the verses he mentioned.
Then he quoted the book of 'Umar ibn 'Abd al-'Aziz, affirming it with certainty. He wrote to 'Adi ibn 'Adi, who was one of his commanders: "Indeed, faith has obligations, laws, limits, and sunnahs. Whoever fulfills them all has completed faith, and whoever does not fulfill them has not completed faith". He did not say, "He is not a believer," but rather he said: "He has not completed faith", because not every action that a person misses makes him a disbeliever. Then he said, may Allah have mercy on him: "If I live, I will explain them to you so that you may act upon them". May Allah reward him with good and reward him for what he intended, namely that he would explain them, for he was a knowledgeable jurist, one of the jurists of the Tabi'un, 'Umar ibn 'Abd al-'Aziz, may Allah have mercy on him. "And if I die, I am not eager for your company". Why?
Because they had exhausted him, and they did not come to what he desired. The people, before his rule, had among them trials and fighting, which is known in history. But when he took office, may Allah have mercy on him, war laid down its burdens in much of the fighting that occurred between the Khawarij and others. However, Allah the Exalted did not prolong his life. He remained for about two years and four months, then he died. If someone were to ask: Does his statement, "I am not eager for your company", indicate his annoyance with what happened?
The questioner : No.
The Shaykh : Why not? He says, "I am not eager for you; I love to part from you." We say that annoyance is of two types: annoyance with the decreed matter, and annoyance with the decree itself. If a person is annoyed with the decreed matter, he is not to be blamed; he sees the conditions of people as not being on the right path, so he becomes annoyed and pained.
As for the decree itself, it is not permissible to be annoyed with it, because the decree of Allah the Exalted is all wisdom, and all of it deserves praise, whether it is what distresses a person or what does not distress him.
And Mu'adh said: "Sit with us so that we may believe for a while". Is "a while" connected to "sit" or to "believe"?
The questioner : To "sit."
The Shaykh : Sit?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Or do the two verbs compete for it?
It is better to say the two verbs compete for it, but it does not mean "we believe for a while, and then we do not believe." The meaning is: we strengthen our faith in this hour. For a person may be negligent, but when his brother sits with him and they discuss the signs of Allah in creation and in the Shari'ah, and each of them offers the other admonition, their faith increases. There is no difficulty in the rest.