Untitled Document

ÎMÂN AND IBÂDÂT

Îmân is the belief by the heart in and confirmation by the tongue of the knowledge Muhammad (’alaihi’s-salâm) revealed from Allâhu ta’âlâ. It is not necessary to study or to understand every piece of this knowledge. The Mu’tazila group said it was necessary to believe after understanding. ’Aynî (rahimah-Allâhu ta’âlâ), in the commentary on the Sahîh of al-Bukhârî, said that muhaqqiqîn or the most profound ’ulamâ,’ for example, Abu ’l-Hasan al-Ash’arî, Qâdî ’Abd al-Jabbâr al-Hamadânî al-Mu’tazilî, Ustâdh Abu ’l-Is’haq Ibrâhim al-Isfarâini, Husain ibn Fadl and many others had said, ‘Îmân is the belief accepted by the heart in the facts that were declared clearly. It is not îmân to say it with the tongue or to perform ’ibâdât.’ Sa’d ad-dîn at-Taftazânî (rahimah-Allâhu ta’âlâ), too, wrote this in his Sharh-i ’aqâ’id and reported that ’ulamâ’ like Shams al-a’imma and Fakhr alIslâm ’Alî al-Pazdawî (rahimahumallâhu ta’âlâ) said it was necessary to confirm it with the tongue. The revelation with the tongue of the îmân in the heart is necessary for the reason that it will help Muslims to recognize one another. The Muslim who does not say he is a believer is a believer, too. Most ’ulamâ’, for example, al-Imâm al-a’zam Abu Hanîfa (rahimah-Allâhu ta’âlâ), said that deeds or worship were not included in îmân.