Pillars of Faith

belief in allah

Faith in Allah is to believe that there is no true deity except Allah, Alone, without any partner, rival, or companion. It is the belief that He is the Creator of this existence, and none can do as they please with it except Him. Nothing comes into existence except after His leave and nothing occurs except what He desires. Allah says: (Surely, His is the Creation and Commandment. Blessed be Allah, the Lord of the worlds.) [ 7:54 ]

He has no partner regarding His Lordship; He is the only Creator, Provider, and One Who disposes of the affairs of this universe. Allah says: Say O Muhammad : ‘Verily, my prayer, my sacrifice, my living, and my dying are for Allah, the Lord of the worlds. He has no partner. And of this I have been commanded, and I am the first of the Muslims.’) [ 6:162-163 ]

He has no partner in His exclusive right that all worship should be directed towards Him. Allah says: (And We sent not before you any messenger except that We revealed to him that, “There is no deity except Me, so worship Me.”) [ 21:25 ]

He has no equal in His Names and Attributes. Allah says: (And the Most Beautiful Names belong to Allah, so call on Him by them, and leave [the company of ] those who practice deviation concerning His names.) [ 7:180 ]

This belief means that only He has the right to be worshipped and no one else. None should be depended upon, none should be asked, and none should be supplicated to relieve some hardship or fulfill some goal except Allah. He is the only One who deserves any type of worship, without exception.

This belief also means that Allah has the most beautiful and loftiest of Names and Attributes. We are not to delve into them by asking ‘the way’ they are, nor are we to deny them or misconstrue their meanings. Far removed is He from every imperfection. Allah says: (There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the All-Hearer, the All- Seer.) [ 42:11 ]

belief in the angels

It is to believe that the Angels are from the creation of Allah; no-one knows their exact number except Him. They are from the unseen world. Allah created them to worship and obey Him. Allah says: (Never would the Messiah disdain to be a servant of Allah, nor would the angels near [to Him]. And whoever disdains His worship and is arrogant - He will gather them to Himself all together.) [ 4:172 ]

Allah has charged the Angels with specific duties, and they do what they are commanded. Allah says: (… over which are [appointed ] angels stern and severe, who disobey not the Commands they receive from Allah, but do that which they are commanded.) [ 66:6 ]

The angels are not partners, associates, or rivals with Allah, nor are they His children; but one must still respect and love them.

Allah says: (And So inquire of them, [O Muhammad], “Does your Lord have daughters while they have sons? Or did We create the angels as females while they were witnesses?” Unquestionably, it is out of their [invented ] falsehood that they say,” Allah has begotten,” and indeed, they are liars.) [ 37:149-152 ]

Allah has informed us of the names and tasks of some of the angels, and others He has not informed us. We must, believe in them all.

belief in allah’s books

• The Torah

  The Torah is the Sacred Book which was revealed to Moses (a). Allah says: (Verily, We sent down the Torah, in which was guidance and light. The prophets who submitted [to Allah ] judged by it for the Jews, as did the rabbis and scholars by that with which they were entrusted of the Scripture of Allah, and they were witnesses thereto. So do not fear the people but fear Me, and do not exchange My verses for a small price. And whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed - then it is those who are the disbelievers.) [ 5:44 ]

• The Psalms

  The Book of Psalms is the Book which was revealed to David. Allah says: (… and to David We gave the book [of Psalms].) [ 4:163 ]

• The Gospel

  The Gospel is the Sacred Book which was revealed to Jesus y. Allah says: (And We sent, following in their footsteps, Jesus, the son of Mary, confirming that which came before him in the Torah; and We gave him the Gospel, in which was guidance and light and confirming that which preceded it of the Torah as guidance and instruction for the righteous.) [ 5:46 ]

  The Muslim must believe in all the Heavenly Books and he must believe that they are from Allah. Though, it is not lawful for him to abide by its laws, since these Books were revealed to specific nations during specific times. It is attributed to Jesus (a) in the Bible that he said:
  “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
  [ Matthew, 15:24 ]

  The Qur’an has explained some of what was found in the Torah and the Gospel; such as the prophecy of Muhammad (s): (… and My mercy encompasses all things.” So I will decree it [especially ] for those who fear Me and give zakah and those who believe in Our verses. Those who follow the Messenger, the unlettered prophet, whom they find written in what they have of the Torah and the Gospel, who enjoins upon them what is right and forbids them what is wrong and makes lawful for them the good things and prohibits for them the evil and relieves them of their burden and the shackles which were upon them. So they who have believed in him, honored him, supported him and followed the light which was sent down with him - it is those who will be the successful.) [ 7:156-157 ]

• The Noble Qur’an

  One must believe that the Qur’an is the Speech of Allah which the Angel Gabriel (a) brought to Muhammad (s),and that it is the last of the Heavenly Books which abrogates all previous Books. Mankind must believe in the Qur’an, the one upon whom it was revealed, and the Deen which it brought.

belief in the messengers

It is to believe that Allah chose the finest amongst mankind to be Messengers whom He sent to His creation with specific legislations; to worship and obey Allah, and to establish His Deen and His Tawheed. He ordered His Messengers to convey the Message to people, so that they would not have any proof against Allah (They will not be able to say, “Had Allah sent us messengers, we would have followed His commands and become of the believers.”) after He sent them.

Allah also chose people amongst mankind as Prophets to affirm the legislation and Deen of the messenger sent before them and to call people to it. There are many prophets and messengers; no one knows their exact number except Allah. Allah says: (And, indeed We have sent Messengers before you O Muhammad ; of some of them We have related to you their story, and of some We have not related to you their story. And it was not for any messenger to bring a sign [or verse ] except by permission of Allah.) [ 40:78 ]

One must believe in all of them and that they were human; they were not supernatural beings. Allah says: (And We sent not before you [O Muhammad ] but men to whom We inspired, so ask the people of the message if you do not know. And We did not create them with bodies that had no need to eat food, nor were they immortal.) [ 21:7-8 ]

Allah says about Jesus (a) in the Qur’an: (The Messiah, son of Mary, was not but a messenger; [other ] messengers have passed on before him. And his mother was a supporter of truth. They both used to eat food. Look how We make clear to them the signs; then look how they are deluded.) [ 5:75 ]

belief in the last day

It is to believe that the life of this world will come to an end. Allah says: (Whatsoever is on the earth will perish.) [ 55:26 ]

• To believe in the life of the Barzakh:

  This life is the time after one’s death until the Last Day. In it, the believer will live a life of pleasure, while the disbeliever will be punished. Allah says: (The Fire; they are exposed to it, morning and afternoon, And the Day the Hour appears [it will be said], “Make the people of Pharaoh enter the severest punishment.”) [ 40:46 ]

• To believe in the Resurrection:

  Allah will resurrect mankind, naked, barefooted, and uncircumcised. Allah says: (The disbelievers claim that they will never be resurrected. Say, “Yes, by my Lord, you will surely be resurrected; then you will surely be informed of what you did. And that, for Allah, is easy.”) [ 64:7 ]

• To believe in the Gathering: Allah will gather all creation together and call them to account. Allah says: (And [warn of ] the Day when We will remove the mountains and you will see the earth prominent, and We will gather them and not leave behind from them anyone.) [ 18:47 ]

• To believe that people will be brought before Allah in rows: Allah says: (And they shall be brought before your Lord, standing in rows: “You have certainly come to Us just as We created you the first time. But you claimed that We would never make for you an appointment.”) [ 18:48 ]

• To believe that one’s limbs will bear witness: Allah says: (Till, when they reach it, their hearing and their eyes, and their skins will testify against them as to what they used to do. And they will say to their skins, ‘Why do you testify against us?’ They will say: ‘Allah has caused us to speak, He causes all things to speak: and He created you the first time, and to Him you are made to return.’ And you have not been hiding yourselves, lest your ears, and your eyes, and your skins testify against you; but you thought that Allah knew not much of what you were doing.) [ 41:20-22 ]

• To believe in the Questioning: Allah says: (But stop them; verily they are to be questioned. [They will be asked], “What is [wrong ] with you? Why do you not help each other?” But they, that Day, are in surrender.) [ 37:24- 26 ]

• To believe in the Siraat (Bridge over the Hellfire) and that everyone must pass over it: Allah says: (There is not one of you but will pass over [Hell]; this is upon your Lord an inevitability decreed.) [ 19:71 ]

• To believe in the weighing of deeds: Allah will call people to account and reward those who did well with what they deserve, due to their righteous deeds, their faith, and adherence to their Messengers, and He will punish those who did evil. Allah says: (And We place the scales of justice for the Day of Resurrection, so no soul will be treated unjustly at all. And if there is [even ] the weight of a mustard seed, We will bring it forth. And sufficient are We as accountant.) [ 21:47 ]

• To believe in the handing out of Scrolls and Books: Allah says: (Then, as for him who will be given his Record in his right hand, He surely will receive an easy reckoning. And he will return to his family in joy! But whosoever is given his Record behind his back. He will cry out for destruction. And [enter to ] burn in a Blaze.) [ 84:7-12 ]

• To believe that people will be rewarded with Jannah or Hellfire in an everlasting and eternal life that will never end: Allah says: (Verily, they who disbelieved among the People of the Scripture and the polytheists will be in the fire of Hell, abiding eternally therein. Those are the worst of creatures. Verily, those who believe and do righteous deeds, they are the best of creatures. Their reward with Allah will be gardens of perpetual residence beneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide forever, Allah being pleased with them and they with Him. That is for whoever has feared his Lord.) [ 98:6-8 ]

• To believe in the Hawd:

  The pool which Allah granted the Prophet (s); whoever drinks from it once, will never feel thirsty thereafter.

  Intercession, and all other things which the Messenger of Allah (s) informed us.

belief in qadaa´ and qadar

It is to believe that Allah knew everything before it came into being, and what will happen to it afterward. He then brought them into existence, all in accordance to His perfect knowledge and measure. Allah says: (Verily, We have created all things with Qadar.) [ 54:49 ]

Everything which occurred in the past, that which is occurring in the present and what will occur in the future is known to Allah before it came into existence. Allah then brought it into being, all in accordance to His Will and Measure. The Messenger of Allah (s) said: “A person is not a Muslim until he believes in Qadar, its good and its evil consequences - until he knows that whatever happened to him would have never missed him, and what did not happen to him would never have occurred.” [ Tirmidhi ]

This belief does not contradict the fact that one must strive to attain things. To clarify this, if a person wants a child he must do certain things to achieve this goal; such as getting married. After he does all that is in his power, he may be granted what he wishes or not. The reason for this, is that a person would realize that what he does to achieve his goal is not in fact the true cause behind it; rather it is the Will of Allah. These ‘means’ to fulfill our goals are also considered from the Qadar of Allah. The Prophet (s) was asked: O Messenger of Allah, do the verses and supplications we recite and the medicine we take to cure ourselves waive the Qadar of Allah?’ (He replied,) ‘They are themselves from the Qadar of Allah.’ [Mustadrak al-Haakim ]

Hunger, thirst, feeling cold, are from the Qadaa’ and Qadr. One seeks to satisfy hunger through eating, thirst through drinking and coldness by keeping warm. A person seeks to fend themselves from what was decreed for them from hunger, thirst and coldness by what was decreed for them from eating, drinking, and seeking warmth. They seek to prevent one Qadar with another.

One must, fulfill whatever means are possible to achieve his goal, for the means are also a part of Qadaa’ and Qadr. One becomes pleased with the results (whatever they may be), which in turn produces peace of heart and spiritual comfort. There is no room for stress, worry, or sadness. It is known that stress and unrest of heart leads to many sicknesses. Having belief in this concept prevents and cures many of these sicknesses. Allah says: (No evil befalls on the earth nor in your own souls, but it is in a book before We bring it into existence; surely that is easy for Allah: So that you may not grieve for what has escaped you, nor be exultant at what He has given you; and Allah does not love any arrogant boaster.) [ 57:22-23 ]

It encourages knowledge and exploration of what Allah created in this universe. Afflictions, such as disease, drive humans to seek their cure, and this is done by searching for the sources of medicine which Allah, the Exalted, created in this universe.

It eases the effects of calamities faced by humans and eliminates the feeling of regret about what has already passed. If someone loses money in a business, this is considered a hardship. If this hardship was followed by the feeling of remorse and sorrow, it would result in two hardships: the hardship of the financial loss and the hardship of feeling remorse and sorrow. If one believes in the Divine Measure of Qadaa’ and Qadr, he would be pleased with what has occurred, because he knows that it was inevitable. The Prophet (s) said: Be keen to do what benefits you and seek help in Allah, and do not be neglectful in doing so. And if any mishap befalls you, do not say, ‘If only I had only done such and such,’ but rather say, ‘This is the Qadar of Allah, and whatever He Wills He does’, for indeed (the saying of) ‘if’ opens the door for the Devil.” [ Muslim ]

It increases one’s dependence upon Allah and removes fear of the creation.

Ibn ‘Abbaas said “I was behind the Messenger of Allah (s) one day and he (s) said to me: ‘O young boy, I will teach you some words: Guard Allah’s commandments and he will guard you. Guard Allah’s commandments, you will find Him in front of you. And If you ask, then ask Allah, and if you seek help, then seek help in Allah and know that if the whole world was to gather to help you, they would never be able to help you except with something which Allah has already written for you. If the whole world was to gather to bring you some harm, they would not be able to harm you except with something which Allah has already written for you. The pens have been lifted, and the scrolls have dried’.” [ Tirmidhi ]

Belief in Qadar is not, as some mistakenly think, a call to put one’s trust in Allah without striving or fulfilling the means, for the Messenger of Allah (s) replied to a person who asked him: ‘Should I leave my camel untied and trust in Allah (that it will be here when I get back)?’ He said, ‘Tie it and then put your trust in Allah.” [ Ibn Hibbaan ]

He also said: “By Him in Whose Hands is my soul, that one of you goes and chops wood, ties it, and carries it on his back is better than for him to go and beg people, whether they give him money or not.” [ Bukhari ]