DEFINING IMAN

SHAYKHUL ISLAM IBN TAYMIYYAH RAHIMAHULLAH WROTE, "AMONGST THE PRINCIPLES OF AHL AS-SUNNAH WAL-JAMA'AH, IS THAT RELIGION AND IMAN CONSIST OF BOTH SPEECH AND ACTIONS. THE SPEECH IS THE SAYINGS OF BOTH THE HEART AND THE TONGUE, WHILE THE ACTION COMPRISES OF THE HEART, TONGUE, AND LIMBS."

SHAYKH 'UTHAYMIN RAHIMAHULLAH WROTE IN HIS NOTES CONCERNING THIS, "IMAN MEANS:

LINGUISTICALLY: BELIEF OR FAITH.

TERMINOLOGICALLY: THE STATEMENTS OF THE HEART AND TONGUE, AND THE ACTIONS OF THE HEART AND LIMBS.

*THE STATEMENT OF THE HEART IS ITS BELIEF AND APPROVAL.

*THE ACTION OF THE HEART IS ITS INTENT, TRUST AND RELIANCE, AND OTHER SIMILAR ACTIONS.

*THE STATEMENT OF THE TONGUE IS ITS PRONOUNCEMENT.

*THE ACTION OF THE LIMBS IS ITS PERFORMANCE AND ABSTINENCE.

THE EVIDENCES THAT IMAN ENCOMPASSES ALL OF THESE ARE THE STATEMENTS OF THE PROPHET SALLALLAHU 'ALAYHI WASALLAM, 'IMAN IS TO BELIEVE IN ALLAH, HIS ANGELS, HIS BOOKS, HIS MESSENGERS, AND TO BELIEVE IN THE LAST DAY AND THE QADR, THE GOOD AND BAD OF IT.' (SAHIH MUSLIM, #81). THIS IS THE STATEMENT OF THE HEART. FURTHERMORE: 'IMAN IS MADE UP OF SEVENTY SOME BRANCHES. THE HIGHEST OF IT IS THE SAYING LA ILAH ILALLAH, THE LOWEST OF IT IS TO REMOVE A HARMFUL OBJECT FROM THE PATH, AND MODESTY IS A BRANCH OF IMAN.' (SAHIH MUSLIM #35).

THE SAYING LA ILAHA ILALLAH IS A SAYING OF THE TONGUE. THE REMOVAL OF A HARMFUL OBJECT FROM THE PATH IS AN ACTION OF THE LIMB, AND MODESTY IS AN ACTION OF THE HEART."

SHAYKH SALIH AL-'UTHAYMIN'S NOTES ON 'AQIDAH AL-WASITIYAH, P.178-179.