Strength of your Faith    

April 13^th 2012 – Jamadiul Auvwal 21^st 1433

Introduction:

Faith is the confidence and the trust upon the one who is understood to be truthfully accurate. In the religion of Islam, faith is the total belief in a single God who is The-Creator and The-Sustainer of the universe. In the Arab-Islamic language, faith is referred as Iman. When a person establishes faith in One-God, he/she establishes faith by comprehensive conviction in the doctrine of One-God’s religion which is conveyed to humankind through Prophet and the divine book. The Last Messenger Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is the one who was designated to complete the religion of God; Islam and so the Last Testament of God is The-Qur’an. Such is the faith of Righteousness because Almighty Alloh (The-God) prescribes so.

Now through Muhammad (PBUH) we learnt the definition of Iman. This Hadith in part explains the conversation about it between Archangel Gabriel (PBUH) and The Last Messenger Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). “He (Gabriel PBUH the inquirer) said: Inform me about Iman (O Muhammad PBUH). He (The-Prophet PBUH) replied: That you affirm your faith in Alloh, in His Angels, in His Books, in His Messengers [وَرُسُلِهِ], in the Day of Judgment, and you affirm your faith in the Divine Decree about good and evil. He (Gabriel PBUH the inquirer) said: You have told the truth” [Sahih Muslim (English Edition) – Book 01, Hadith 01].

It is narrated on the authority of Abu Hurairah (RTA) that the Prophet (PBUH) said: “Faith has over seventy branches, the most excellent of which is the declaration that there is no deity worth worshipping but (Almighty) Alloh, and the humblest of which is the, removal of what is injurious from the path: and modesty (Humility) is the branch of faith [Sahih Muslim (English Edition) – Book 01, Hadith 55].

With certainty in faith, the humans are tested to get certified by Almighty Alloh for the strength of faith as it has been defined in a Hadith. Such a test establishes strength of a person through conviction, action with righteousness and steadfastness, if not; God willing, such would be given opportunity to improve upon it until the faith is totally for Almighty Alloh.

The Qur’an Speaks:  

“The life of this world is no more than an illusion.You will certainly be tested, through your money and your lives, and you will hear from those who received the scripture, and from the idol worshipers, a lot of insult. If you steadfastly maintain perseverance and remain God-conscious to lead a righteous life, this will prove the strength of your faith. God took a covenant from those who received the scripture: "You shall proclaim it to the people, and never conceal it". But they disregarded it behind their backs, and traded it away for a cheap price. What a miserable trade” {The Qur’an – Surah Ale Imran (Chapter: The Amramites) 03:186}.

With this verse, we come to know that the strength of our faith would be tested by our Creator Lord through (1) excess or loss of money, (2) strength or loss of our family members, (3) opposition from the people of the book (4) hostility from the idol worshippers (5) and attack against the dignity of your being.

All these five elements of test could be won through (1) Perseverance (Sabr) (2) God-consciousness (Taquwah) and (3) Righteousness (Azmil Umoor) of deeds. Perseverance (Steadfastness) refers to the steady persistence to the deeds in order to achieve eternal salvation as prescribed to you by Almighty Alloh in The-Qur’an and as performed by the Last Messenger Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) which is present in the form of Ahadith Sahih, under all circumstances. God-consciousness (Taquwah) is to beware that Almighty Alloh is watching over you so that you show absolute loyalty to the deeds as prescribed to you by Almighty Alloh in The-Qur’an and as performed by the Last Messenger Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) which is present in the form of Ahadith Sahih. Righteousness is determination to follow by action the accepted and recommended standards by Almighty Alloh in The-Qur’an and as performed by the Last Messenger Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) which is present in the form of Ahadith Sahih.

By accounting ourselves to these standards, we have raised our hopes to strengthen our Iman (faith). Such would be the strength of our faith in Almighty Alloh.

Companion Ubada B. Samit (RTA) narrated that I heard the Messenger of Alloh (PBUH) say: “He who testifies that there is no god (deity) but (Almighty) Alloh and that Muhammad is the Messenger of (Almighty) Alloh, (Almighty) Alloh would prohibit the fire of Hell for him” [Sahih Muslim (English Version) – Book 01 Hadith 45].

The Last Messenger Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) led the Morning Prayer at Hudaybiyah. There were some marks of the rainfall during the night. At the conclusion of prayer he turned towards people and observed: Do you know what your Lord has said? They replied: Alloh and His Messenger know best. Upon this The Prophet (PBUH) remarked: He (Almighty Alloh) said: “Some of My bondsmen entered the morning as My believers and some as unbelievers. He who said: We have had a rainfall due to the Blessing and Mercy of (Almighty) Alloh, he is My believer and a disbeliever of stars, and who said: We have had a rainfall due to the rising of such and such (star) disbelieved in Me and affirmed his faith in the stars” [Sahih Muslim (English Version) – Book 01 Hadith 132].

Narrated Ibn 'Omar (RTA) that (Almighty) Alloh's Messenger (PBUH) said: Islam is based on (the following) five (principles) :-  (1) To testify that none has the right to be worshipped but Alloh and Muhammad is Alloh's Messenger. (2) To offer the (compulsory congregational: Salawat Al Qhamsa) prayers dutifully and perfectly. (3) To pay Zakat (i.e. obligatory charity).  (4) To perform Hajj. (I.e. Pilgrimage to Mecca) and (5) To observe fast during the month of Ramadan [Sahih Bukharie (English Version) – Vol. 1, Book 2, Hadith 08]. The (6) element of Islam is also mentioned as the struggle against evils.

Narrated Anaes (RTA) that The Last Messenger Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said, "Whoever possesses the following three qualities will taste the sweetness of faith: (1) The one to whom Alloh and His Messenger become dearer than anything else, (2) Who loves a person and he loves him only for Alloh's sake, (3) Who hates to revert to disbelief (Atheism) after Alloh has brought (saved) him out from it, as he hates to be thrown in fire" [Sahih al-Bukharie (English Version)  - Vol. 1, Book 2, Hadith 21].

Narrated companion Abu Hurairah (RTA): Almighty Alloh's Last Messenger Prophet (PBUH) said: "If any one of you improve (follows strictly) his Islamic religion then his good deeds will be rewarded ten times to seven hundred times for each good deed and a bad deed will be recorded as it is" [Sahih Bukharie (English Version) Vol. 1, Book 2, Hadith 41].