Many of us may already be aware that there is a distinction between Islam and Iman [faith], between Muslim and Mo’min [faithful]. However, the relation between Islam and Iman may not be very clear for us.
In the following verse, God vividly highlights this distinction.
The wandering Arabs say: We believe. Say: Ye believe not, but rather say "We submit," for the faith hath not yet entered into your hearts.(49:14)
Therefore, based on this verse, a muslim is not necessarily a mo’min [faithful/believer]. This should automatically make us question the nature of faith and its link to submission to God. We should ask ourselves, “am I considered a mo’min [a believer] or am I a muslim?” If your answer is the latter, then you could follow your previous question with another one, “how can I become a Mo’min [a believer]?” “How can I ascend higher and attain Iman [faith] in my heart?” Nonetheless, before you know the answers these great questions, you would first need to completely realize that there is in fact a distinction and one is better than the other.
In this post, I present an Authentic tradition, which concisely reveals the role of Islam and its connection to Iman [faith]. As it is visible, the words and deeds of a mo’min are seen and rewarded differently than the words and deeds of a muslim. Having this knowledge should motivate us to seek ways to ascend one level higher and transform ourselves from muslims [Submitters] to mo’mins [faithfuls/believers].
Moreover, as this tradition concisely indicates, it is through submission [Islam] that one is guided to faith [Iman] and not the other way around. One cannot expect to have faith prior to complete submission to God’s religion and commands. It is through actions and submission that one attains faith in his or her heart. Therefore, based on this tradition, the right action accompanied with the right intention, precedes the entrance of faith into one’s heart.
There are many people who claim that as long as one is sincere in his or her heart, God is pleased with him or her and one should not worry too much about following God’s commands. However, according to this tradition, one cannot have faith or be sincere in his heart, without first properly submitting to God’s commands. Thus, the next time you encounter such individuals, remember this tradition, and remind yourself that it is via submission and actions that one attains faith and sincerity and not vice versa. Actions precede faith.
Lastly, keep in mind that it is through your actions that you change your brains. It is via actions that you form habits. Through your actions you shape your characteristic. In other words, you are what you do.
Now, without any further ado I present to you the following Authentic tradition.
Arabic Text:
عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ وَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ جَمِيعاً عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ رِئَابٍ عَنْ حُمْرَانَ بْنِ أَعْيَنَ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ع قَالَ سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ الْإِيمَانُ مَا اسْتَقَرَّ فِي الْقَلْبِ وَ أَفْضَى بِهِ إِلَى اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ وَ صَدَّقَهُ الْعَمَلُ بِالطَّاعَةِ لِلَّهِ وَ التَّسْلِيمِ لِأَمْرِهِ وَ الْإِسْلَامُ مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْ قَوْلٍ أَوْ فِعْلٍ وَ هُوَ الَّذِي عَلَيْهِ جَمَاعَةُ النَّاسِ مِنَ الْفِرَقِ كُلِّهَا وَ بِهِ حُقِنَتِ الدِّمَاءُ وَ عَلَيْهِ جَرَتِ الْمَوَارِيثُ وَ جَازَ النِّكَاحُ وَ اجْتَمَعُوا عَلَى الصَّلَاةِ وَ الزَّكَاةِ وَ الصَّوْمِ وَ الْحَجِّ فَخَرَجُوا بِذَلِكَ مِنَ الْكُفْرِ وَ أُضِيفُوا إِلَى الْإِيمَانِ وَ الْإِسْلَامُ لَا يَشْرَكُ الْإِيمَانَ وَ الْإِيمَانُ يَشْرَكُ الْإِسْلَامَ وَ هُمَا فِي الْقَوْلِ وَ الْفِعْلِ يَجْتَمِعَانِ كَمَا صَارَتِ الْكَعْبَةُ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ وَ الْمَسْجِدُ لَيْسَ فِي الْكَعْبَةِ وَ كَذَلِكَ الْإِيمَانُ يَشْرَكُ الْإِسْلَامَ وَ الْإِسْلَامُ لَا يَشْرَكُ الْإِيمَانَ وَ قَدْ قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ قالَتِ الْأَعْرابُ آمَنَّا قُلْ لَمْ تُؤْمِنُوا وَ لكِنْ قُولُوا أَسْلَمْنا وَ لَمَّا يَدْخُلِ الْإِيمانُ فِي قُلُوبِكُمْ (49:14) فَقَوْلُ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ أَصْدَقُ الْقَوْلِ قُلْتُ فَهَلْ لِلْمُؤْمِنِ فَضْلٌ عَلَى الْمُسْلِمِ فِي شَيْءٍ مِنَ الْفَضَائِلِ وَ الْأَحْكَامِ وَ الْحُدُودِ وَ غَيْرِ ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ لَا هُمَا يَجْرِيَانِ فِي ذَلِكَ مَجْرَى وَاحِدٍ وَ لَكِنْ لِلْمُؤْمِنِ فَضْلٌ عَلَى الْمُسْلِمِ فِي أَعْمَالِهِمَا وَ مَا يَتَقَرَّبَانِ بِهِ إِلَى اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ قُلْتُ أَ لَيْسَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ يَقُولُ مَنْ جاءَ بِالْحَسَنَةِ فَلَهُ عَشْرُ أَمْثالِها (6:160) وَ زَعَمْتَ أَنَّهُمْ مُجْتَمِعُونَ عَلَى الصَّلَاةِ وَ الزَّكَاةِ وَ الصَّوْمِ وَ الْحَجِّ مَعَ الْمُؤْمِنِ قَالَ أَ لَيْسَ قَدْ قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ فَيُضاعِفَهُ لَهُ أَضْعافاً كَثِيرَةً (2:245) فَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ هُمُ الَّذِينَ يُضَاعِفُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ لَهُمْ حَسَنَاتِهِمْ لِكُلِّ حَسَنَةٍ سَبْعُونَ ضِعْفاً فَهَذَا فَضْلُ الْمُؤْمِنِ وَ يَزِيدُهُ اللَّهُ فِي حَسَنَاتِهِ عَلَى قَدْرِ صِحَّةِ إِيمَانِهِ أَضْعَافاً كَثِيرَةً وَ يَفْعَلُ اللَّهُ بِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ مَا يَشَاءُ مِنَ الْخَيْرِ قُلْتُ أَ رَأَيْتَ مَنْ دَخَلَ فِي الْإِسْلَامِ أَ لَيْسَ هُوَ دَاخِلًا فِي الْإِيمَانِ فَقَالَ لَا وَ لَكِنَّهُ قَدْ أُضِيفَ إِلَى الْإِيمَانِ وَ خَرَجَ مِنَ الْكُفْرِ وَ سَأَضْرِبُ لَكَ مَثَلًا تَعْقِلُ بِهِ فَضْلَ الْإِيمَانِ عَلَى الْإِسْلَامِ أَ رَأَيْتَ لَوْ بَصُرْتَ رَجُلًا فِي الْمَسْجِدِ أَ كُنْتَ تَشْهَدُ أَنَّكَ رَأَيْتَهُ فِي الْكَعْبَةِ قُلْتُ لَا يَجُوزُ لِي ذَلِكَ قَالَ فَلَوْ بَصُرْتَ رَجُلًا فِي الْكَعْبَةِ أَ كُنْتَ شَاهِداً أَنَّهُ قَدْ دَخَلَ الْمَسْجِدَ الْحَرَامَ قُلْتُ نَعَمْ قَالَ وَ كَيْفَ ذَلِكَ قُلْتُ إِنَّهُ لَا يَصِلُ إِلَى دُخُولِ الْكَعْبَةِ حَتَّى يَدْخُلَ الْمَسْجِدَ فَقَالَ قَدْ أَصَبْتَ وَ أَحْسَنْتَ ثُمَّ قَالَ كَذَلِكَ الْإِيمَانُ وَ الْإِسْلَامُ
Farsi Translation:
حمران بن اعين گويد: شنيدم امام باقر (ع) مىفرمود: ايمان چيزى است كه در قلب جا كند و بنده را به خدا عز و جل بكشاند و طاعت و تسليم به امر خدا هم مصدق او باشد و اسلام گفتار و كردار ظاهرى است كه جمع مردم بر آنند از همه دستجات و مسلمين و به وسيله همين اسلام ظاهرى است كه جانها محفوظ است و ميراث اجراء مى شود و زناشوئى روا است و اتفاق دارند بر نماز و زكاة و روزه و حج و به همين جهت از كفر بيرونند و به ايمان نسبت دارند اسلام شريك و ملازم ايمان نيست ولى ايمان شريك و ملازم اسلام است و اين هر دو در گفتار و كردار با هم جمع مى شوند چنانچه خانه كعبه در مسجد است ولى همه مسجد در خانه كعبه نيست و همچنين ايمان شريك و ملازم اسلام و در حريم اسلام است ولى اسلام شريك و ملازم ايمان نيست و خدا عز و جل هم فرموده است: «اعراب گفتند ما ايمان آورديم بگو ايمان نياورديد بگوئيد مسلمان شديم و هنوز ايمان در قلبتان در نيامده است»(49:14) فرموده: خدا عز و جل راستترين گفتار است، گفتم: آيا براى مؤمن فضلى است بر مسلم در چيزى از فضائل و احكام و حدود و جز آنها؟ فرمود: نه، آنها در اين باره يكسانند ولى مؤمن به مسلم برترى دارد در كردارش و تقربى كه به خدا عز و جل جويد، گفتم: مگر نيست كه خدا عز و جل فرمايد: «هر كه حسنه آورده ده برابر دارد»(6:160) و تو معتقدى كه همه اتفاق دارند بر نماز و زكاة و روزه و حج با مؤمن؟
فرمود: مگر نيست كه خدا عز و جل فرمايد: «بيفزايد برايش برابرهاى بسيار»(2:245) پس مؤمنان باشند كه خدا عز و جل برايشان حسنات را چند برابر كند براى هر حسنه هفتاد برابر، اين است فضل مؤمن و بيفزايد خدا به حسنات او به اندازه درجه ايمانش برابرهاى بسيار و خدا با مؤمن هر چه خوبى خواهد كند، گفتم: بفرمائيد هر كه در اسلام در آيد، در ايمان وارد نيست؟
فرمود: نه، ولى نسبت به ايمان دارد و از كفر رسته است و من براى تو مثلى بياورم كه فضل ايمان را بر اسلام بفهمى، اگر تو ديدى مردى در مسجد الحرام است، گواهى مى دهى كه او را در خانه كعبه ديدى؟ گفتم: اين براى من جائز نيست، فرمود: اگر مردى را در خانه كعبه ديدى، گواهى دهى كه وارد مسجد الحرام شده؟
گفتم: آرى، فرمود: اين چگونه است؟ گفتم: او نتواند وارد كعبه شود تا در مسجد در آيد، فرمود: درست فهميدى و خوب گفتى، سپس فرمود: ايمان و اسلام هم چنين است.
English Translation:
Narrated from several companions from Sahl Ibn Ziyad and Mohamed Ibn Yehya, from Ahmed Ibn Mohamed, and all of the latter from Ibn Mahboub, from Ali Ibn Re’ab, from Homran Ibn A’yan, from Abu Ja’afar (peace be upon him).
I [Homran Ibn A’yan] heard him [Abu Ja’afar, peace be upon him] say that faith [Iman] is that which rests in the heart and overflows to Allah the Most Exalted. It is affirmed by works of obedience to Allah and acceptance of His will. Islam is what is reflected in word and deed. It is that [meaning around Islam] around which most people agree as opposed to the other [meaning Iman]. It [Islam] has spared bloodshed, upon it inheritances are divided and marriages certified. It [Islam] unites people in prayer, alms-giving, fasting and pilgrimage. With it they have been led from disbelief towards faith [Iman]. Islam does not accompany faith [Iman], but faith [Iman] accompanies Islam, and they are one with regards to word and deed, just as the Kaa’ba is affiliated with the mosque but the mosque is not in the Kaa’ba.
Likewise, faith follows Islam whereas Islam does not follow faith. Allah the Exalted says: “ The wandering Arabs say: We believe. Say : Ye believe not, but rather say "We submit," for the faith hath not yet entered into your hearts. (49:14) The word of Allah the Most Exalted is the most truthful.
I [Homran Ibn A’yan] said, “Is the faithful man [mo’min] better than a muslim in any of the virtues, decrees, and punishments or otherwise?”
He said, “No, the two are held in the same balance. But a faithful man [mo’min] is held higher than a muslim with regards to deed and word, and in seeking to come closer to Allah the Most Exalted.”
I [Homran Ibn A’yan] said, “Does not Allah the Most Exalted say, ‘Whosoever does a good deed is rewarded tenfold.’(6:160)? You claim that these traits, prayer, alms-giving, fasting and pilgrimage are united in the believer.”
He [the Imam] said, “Does not God the Exalted say, ‘he will be rewarded multiple-fold’ (2:245)? Thus, the believers [mo’mins] are those whom Allah the Most Exalted multiplies their good deeds seventy-fold for every good deed. That is the trait of the believer [mo’min]. God multiplies his good deeds according to the degree of his faith [Iman] many times over, and the believers [mo’mins] do whatsoever He wills of good deeds.”
I [Homran Ibn A’yan] asked, “If one enters Islam has he not entered faith, too?”
He said, “No, Islam guides a man to faith and away from disbelief. I will give you an example to comprehend the superiority of faith [Iman] to Islam. Could you see a man in the Holy Mosque whom you had witnessed [previously] beforehand in the Kaa’ba?” [meaning, is it possible for a man to enter the Kaa’ba before he enters the Holy Mosque?]
I said, “It is not possible that I could.”
He said, “Could you see a man in the Kaa’ba whom you had witnessed previously in the Holy Mosque?”
I said, “Yes.”
He said, “And why is that?”
I said, “He is not able to pray at the Kaa’ba before he enters The Mosque.”
Source:
Al-Kafi, Volume 2, Page 26, Tradition #5
