By Dr. Obaidur Rahman Nadwi
Faith (Iman) is the greatest gift that Allah accorded to us. It is the fountainhead of Islam. One who has complete faith in Allah and fears Him can never commit a sin or perform illegal activities. It is Faith that keeps one away from obnoxious acts, wrongdoings and polytheistic deeds – the elimination of which leads to the path of salvation, progress and prosperity. Moreover, faith develops such an extent of vigour that it can lift one from the depths of degradation to the greatest height of glory.
We may easily comprehend the essence and significance of Faith through the following Traditions of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
Sufiyan bin Abdullah Saqfi has related: Once, he asked the Prophet, “O Apostle of God! Tell me an all-encompassing thing about Islam so that, after you, I may not have to ask from anyone in this regard.” The Prophet replied, “Say, I believe in God, and remain true to it.” (Sahih Muslim)
It is enough for a man to make himself a faithful bondsman of God by affirming faith in Him as the Lord and Creator of the Worlds, and, then, to make the conscientious fulfilment of the duties stemming from it his characteristic behaviour and way of life.
This Tradition is included among the ‘all-embracing sayings’ of the Prophet ﷺ. The Blessed Prophet has summed up the fundamental meaning and purpose of Islam in a few words. Faith in God and constancy and steadfastness in it constitutes the pith and essence of Islam.
It is related by Tamin Dari that the Apostle of God, once, said: “Faith is the name of loyalty and earnestness.” He was asked, “Loyalty and earnestness towards whom?” The Prophet replied, “Towards God, towards His Book, towards His Apostle, towards the leaders of Muslims, and towards the Muslims as a whole.” (Sahih Muslim).
This Tradition, too, is included among the ‘all-embracing sayings’ of the Prophet ﷺ. According to Imam Al-Nawawi, “It is comprehensive of all the objectives of Faith and to act upon it is to fulfil its aim and purpose altogether.
No aspect or department of Faith has been left out in the above Tradition. It declares that Islam consists of loyalty to God, to His Book, to His Apostles, to the leaders of Muslims and to the entire Muslim community, and this is what Faith is, without a trace of doubt.” (Meaning and Message of the Traditions, pp.126-127)
Undoubtedly, we have almost sunk into an abyss of destruction, ruin, moral degradation, abasement and decline due to abstaining from Faith.
In short, without Faith our life is meaningless. Due to lack of Faith, we could be leading a life like an animal.
Today, the entire world has become almost like a hornet’s nest. Wars are hovering over us. Innumerable casualties of war are daily reported. We are neither safe at home, nor in journey. Our homes, schools, mosques have been transformed into camps of war. We really don’t know when we would be looted, plundered or killed. These things are happening because of lack of fear of Allah and not having full faith in Him.
Today, we may have learnt to fly in the air like birds and swim in the water like fish, but we have forgotten how to walk on earth.
It is time to revive our Faith and fear Allah so that the turbulent situation before the world may transform into peace and tranquillity.
[The writer is Faculty Member, Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulama, Lucknow U.P. (India)]
