Faith

Faith is inner knowledge by means of the heart, attestation with the tongue and action with the limbs.

رسولُ اللَّهِ صلى اللَّه عليه وآله: ليسَ الإيمانُ بالتَّحَلّي ولا بالتَّمَنّي ، ولكنَّ الإيمانَ ما خَلَصَ في القلبِ وصَدّقَهُ الأعمالُ . بحار الأنوار : 69 / 72 / 26.

 The Prophet (SAWA) said, 'Faith is not [acquired] through embellishment or wishing. Rather faith is that which is pure in the heart and is certified by actions.' Bihar al-Anwar, v. 69, p. 72, no. 26

رسولُ اللَّهِ صلى اللَّه عليه وآله :  إنّ لكلّ شي‏ءٍ حقيقةً ، وما بلَغَ عبدٌ حقيقةَ الإيمانِ حتّى‏ يَعلَمَ أنّ ما أصابَهُ لَم يكُنْ لِيُخْطِئَهُ وما أخْطأهُ لم يَكُن لِيُصيبَهُ . كنز العمّال : 12 .

 The Prophet (SAWA) said, 'Every thing has a reality, and a servant will never reach the reality of faith until he acknowledges that whatever afflicts him would never have missed him and whatever has missed him would never have afflicted him.' Kanz al-Ummal, no. 12

رسولُ اللَّهِ صلى اللَّه عليه وآله :  الإيمانُ ، الصَّبرُ والسَّماحةُ . كنز العمّال : 57 .

 The Prophet (SAWA) said, 'Faith is patience and liberality.' Kanz al-Ummal, no. 57

رسولُ اللَّهِ صلى اللَّه عليه وآله :  لا يُؤمِنُ عبدٌ حتّى‏ يُحِبَّ للنّاسِ ما يُحبُّ لِنفسهِ مِن الخَيرِ . كنز العمّال : 95 .

 The Prophet (SAWA) said, 'A servant will not have faith until he loves for others the good that he loves for himself.' Kanz al-Ummal, no. 95

رسولُ اللَّهِ صلى اللَّه عليه وآله :  لا يَحُقُّ العبدُ حقيقةَ الإيمانِ حتّى‏ يَغْضَبَ للَّهِ ويَرضى‏ للَّهِ ، فإذا فَعلَ ذلكَ فَقَدِ اسْتَحَقَّ حقيقةَ الإيمانِ . كنز العمّال : 99 .

 The Prophet (SAWA) said, 'A servant will never attain the reality of faith until he is angered only for the sake of Allah and is pleased only for Allah. When he does that, he truly becomes deserving of the reality of faith.' Kanz al-Ummal, no. 99

رسولُ اللَّهِ صلى اللَّه عليه وآله :  لُعِنَتِ المُرْجِئةُ على‏ لِسانِ سَبعينَ نَبيّاً ، الّذينَ يقولونَ : الإيمانُ قَولٌ بلا عملٍ. كنز العمّال : 637 .

 The Prophet (SAWA) said, 'The murji'a have been cursed by seventy prophets. They are those who say that faith is attestation without action.' Kanz al-Ummal, no. 637

رسولُ اللَّهِ صلى اللَّه عليه وآله: الإيمانُ والعملُ أخَوانِ شَريكانِ في قَرَنٍ ، لا يَقْبلُ اللَّهُ أحدَهُما إلّا بصاحبِهِ . كنز العمّال : 59 .

 The Prophet (SAWA) said, 'Faith and action are two brothers, bound together with a single rope. Allah will not accept either one without the other.' Kanz al-Ummal, no. 59

رسولُ اللَّهِ صلى اللَّه عليه وآله :  لا يُخرِجُ المؤمنَ من إيمانِهِ ذَنبٌ ، كَما لا يُخرِجُ الكافِرَ مِن كُفرِهِ إحسانٌ . كنز العمّال : 1333 .

 The Prophet (SAWA) said, 'A sin cannot expel the faithful person from his faith, just as an act of goodness cannot expel an infidel from his faithlessness.' Kanz al-Ummal, no. 1333

رسولُ اللَّهِ صلى اللَّه عليه وآله :  لا تَزالُ لا إله إلّا اللَّهُ تَنْفَعُ مَن قالَها حتّى‏ يُسْتَخَفَّ بها ، والاسْتِخْفافُ بِحَقِّها أنْ يَظْهَرَ العملُ بالمَعاصي فلا يُنْكِروهُ ولا يُغَيِّروهُ . كنز العمّال : 223 .

 The Prophet (SAWA) said, '[The statement] 'There is no god but Allah' will benefit whoever recites it until he depreciates it. And depreciating its right is when sins are openly committed, and they neither prohibit them, nor do they change them.' Kanz al-Ummal, no. 223

رسولُ اللَّهِ صلى اللَّه عليه وآله :  ثلاثةٌ مَن كُنَّ فيهِ يَسْتَكمِلُ إيمانُهُ : رجُلٌ لا يَخافُ في اللَّهِ لَوْمةَ لائمٍ ، ولا يُرائي بشَي‏ءٍ مِن عَمَلِهِ ، وإذا عَرَضَ علَيهِ أمْرانِ أحدُهُما للدُّنيا والآخَرُ للآخِرَةِ ، اخْتارَ أمرَ الآخِرَةِ علَى الدُّنيا . كنز العمّال : 43247 .

 The Prophet (SAWA) said, 'Three qualities, when present in an individual, will complete his faith: a man who does not fear the reproach of an admonisher for the sake of Allah, who never shows off in any of his actions, and who when faced with two matters, one for this world and the other for the Hereafter, he chooses the matter of the Hereafter over the world.' Kanz al-Ummal, no. 43247

رسولُ اللَّهِ صلى اللَّه عليه وآله :  لا يُكْمِلُ عبدٌ الإيمانَ باللَّهِ حتّى‏ يكونَ فيه خَمْسُ خِصالٍ : التّوكّلُ علَى اللَّهِ ، والتّفْويضُ إلَى اللَّهِ ، والتَّسْليمُ لأمرِ اللَّهِ ، والرِّضا بِقَضاءِ اللَّهِ ، والصّبرُ على‏ بَلاءِ اللَّهِ . إنّه مَن أحَبَّ في اللَّهِ ، وأبْغَضَ في اللَّهِ ، وأعطى‏ للَّهِ ، ومَنعَ للَّهِ ، فَقدِ اسْتَكْمَلَ الإيمانَ . بحار الأنوار : 77 / 177 / 10 .

 The Prophet (SAWA) said, 'A servant's faith in Allah is not complete until he has five attributes in him: complete reliance upon Allah, entrusting [his affairs] to Allah, submission to Allah's will, contentment with Allah's decree, and patience in Allah's tribulations. Certainly one who loves for the sake of Allah, hates for the sake of Allah, gives for the sake of Allah, and withholds for the sake of Allah has in fact completed faith.' Bihar al-Anwar, v. 10, p. 177, no. 77

رسولُ اللَّهِ صلى اللَّه عليه وآله :  لا يَسْتَكمِلُ عبدٌ الإيمانَ حتّى‏ يُحِبَّ لأخيهِ ما يُحِبُّ لِنَفْسِهِ ، وحتّى‏ يَخافَ اللَّهَ في مِزاحِهِ وجِدِّهِ . كنز العمّال : 106 .

 The Prophet (SAWA) said, 'A servant's faith is incomplete until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself, and until he fears Allah both in times of jesting as well as seriousness.' Kanz al-Ummal, no. 106

رسولُ اللَّهِ صلى اللَّه عليه وآله :  أفضلُ الإيمانِ الصّبرُ والسَّماحَةُ . كنز العمّال : 74 .

 The Prophet (SAWA) said, 'The best of faith is patience and liberality.' Kanz al-Ummal, no. 74

رسولُ اللَّهِ صلى اللَّه عليه وآله :  أفضلُ الإيمانِ أنْ تَعلمَ أنّ اللَّهَ معكَ حَيثُ ما كُنتَ . كنز العمّال : 66 .

 The Prophet (SAWA) said, 'The best of faith is to know that Allah is with you wherever you are.' Kanz al-Ummal, no. 66

رسولُ اللَّهِ صلى اللَّه عليه وآله :  الإيمانُ بِضْعٌ وسَبعونَ شُعْبَةً ، فأفْضَلُها قَولُ لا إله إلّا اللَّهُ ، وأدْناها إماطَةُ الأذى‏ عَنِ الطَّريقِ ، والحَياءُ شُعْبَةٌ مِن الإيمانِ . كنز العمّال : 52 .

 The Prophet (SAWA) said, 'Faith has more than seventy branches, the best of them is the statement: "There is no god but Allah", and the lowest of them is to remove obstacles from the path. And chastity is a branch of faith.' Kanz al-Ummal, no. 52

رسولُ اللَّهِ صلى اللَّه عليه وآله :  الإيمانُ في عَشرَةٍ : المعرفةُ ، والطّاعةُ ، والعِلمُ ، والعَملُ ، والوَرَعُ ، والاجتِهادُ ، والصَّبرُ ، واليقينُ ، والرِّضا ، والتَّسْليمُ ، فأيَّها فَقدَ صاحِبُهُ بَطَلَ نِظامُهُ . بحار الأنوار : 69 / 175 / 28 .

 The Prophet (SAWA) said, 'Faith is in ten things: inner knowledge, obedience, knowledge, action, piety, striving, patience, conviction, contentedness and submission. And if the individual lacks any one of them, it nullifies the whole structure of his faith.' Bihar al-Anwar, v. 69, p. 175, no. 28

رسولُ اللَّهِ صلى اللَّه عليه وآله :  أوثَقُ العُرى‏ كَلِمَةُ التَّقوى‏. تنبيه الخواطر : 2 / 33 .

 The Prophet (SAWA) said, 'The strongest of bonds is the stance of Godwariness [saying 'la ilaha illah Allah'].' Tanbih al-Khawatir, v. 2, p. 33

رسولُ اللَّهِ صلى اللَّه عليه وآله :  أوْثَقُ عُرَى الإيمانِ : الوَلايةُ في اللَّهِ ، والحُبُّ في اللَّهِ ، والبُغْضُ في اللَّهِ . كنز العمّال : 43525 .

 The Prophet (SAWA) said, 'The strongest bonds of faith are: accepting Allah's guardianship, to love for the sake of Allah and to hate for the sake of Allah.' Kanz al-Ummal, no. 43525

رسولُ اللَّهِ صلى اللَّه عليه وآله: ثلاثٌ مَن كُنَّ فيه ذاقَ طَعْمَ الإيمانِ : مَن كانَ لا شي‏ءَ أحبُّ إلَيهِ مِن‏اللَّهِ ورسولِهِ ، ومن كان لَأنْ يُحرقَ بالنّار أحبَّ إليهِ مِن أنْ يَرْتَدَّ عن دِينِهِ ، ومن كانَ يُحبُّ للَّهِ ويُبغضُ للَّهِ . كنز العمّال : 72 .

 The Prophet (SAWA) said, 'Three qualities which, when present in a person, enable him to savour the taste of faith: that nothing is more beloved to him than Allah and His Messenger, that to be burned in the Fire is more beloved to him than to denounce his religion, and that he loves for the sake of Allah and hates for the sake of Allah.' Kanz al-Ummal, no. 72

رسولُ اللَّهِ صلى اللَّه عليه وآله :  مَن كان أكثرُ همّهِ نيلَ الشّهَواتِ نُزِعَ مِن قلبهِ حلاوةُ الإيمانِ . تنبيه الخواطر : 2 / 116 .

 The Prophet (SAWA) said, 'He whose greatest concern is fulfilling his own desires has the sweetness of faith wrested from his heart.' Tanbih al-Khawatir, v. 6, p. 116

رسولُ اللَّهِ صلى اللَّه عليه وآله :  أدنَى الكفرِ أنْ يَسمعَ الرّجُلُ مِن أخيهِ الكَلِمَةَ فيَحْفَظَها علَيهِ يُريدُ أنْ يَفْضَحَهُ بها ، اُولئكَ لا خَلاقَ لَهُم . بحار الأنوار : 77 / 193 / 11 .

 The Prophet (SAWA) said, 'The most basic level of infidelity is for a man to hear a fellow brother say something and memorize it for future to use against him in order to shame him with it. Those are worthless people indeed.' Bihar al-Anwar, v. 77, p. 193, no. 11

رسولُ اللَّهِ صلى اللَّه عليه وآله :  خُلُقان لا يَجتَمِعانِ في مؤمنٍ : الشُّحُّ ، وسُوءُ الخُلقِ . بحار الأنوار : 77 / 173 / 8 .

 The Prophet (SAWA) said, 'Two traits can never be found in a believer: avarice and ill-naturedness.' Bihar al-Anwar,  p. 173, no. 8

رسولُ اللَّهِ صلى اللَّه عليه وآله :  خَصْلتانِ لا تَجتَمِعانِ في مؤمنٍ : البُخلُ ، وسُوءُ الظَّنِّ بالرِّزقِ . بحار الأنوار : 77 / 172 / 8 .

 The Prophet (SAWA) said, 'Two traits can never be found in a believer: miserliness and pessimism about one's sustenance.' Bihar al-Anwar, v. 77, p. 172, no. 8

رسولُ اللَّهِ صلى اللَّه عليه وآله :  يُطبَعُ المؤمنُ على‏ كلِّ خَصلةٍ ولا يُطبَعُ على‏ الكذبِ ولا على‏ الخِيانةِ . تحف العقول : 55 .

 The Prophet (SAWA) said, 'The believer can be predisposed to any trait, but he cannot be predisposed to lying or treachery.' Tuhaf al-Uqul, no. 55

رسولُ اللَّهِ صلى اللَّه عليه وآله :  إنَّ اللَّهَ جلّ ثَناؤهُ يقولُ : وعِزَّتي وجَلالي ، ما خَلَقتُ مِن خَلْقي خَلْقاً أحَبَّ إلَيَّ مِن عَبديَ المؤمنِ . بحار الأنوار : 71 / 158 / 75 .

 The Prophet (SAWA) said, 'Verily Allah, exalted be His praise, says: 'By My Might and Exaltedness, I have not created any creature more beloved to Me than My believing servant.' Bihar al-Anwar, v. 71, p. 158, no. 75

رسولُ اللَّهِ صلى اللَّه عليه وآله :  المؤمنُ أكْرَمُ علَى اللَّهِ مِن ملائكتِهِ المُقَرَّبينَ . كنز العمّال : 821 .

 The Prophet (SAWA) said, 'The believer is dearer to Allah than His closest angels.' Kanz al-Ummal, no. 821

رسولُ اللَّهِ صلى اللَّه عليه وآله :  المؤمنونَ تَتَكافَأُ دِماؤهُم ، وهُم يَدٌ على‏ مَن سِواهُم ، ويَسعى‏ بذِمَّتِهم أدْناهُم. كنز العمّال : 402 .

 The Prophet (SAWA) said, 'The believers' blood is coequal, and they are one hand against others, the most inferior among them is empowered by their protection [of him].' Kanz al-Ummal, no. 402

رسولُ اللَّهِ صلى اللَّه عليه وآله :  مَثَلُ المُؤمِنينَ في تَوادِّهِمْ وَتَعاطُفِهِمْ وَتَراحُمِهِمْ مَثَلُ الجَسدِ ؛ إذا اشتكى‏ مِنهُ عُضوٌ تَداعى‏ سائرُ الجَسَدِ بالسَّهَرِ والحُمّى‏ . مسند ابن حنبل : 6 / 379 / 18408 .

 The Prophet (SAWA) said, 'The similitude of the believers in their mutual love, affection and compassion for one another is as one body - if a single limb ails then the rest of the body suffers in insomnia and fever.' Musnad Ibn Hanbal, v. 6, p. 379, no. 18408

رسولُ اللَّهِ صلى اللَّه عليه وآله :  المؤمنُ مَن آمَنَهُ النّاسُ على‏ دِمائهِم وأموالِهم . كنز العمّال : 739 .

 The Prophet (SAWA) said, 'The believer is he whom people trust with their blood and their property.' Kanz al-Ummal, no. 739

رسولُ اللَّهِ صلى اللَّه عليه وآله :  المؤمنُ هَيِّنٌ لَيِّنٌ ، حتّى‏ تَخالَهُ مِن اللِّينِ أحمقَ . كنز العمّال : 690 .

 The Prophet (SAWA) said, 'The believer is nice and simple, such that he could be mistaken to be stupid because of his simplicity.' Kanz al-Ummal, no. 690

رسولُ اللَّهِ صلى اللَّه عليه وآله :  المؤمنُ يألَفُ ويُؤلَفُ ، ولا خيرَ فيمَن لا يألَفُ ولا يُؤلَفُ ، وخيرُ النّاسِ أنفَعهُمْ للنّاسِ . كنز العمّال : 679 .

 The Prophet (SAWA) said, 'The believer likes others and is well-liked by them, and there is no good to be found in one who does not get along with others and whom people do not get along with. The best of people is the most useful from among them.' Kanz al-Ummal, no. 679

رسولُ اللَّهِ صلى اللَّه عليه وآله :  المؤمن يَبدأ بالسَّلامِ ، والمنافقُ يقولُ : حتّى‏ يُبْدأَ بي ! كنز العمّال : 778 .

 The Prophet (SAWA) said, 'The believer initiates the greeting of peace (salam) whereas the hypocrite says, 'Not until it is said to me first!' Kanz al-Ummal, no. 778

رسولُ اللَّهِ صلى اللَّه عليه وآله :  المؤمنُ الّذي نفسُهُ مِنهُ في عَناءٍ ، والنّاسُ في راحةٍ . كنز العمّال : 752 .

 The Prophet (SAWA) said, 'The believer is he whose soul is inconvenienced because of him but people are at ease.' Kanz al-Ummal, no. 752

رسولُ اللَّهِ صلى اللَّه عليه وآله :  - يَصِفُ المؤمنَ - : لطيفُ الحَرَكاتِ ، حُلْوُ المُشاهَدةِ ... يَطلُبُ مِن الاُمورِ أعلاها ، ومِن الأخلاقِ أسْناها ... لا يَحيفُ على‏ مَن يُبغِضُ ، ولا يأثَمُ فيمَن يُحِبُّ ... قليلُ المؤونةِ ، كثير المَعونةِ ... يُحسِنُ في عملِهِ كأنّهُ ناظرٌ إلَيهِ ، غَضُّ الطَّرْفِ ، سَخِيُّ الكَفِّ ، لا يَرُدُّ سائلاً ... يَزِنُ كلامَهُ ، ويُخْرِسُ لسانَهُ ... لا يَقبَلُ الباطلَ مِن صديقِهِ ، ولا يَرُدُّ الحقَّ على‏ عدوِّهِ ، ولا يَتعلّمُ إلّا لِيَعْلمَ ، ولا يَعلمُ إلّا لِيَعْملَ ... إن سلَكَ مَع أهلِ الدُّنيا كانَ أكيَسَهُم ، وإنْ سَلكَ مَع أهلِ الآخرةِ كانَ أورَعَهُم . بحار الأنوار : 67 / 71 / 34 و ص‏ 310 / 45 .

 The Prophet (SAWA) said, describing the believer, '[He is] subtle in his movements, sweet to look at... he seeks out the loftiest of matters, and has the most outstanding moral ethics... he is not prejudiced against he whom he does not like, nor biased in favour of one he loves... he is hardly a burden, and instead is very helpful... he perfects his actions as if he is being watched, lowers his gaze, is liberal in his giving, and never turns away a beggar... he considers his words carefully and guards his tongue... he neither accepts falsehood from a friend, nor rejects the truth from an enemy... he only learns in order that he might know, and he only seeks to know in order that he may act... When he travels with worldly people, he is the smartest of them, and when he travels with the people of the Hereafter, he is the most pious from among them.' Bihar al-Anwar, v. 67, p. 310, no. 45

رسولُ اللَّهِ صلى اللَّه عليه وآله :  مَن سَرَّتْهُ حَسَنتُهُ وساءَتْهُ سَيّئتُهُ فهُو مؤمنٌ . كنز العمّال : 700 .

 The Prophet (SAWA) said, 'He whose good deed pleases him and whose sin upsets him is indeed a believer.' Kanz al-Ummal, no. 700

رسولُ اللَّهِ صلى اللَّه عليه وآله :  تَقولُ جَهَنَّمُ لِلمُؤمِنِ يَومَ القِيامَةِ : جُز يا مُؤمِنُ فَقَد أطفَأَ نورُكَ لَهَبي‏  . تاريخ بغداد : 5 / 194 و 12 / 111 .

 The Prophet (SAWA) said, 'Hell will say to the believer on Judgment Day: 'Pass through O Believer, because your light has extinguished my flames.' Tarikh Baghdad, v. 5, p. 194, and v. 12, p. 111

رسولُ اللَّهِ صلى اللَّه عليه وآله :  ليسَ إيمانُ مَن رآني بعَجَبٍ ولكنّ العَجبَ كلَّ العَجبِ لِقومٍ رأَوا أوْراقاً فيها سَوادٌ فآمَنوا بهِ أوّلِهِ وآخِرهِ . كنز العمّال : 704 .

 The Prophet (SAWA) said, 'The faith of one who has seen me is no great wonder, but what is truly amazing is for the people who have only seen pages with black [ink] on it [i.e. the Qur'an] and have believed in it from beginning to end.' Kanz al-Ummal, no. 34582

رسولُ اللَّهِ صلى اللَّه عليه وآله : لا إيمانَ لِمَن لا أمانةَ لَهُ‏  . بحار الأنوار : 72 / 198 / 26 .

 The Prophet (SAWA) said, 'An untrustworthy man is a man without faith.' Bihar al-Anwar, v. 72, p. 198, no. 26

رسولُ اللَّهِ صلى اللَّه عليه وآله :  الإيمانُ مَعرِفةٌ بالقلبِ ، وقَولٌ باللِّسانِ ، وعَملٌ بالأرْكانِ . كنز العمّال : 2 .

 The Prophet (SAWA) said, 'Faith is inner knowledge by means of the heart, attestation with the tongue and action with the limbs.' Kanz al-Ummal, no. 2