The Three Fundamental Principles with Ijazah Text Lesson

Second Level: Emaan

Study Duration

3 Min

Second Level: Emaan

It consists of more than seventy branches. The highest of them is saying La illaaha illa Allaah and the lowest of them is moving a harmful object from the road. And Hayaa [Modesty] is a branch of Imaan.

Its pillars are six: That you believe in Allah, His angels, His books, His Messengers, the Last Day, and that you believe in Al-Qadar (Divine Pre-Decree) – the good of it and the bad of it.

The proof for these six pillars is Allah’s statement: «Righteousness (birr) is not that you turn your faces towards the east and the west (in prayer), but rather righteousness (birr) is (for) the one who believes in Allah, the Last Day, the Angels, the Books and the Prophets» (Qur'an, 2:177).

And the proof for Al-Qadar (Pre-Decree) is Allah’s saying: «Verily, We have created all things with Qadar (divine pre-decree ordained for it)» (Qur'an 54: 49).

Islamically: Eemaan is statements of the tongue, beliefs in the heart, and actions of the limbs; It increases with Obedience to Allah and it decreases by disobeying Him.

Therefore, Eemaan is composed of five things; if one of the five is not fulfilled then this is not considered Imaan according to Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jama’ah

What is the proof for these five conditions? The hadeeth, “The highest of them is saying La illaaha illa Allaah” this is a statement, “and the lowest of them is moving a harmful object from the road” this is an action of the limb, “and modesty is a branch from Imaan” this is an action of the heart.

Allah's saying: «Which of you has had his Faith increased by it?» (Qur'an 9:124) proves that Imaan increases, and if it increases then surely it must decrease. It has been clearly mentioned from the Prophet –may Allah praise and send him peace- about the decrease in one’s religion through his statement, “I haven't seen anyone more deficient in reason and religion…” (Bukharee and Muslim).

The Six Pillars of Emaan