Hadith showing that Imān has different parts (branches)
- <aside>
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> **عن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم:«الْإِيمَانُ بِضْعٌ وَسَبْعُونَ -أَوْ بِضْعٌ وَسِتُّونَ- شُعْبَةً، فَأَفْضَلُهَا قَوْلُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ، وَأَدْنَاهَا إِمَاطَةُ الْأَذَى عَنِ الطَّرِيقِ، وَالْحَيَاءُ شُعْبَةٌ مِنَ الْإِيمَانِ».**
>
>
> **Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him):**
>
> **The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Iman has over seventy branches - or over sixty branches - the best of which is the declaration: 'None has the right to be worshipped but Allah'; and the least of which is the removal of harmful object from the road, and modesty is a branch of Iman."**
>
- Shows Iman can be broken up into parts
- Some of Iman is better than others, some are more virteous others less so.
- saying la Ilaha illAllah is an action of the tongue, not a belief (showing actions are from Iman)
- removing something from the road is an action of the limbs
- shyness and modesty is from the heart.
</aside>
Who is more virtuous, Muawiyah (60 AH) or ‘Umar Ibn ‘Abdulaziz (101 AH) and why is the latter considered the fifth rightly caliph by some?
‘Umar ibn ‘Abdul ‘Azeez ibn Marwan Ibn Hakam (101 AH) is often called the 5fth rightly caliph.
However, there is no doubt Mu’awiyah (60 AH) is superior to him by virtue of his status of a Sahabi.
The reason that is said for ‘Umar Ibn ‘Abdulaziz but not for Mu’awiyah is because people were saying this due to how much he resembled Abu Bakr, Uthman, and Ali. It reminded them of the Sahaba.
As for the khilafa of Mu’awiyah, it felt different, like a kingdom, so people had a longing for the earlier ones.
‘Umar ibn ‘Abdulaziz’s (101 AH) letter to Adiyy ibn Adiyy (120 AH) on Imān
- > إِنَّ لِلْإِيمَانِ فَرَائِضَ وَشَرَائِعَ وَحُدُودًا وَسُنَنًا فَمَنْ اسْتَكْمَلَهَا اسْتَكْمَلَ الْإِيمَانَ وَمَنْ لَمْ يَسْتَكْمِلْهَا لَمْ يَسْتَكْمِلْ الْإِيمَانَImaan has obligations, laws, limits and recommendations. Whoever completes them has completed Iman, and whoever does not complete them has not completed Iman
- According to how much you act, your Iman goes up or down
- Shows some of Iman is better than others
Statement of ‘Abdullah Ibn Mubarak (181 AH) on Imān
> الْإِيمَانُ قَوْلٌ وَعَمَلٌ، وَالْإِيمَانُ يَتَفَاضَلُ
Iman is statements and actions, and some of Iman is better than others {varies in levels}
The evidence of Imān Increasing and Decreasing in the Quran
- > إِنَّمَا ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَ ٱلَّذِينَ إِذَا ذُكِرَ ٱللَّهُ وَجِلَتۡ قُلُوبُهُمۡ وَإِذَا تُلِيَتۡ عَلَيۡهِمۡ ءَايَٰتُهُۥ زَادَتۡهُمۡ إِيمَٰنًا وَعَلَىٰ رَبِّهِمۡ يَتَوَكَّلُونَ (3) ٱلَّذِينَ يُقِيمُونَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَمِمَّا رَزَقۡنَٰهُمۡ يُنفِقُون> The believers are only those who, when Allah is mentioned, their hearts become fearful, and when His verses are recited to them, it increases them in faith; and upon their Lord they rely - | The ones who establish prayer, and from what We have provided them, they spend.-Anfal ayah 2The reason we didn’t cite these ayāt first is because the first quotes show us the idea that some people have better Imān, some actions are better than other, some parts of Imān are better, it has parts, etcBut now, after having this general understanding, we want to use specific evidence that Imān increases for an individual.A person can have more or less Iman than the day before> ٱلَّذِينَ قَالَ لَهُمُ ٱلنَّاسُ إِنَّ ٱلنَّاسَ قَدۡ جَمَعُواْ لَكُمۡ فَٱخۡشَوۡهُمۡ فَزَادَهُمۡ إِيمَٰنًا وَقَالُواْ حَسۡبُنَا ٱللَّهُ وَنِعۡمَ ٱلۡوَكِيلُ> Those to whom hypocrites said, “Indeed, the people have gathered against you, so fear them.” But it [merely] increased them in faith, and they said, “Sufficient for us is Allah, and [He is] the best Disposer of affairs.”-Surah imran 173
- it increased them in Imān
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> **وَلَمَّا رَءَا ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَ ٱلۡأَحۡزَابَ قَالُواْ هَٰذَا مَا وَعَدَنَا ٱللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُۥ وَصَدَقَ ٱللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُۥۚ وَمَا زَادَهُمۡ إِلَّآ إِيمَٰنًا وَتَسۡلِيمًا**
>
>
> **And when the believers saw the companies, they said, "This is what Allah and His Messenger had promised us, and Allah and His Messenger spoke the truth." And it increased them only in faith and acceptance.**
>
> -Ahzab 22
>
sometimes Imān is mentioned along with action even though Imām includes submission, linguistically and technically.
This is a feature of Arabic, which is very common. Such as:
> **مَن كَانَ عَدُوًّا لِّلَّهِ وَمَلَٰٓئِكَتِهِۦ وَرُسُلِهِۦ وَجِبۡرِيلَ وَمِيكَىٰلَ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَدُوٌّ لِّلۡكَٰفِرِينَ**
>
>
> **Whoever is an enemy to Allah and His angels and His messengers and Gabriel and Michael - then indeed, Allah is an enemy to the disbelievers.**
>
> -Surah Baqarah
>
Jibreel is an angel and messenger, Mikaeel is an angel, but Allah separated them.
This is a principle when there is something general, and you mention something specific.
Another example is:
> **إِيَّاكَ نَعۡبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسۡتَعِينُ**
>
>
> **You (Alone) we worship, and You (Alone) we ask for help (for each and everything).**
>
Asking for help is worship.
So Allah mentioning Imān and then something like righteous actions is the same thing, it does not separate them.
</aside><aside>
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> **وَإِذَا مَآ أُنزِلَتۡ سُورَةٌ فَمِنۡهُم مَّن يَقُولُ أَيُّكُمۡ زَادَتۡهُ هَٰذِهِۦٓ إِيمَٰنًاۚ فَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ فَزَادَتۡهُمۡ إِيمَٰنًا وَهُمۡ يَسۡتَبۡشِرُونَ وَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ فِى قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌ فَزَادَتۡهُمۡ رِجۡسًا إِلَىٰ رِجۡسِهِمۡ وَمَاتُواْ وَهُمۡ كَٰفِرُونَ**
>
> And whenever a surah is revealed, there are among the hypocrites those who say, "Which of you has this increased **faith?" As for those who believed, it has increased them in faith, while they are rejoicing. | But as for those in whose hearts is disease, it has [only] increased them in evil [in addition] to their evil. And they will have died while they are disbelievers.**
-Tawbah
>
- clear in the increase and decrease of Imān for an individual
</aside>
If we mentioned previously Imān consists of actions, why does Allah separate them at times?
- > وَلَمَّا رَءَا ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَ ٱلۡأَحۡزَابَ قَالُواْ هَٰذَا مَا وَعَدَنَا ٱللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُۥ وَصَدَقَ ٱللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُۥۚ وَمَا زَادَهُمۡ إِلَّآ إِيمَٰنًا وَتَسۡلِيمًاAnd when the believers saw the companies, they said, “This is what Allah and His Messenger had promised us, and Allah and His Messenger spoke the truth.” And it increased them only in faith and acceptance.-Ahzab 22sometimes Imān is mentioned along with action even though Imām includes submission, linguistically and technically.This is a feature of Arabic, which is very common. Such as:> مَن كَانَ عَدُوًّا لِّلَّهِ وَمَلَٰٓئِكَتِهِۦ وَرُسُلِهِۦ وَجِبۡرِيلَ وَمِيكَىٰلَ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَدُوٌّ لِّلۡكَٰفِرِينَWhoever is an enemy to Allah and His angels and His messengers and Gabriel and Michael - then indeed, Allah is an enemy to the disbelievers.-Surah BaqarahJibreel is an angel and messenger, Mikaeel is an angel, but Allah separated them.This is a principle when there is something general, and you mention something specific.Another example is:> إِيَّاكَ نَعۡبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسۡتَعِينُYou (Alone) we worship, and You (Alone) we ask for help (for each and everything).Asking for help is worship.So Allah mentioning Imān and then something like righteous actions is the same thing, it does not separate them.
Evidence from the Sunnah that Imān Increases and Decreases
- <aside>
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> **وَعَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ قَالَ خَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي أَضْحًى أَوْ فِطْرٍ إِلَى الْمُصَلَّى فَمَرَّ عَلَى النِّسَاءِ فَقَالَ يَا مَعْشَرَ النِّسَاءِ تَصَدَّقْنَ فَإِنِي أُرِيتُكُنَّ أَكْثَرَ أَهْلِ النَّارِ فَقُلْنَ وَبِمَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ تُكْثِرْنَ اللَّعْنَ وَتَكْفُرْنَ الْعَشِيرَ مَا رَأَيْتُ مِنْ نَاقِصَاتِ عَقْلٍ وَدِينٍ أَذْهَبَ لِلُبِّ الرجل الحازم من إحداكن قُلْنَ وَمَا نُقْصَانُ دِينِنَا وَعَقْلِنَا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ أَلَيْسَ شَهَادَةُ الْمَرْأَةِ مِثْلَ نِصْفِ شَهَادَةِ الرَّجُلِ قُلْنَ بَلَى قَالَ فَذَلِكَ مِنْ نُقْصَان عقلهَا أَلَيْسَ إِذَا حَاضَتْ لَمْ تَصِلِّ وَلَمْ تَصُمْ قُلْنَ بَلَى قَالَ فَذَلِكَ مِنْ نُقْصَانِ دِينِهَا**
>
> Abu Sa'id al-Khudri said that when God’s messenger went out to the place of prayer on the day of sacrifice, or on the day when the fast was broken, he came upon some women and said, "Give alms, you women folk, for I have been shown that you will be the majority of the inhabitants of hell.” They asked, “For what reason, messenger of God?” He replied, “You are greatly given to abuse, and you are ungrateful to your husbands. **Among women who are deficient in intelligence and religion I have not seen anyone more able to remove the understanding of a prudent man than one of you.” They asked, “What is the deficiency of our religion and our intelligence, messenger of God?” He replied, “Is not the testimony of a woman equivalent to half the testimony of a man?” They said, “Yes.” Remarking that that pertained to the deficiency of her intelligence, he asked, “Is it not the case that when she menstruates she neither prays nor fasts?” When they replied, “Yes,” he said, “That pertains to the deficiency of her religion.”
(Bukhari and Muslim.)**
>
- the prophet ﷺ affirmed a person has a deficiency in their Imān
- The messenger ﷺ told us many men had complete Imān, while only 4 women completed it (Asiyah-wife of Firaun, Maryam- the daughter of ‘Imran, Fatima, the daughter of the messenger ﷺ)
</aside><aside>
> **حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي عَدِيٍّ، عَنْ شُعْبَةَ، عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ، عَنْ ذَكْوَانَ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " لاَ يَزْنِي الزَّانِي حِينَ يَزْنِي وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ وَلاَ يَسْرِقُ حِينَ يَسْرِقُ وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ وَلاَ يَشْرَبُ الْخَمْرَ حِينَ يَشْرَبُهَا وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ وَالتَّوْبَةُ مَعْرُوضَةٌ بَعْدُ " .**
>
>
> It is narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira that the messenger **ﷺ** said:
>
> **A fornicator who fornicates is not a believer as long as he commits fornication, and no one who steals is a believer as long as he commits theft, and no one who drinks wine is a believer as long as he drinks it, and repentance may be accepted after that.**
>
> -Sahih Muslim 57f
>
when a person does such, their Imān drops.
</aside>
Statements of ‘Umar (23 AH) and Ibn Mas’ūd (32 AH) with regards to Imān
Umar ibn Khattab (23 AH)
<aside>
<img></img> **هَلُمُّوا نَزْدَادُ الإِيمَانَ**
</aside>
> Come along, let us go increase in Imaan
<aside>
> **تَعَالَوْا نَزْدَادُ إِيمَانًا**
>
</aside>
> come along let us increase in Imān
‘Abdullah Ibn Mas’ūd (32 AH)
<aside>
<img></img> **اجْلِسُوا** **بِنَا** **نَزْدَادُ** إِيمَان
</aside>
> Sit with us let us increase in Imaan
He also said:
<aside>
<img></img> **أللهما زدني إيمانا ويقين وفقه**
</aside>
> Oh Allah increase me in Imaan, certainty and understanding
Who was Umayr Ibn Habib (Ibn Khumasha) and what is his statement on Imān?
Umayr Ibn Habib (Ibn Khumasha)
- Gave the pledge of Ridwan under the tree as stated by Bukhari
He said:
<aside>
<img></img> **عَنْ جَدِّهِ عُمَيْرِ بْنِ حَبِيبٍ قَالَ: الْإِيمَانُ يَزِيدُ وَيَنْقُصُ فَقِيلَ: وَمَا زِيَادَتُهُ وَمَا نُقْصَانُهُ؟ قَالَ: إِذَا ذَكَرْنَا اللَّهَ وَخَشِينَاهُ فَذَلِكَ زِيَادَتُهُ، وَإِذَا غَفَلْنَا وَنَسِينَا وَضَيَّعْنَا فَذَلِكَ نُقْصَانُهُ**
</aside>
> Imaan goes up and down, they said what from is it goes up and down. He said when we remember Allāh and praise him and we make Tasbih, our Imaan increases. And when we are unaware and lose out on these actions and forget, this is the decrease in Imaan
Statements of those who came after the Sahaba on Imān: Imam Al-Awza’i (158 AH)
حَدَّثَنَا فُدَيْكُ يَعْنِي ابْنَ سُلَيْمَانَ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ الْأَوْزَاعِيَّ يَقُولُ: «الْإِيمَانُ قَوْلٌ وَعَمَلٌ، يَزِيدُ وَيَنْقُصُ فَمَنْ زَعَمَ أَنَّ الْإِيمَانَ يَزِيدُ وَلَا يَنْقُصُ فَاحْذَرُوهُ، فَإِنَّهُ مُبْتَدِعٌ
> “Fudaik, meaning Ibn Suleiman, narrated to us: I heard Al-Awza’i saying: ‘Imān is words and actions; it increases and decreases. So, whoever claims that Imān increases but does not decrease, beware of him, for he is an innovator.’”
وَأَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ الطُّوسِيُّ، قَالَ: نَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَعْقُوبَ، قَالَ: نَا الْعَبَّاسُ بْنُ الْوَلِيدِ الْبَيْرُونِيُّ، قَالَ: نَا أَبُو قُدَامَةَ الْجُبَيْلِيُّ، قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ عُقْبَةَ بْنَ عَلْقَمَةَ، قَالَ: «سَأَلْتُ الْأَوْزَاعِيَّ عَنِ الْإِيمَانِ، أَيَزِيدُ؟ قَالَ: نَعَمْ حَتَّى يَكُونَ كَالْجِبَالِ، قُلْتُ: فَيَنْقُصُ؟ قَالَ: نَعَمْ، حَتَّى لَا يَبْقَى مِنْهُ شَيْءٌ، وَسُئِلَ الْعَبَّاسُ: أَتَقُولُ بِقَوْلِ الْأَوْزَاعِيِّ؟ قَالَ: نَعَمْ»
> “Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-Tusi said: Muhammad ibn Ya’qub narrated to us, saying: Al-‘Abbas ibn al-Walid al-Bayruni narrated to us, saying: Abu Qudamah al-Jubayli narrated to us, saying: I heard ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Alqamah say: ‘I asked Al-Awza’i about Imān. Does it increase?’ He said: ‘Yes, until it becomes like mountains.’ I said: ‘Does it decrease?’ He said: ‘Yes, until nothing of it remains.’ And Al-‘Abbas was asked: ‘Do you follow the view of Al-Awza’i?’ He said: ‘Yes.’”
- it proves Imān goes down, as a person can leave Islām
Statements of those who came after the Sahaba on Imān: Sufyan Ath Thawri (161 AH)
He is: Sufyan Ibn Sa’eed Ibn Masrooq ath Thawri
<aside>
**سُفْيَانُ الثَّوْرِيُّ قَالَ: إِنَّ الإِيمَانَ يَزِيدُ وَيَنْقُصُ**
</aside>
> Imān goes up and down
Why do people mix up Sufyan ibn ‘Uyaynah and Sufyan ath Thawri?
they had some of same teachers, are both called Sufyans, and are aimah of Islam
Statements of those who came after the Sahaba on Imān: Sufyan Ibn ‘Uaynah Al Kufi (198 AH)
- <aside>
**أَخْبَرَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحُسَيْنِ، قَالَ: أَخْبَرَنَا خَلَفُ بْنُ عَمْرٍو ⦗٨٥٥⦘ الْعُكْبَرِيُّ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا الْحُمَيْدِيُّ، قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ ابْنَ عُيَيْنَةَ، يَقُولُ: «الإِيمَانُ يَزِيدُ وَيَنْقُصُ» فَقَالَ لَهُ أَخُوهُ إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ عُيَيْنَةَ: يَا أَبَا مُحَمَّدٍ، لَا تَقُولَنَّ: يَزِيدُ وَيَنْقُصُ، فَغَضِبَ، وَقَالَ: «اسْكُتْ يَا صَبِيُّ، بَلْ يَنْقُصُ حَتَّى لَا يَبْقَى مِنْهُ شَيْءٌ»**
</aside>> Muhammad ibn al-Husayn narrated to us, saying: Khalaf ibn Amr al-Ukbari narrated to us, saying: Al-Humaydi narrated to us, saying: I heard Ibn ‘Uyaynah say: ‘Imān increases and decreases.’ His brother, Ibrahim ibn ‘Uyaynah, said to him: ‘O Abu Muhammad, do not say: increases and decreases.’ {almost as if he’s saying say it goes up, don’t say it’s going down} He became angry and said: ‘Be quiet, O boy, for it decreases until nothing of it remains.’”
Statements of those who came after the Sahaba on Imān: Ash Shafi’ee (204 AH)
وقال الشافعي: الإيمان قول وعمل ويزيد وينقص
> Imān is statements and actions, it goes up and down
Statements of those who came after the Sahaba on Imān: Abdul Razzaq as-San’ani (211H)
- الرَّزَّاقِ، قَالَ: كَانَ مَعْمَرٌ وَابْنُ جُرَيْجٍ وَالثَّوْرِيُّ وَمَالِكٌ وَابْنُ عُيَيْنَةَ يَقُولُونَ: «الْإِيمَانُ قَوْلٌ وَعَمَلٌ يَزِيدُ وَيَنْقُصُ»Ma’mar, Ibn Jurayj, Thawi, Malik {we mentioned some narrations from Mālik negated and some affirmed it} and `Ibn Uyaynah all said Imaan is speech and actions, it increases and decreasesAs such, it seems what is narrates from Mālik that it only goes up, is either it’s not true or he changed his opinion and matched the Ijma’.In another narration of Abdurazzaq<aside>
**حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ سَلَمَةُ بْنُ شَبِيبٍ قَبْلَ سَنَةِ ثَلَاثِينَ وَمِائَتَيْنِ، قَالَ: أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ، قَالَ: كَانَ مَعْمَرٌ وَابْنُ جُرَيْجٍ وَالثَّوْرِيُّ وَمَالِكٌ وَابْنُ عُيَيْنَةَ يَقُولُونَ: «الإِيمَانُ قَوْلٌ وَعَمَلٌ يَزِيدُ وَيَنْقُصُ»، قَالَ عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ: «وَأَنَا أَقُولُ ذَلِكَ: الإِيمَانُ قَوْلٌ وَعَمَلٌ، وَالإِيمَانُ يَزِيدُ وَيَنْقُصُ، فَإِنْ خَالَفْتُهُمْ فَقَدْ ضَلَلْتُ إِذًا وَمَا أَنَا مِنَ الْمُهْتَدِينَ»**
</aside>> “Abu Abd al-Rahman Salamah ibn Shabib narrated to me before the year two hundred and thirty, saying: Abd al-Razzaq narrated to us, saying: Ma’mar, Ibn Jurayj, Al-Thawri, Malik, and Ibn ‘Uyaynah used to say: ‘Imān is words and actions; it increases and decreases.’ Abd al-Razzaq said: ‘And I say the same: Imān is words and actions; it increases and decreases. If I go against them, then I have gone astray, and I am not among the guided.’”
Statements of those who came after the Sahaba on Imān: Ishaq ibn Rāhawayh/Rāhūyah (238 AH) إسحاق بن رَاهَوَيْه/رَاهُوْيَه
- <aside>
**قَالَ إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ رَاهَوَيْهِ: «الإِيمَانُ قَوْلٌ وَعَمَلٌ، يَزِيدُ وَيَنْقُصُ، حَتَّى لَا يَبْقَى مِنْهُ شَيْءٌ»**
</aside>> “Ishaq ibn Rahwayh said: ‘Imān is words and actions; it increases and decreases, until nothing of it remains.’”
What’s the background to the name of Ishaq ibn Rāhawayh/Rāhūyah (238 AH) إسحاق بن رَاهَوَيْه/رَاهُوْيَه
There is a difference in pronunciation, the Arabic pronunciation is Rāhawayh(رَاهَوَيْه), but the scholars of Hadeeth typically pronounce names in the pronunciation the person would have used for themself (in this case Persian- Rāhūyah رَاهُوْيَه)
So the scholars of Hadeeth usually refer to him to as Ishaq Ibn Rāhūyah
Whereas those who quote him generally, arabised his name-Rāhawayh
He explains the origin of his name:
<aside>
**قَالَ أَحْمَدُ بنُ سَلَمَةَ:سَمِعْتُ إِسْحَاقَ يَقُوْلُ:**
**قَالَ لِي الأَمِيْرُ عَبْدُ اللهِ بنُ طَاهِرٍ:لِمَ قِيْلَ لَكَ: ابْنُ رَاهْوَيْه؟ وَمَا مَعْنَى هَذَا؟ وَهَلْ تَكْرَهُ أَنْ يُقَالَ لَكَ ذَلِكَ؟**
**قَالَ:اعْلَمْ أَيُّهَا الأَمِيْرُ أَنَّ أَبِي وُلِدَ فِي طَرِيْقِ مَكَّةَ،فَقَالَتْ المَرَاوِزَةُ:رَاهْوَيْه؛ لأَنَّه وُلِدَ فِي الطَّرِيْقِ، وَكَانَ أَبِي يَكْرَهُ هَذَا.**
**وَأَمَّا أَنَا، فَلاَ أَكْرَهُهُ**
> Aḥmad ibn Salama said: I heard Isḥāq ibn Rāhūyah say: The Emir Abd Allah bin Ṭāhir said to me: Why were you called Ibn Rāhawayh? And what does it mean? And do you dislike being called by that? He (Isḥāq) said: Know that O' Emir that my father was born on a road towards Mecca, so the people of Marw called him: Rāhawayh, for he was born upon the road (to Mecca), and my father disliked that. As for me, I do not dislike it
>
</aside>
Statements of those who came after the Sahaba on Imān: Ahmed Ibn Hanbal (241 AH)
He is Abu ‘Abdillah Ahmed ibn Muhammed Ibn Hanbal ash Shaybani
<aside>
**وقال: "الإيمانُ قولٌ وعملٌ يَزيدُ ويَنقصُ، إذا عَمِلتَ الخيرَ زادَ، وإذا ضَيَّعتَ نَقصَ".**
**وسُئِلَ رحمه الله عن زيادةِ الإيمانِ ونُقصانهِ فقال: "يَزيدُ حتى يبلُغَ أعلى السَّمواتِ السَّبعِ، ويَنقصُ حتى يصيرَ إلى أسفلِ السَّافلينَ السَّبعِ".**
</aside>
> He said: “Imān is words and actions; it increases and decreases. When you do good deeds, it increases, and when you neglect them, it decreases.”
**He was asked, may Allah have mercy on him, about the increase and decrease of Imān, and he said: “It increases until it reaches the highest of the seven heavens, and it decreases until it becomes the lowest of the seven levels.
When he mentioned a number of matters of ‘Aqeedah and reached Imān, he said
<aside>
**قَالَ الإِمَامُ أَحْمَدُ: "الإِيمَانُ قَوْلٌ وَعَمَلٌ يَزِيدُ وَيَنْقُصُ... حَتَّى قَالَ: هَذَا مَا اجْتَمَعَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَفُ مِنَ العُلَمَاءِ فِي الآفَاقِ.**
</aside>
> “Imam Ahmad said: ‘Imān is words and actions; it increases and decreases… until he said: This is what {all of} the Salaf (the pious predecessors) of the scholars across the horizons have agreed upon.’
Statements of those who came after the Sahaba on Imān: Abu zurrah ar Razi (264 AH)
He is: ‘UbayahAllah ibn Abdul Kareem
The great Imām of Hadeeth and ‘Aqeedah
<aside>
**قَالَ أَبُو زُرْعَةَ الرَّازِيُّ: "الإِيمَانُ عِنْدَنَا قَوْلٌ وَعَمَلٌ، يَزِيدُ وَيَنْقُصُ، وَمَنْ قَالَ غَيْرَ ذَلِكَ فَهُوَ مُبْتَدِعٌ مُرْجِئٌ”**
</aside>
> “Abu Zur’ah al-Razi said: ‘Imān, according to us, is words and actions; it increases and decreases. Whoever says otherwise is an innovator (Murjiee).’”
we mentioned there is an exception for the great scholars of Islām who made a mistake in this issue, such as Abu Hanifa, Tahawi, and we ask Allah to forgive them and us for that mistake.
Statements of those who came after the Sahaba on Imān: Abu ‘Ubayd al Qassim ibn Sallam al Khorasani al Harawi (224 AH)
- قَالَ الإِمَامُ أَبُو عُبَيْدِ القَاسِمُ بْنُ سَلَامٍ: “هَذِهِ تَسْمِيَةُ مَنْ كَانَ يَقُولُ الإِيمَانُ قَوْلٌ وَعَمَلٌ، يَزِيدُ وَيَنْقُصُ، … فَسَمَّى أَكْثَرَ مِنْ مِائَةٍ وَثَلَاثِينَ رَجُلًا مِنْ أَهْلِ العِلْمِ مِنَ الصَّحَابَةِ وَغَيْرِهِمْ.. ثُمَّ قَالَ: هَؤُلَاءِ كُلُّهُمْ يَقُولُونَ الإِيمَانُ قَوْلٌ وَعَمَلٌ، يَزِيدُ وَيَنْقُصُ، وَهُوَ قَوْلُ أَهْلِ السُّنَّةِ، وَالمَعْمُولُ بِهِ عِنْدَنَا> “Imam Abu ‘Ubayd al-Qasim ibn Sallam said: ‘This is the naming of those who said Imān is words and actions; it increases and decreases. … He named more than one hundred and thirty men of knowledge from the Companions and others. Then he said: All of them say that Imān is words and actions; it increases and decreases, and this is the saying of Ahl al-Sunnah and what is practiced by us.’”
Statements of those who came after the Sahaba on Imān: Imām Bukhari (256 AH)
- <aside>
**عَنْ الْبُخَارِيّ قَالَ: «لَقِيتُ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ أَلْفِ رَجُلٍ مِنْ الْعُلَمَاءِ بِالْأَمْصَارِ، فَمَا رَأَيْتُ أَحَدًا مِنْهُمْ يَخْتَلِفُ فِي أَنَّ الْإِيمَانَ قَوْلٌ وَعَمَلٌ، وَيَزِيدُ وَيَنْقُصُ**
</aside>> Al-Bukhari said: ‘I met more than a thousand men from the scholars in the different cities, and I did not see any of them differing in that Imān is words and actions; it increases and decreases.
Takeaways from the lesson: Imān Increases and Decreases
- it is proven in the Quran, Sunnah, and the consensus of the Sahaba, Tabi’een and those who follow them in good, that Imān is statements and actions, it increases and decreases
- That it is not permissible to oppose them in this
- There were some scholars who slipped into this issue, partially or completely and that they are not included to be from the Murjiah or the innovators
- We say they fell into what the Murjiah fell into, while looking for the truth
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Lesson 2: Understanding ‘Aqeedah13
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Lesson 3: Primary sources of 'Aqeedah14
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Lesson 4: Secondary Sources of ‘Aqeedah9
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Lesson 5: The Importance of ‘Aqeedah| Part 114
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Lesson 6: The Importance of ‘Aqeedah | Part 29
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lesson 7: 2 Important Questions Answered7
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Lesson 8: Defining Terminology9
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Lesson 9: The Word 'Tawheed' as a Synonym of 'Aqeedah18
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Lesson 10: the Division of Tawheed into categories20
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Lesson 11: Greater shirk8
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Lesson 12: Minor shirk14
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Lesson 13: The Word 'īmān' as a Synonym of 'Aqeedah - The Linguistic Definition9
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Lesson 14: The Hadeeth of Jibreel Which Defines Īmān4
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Lesson 15: The Reality of Īmān and its Connection to Other Concepts13
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Lesson 16: Īmān is Both Statements and Actions12
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Lesson 17: Imān Increases and Decreases22
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Lesson 18: Kufr- the opposite of Imān16
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Lesson 19: Takfeer - Some Principles Regarding Declaring Someone to be a Disbeliever6
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Lesson 20: Takfeer- Further Principles10
