. J '-Ɵ  (cont.)

The absence of the necessary consequences is a denial of the necessitating factor. For example, Allah says, "And had they believed in Allah and in the Prophet and in what has been revealed to him, never would they have taken them [the disbelievers] as patrons" (al-Maaidah 81). And, "You will not find any people who believe in Allah and the Last Day making friendship with those who oppose Allah and His Messenger" (al-Mujaadilah 22). The external and internal must go together. The external acts cannot be sound and upright unless the internal aspects are sound and upright. If the internal asநects are upright, then the external deeds must also be upright. However, the question here is somewhat tricky. There is no question that deeds form part of Imaan in the sense that true Imaan leads to actions and there is a direct relationship between the dynamic growth or stagnation of Imaan and deeds. However, according to the Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jamaah, as can be clearly proven from the Quran and sunnah, a person does not leave the realm of Islam simply due to a sin that he commits. Therefore, what exactly is the relationship between these different components? Ibn Abu al-Izz has offered one answer to this perplexing question: It has also been pointed that qawl ("statement") is of two kinds: qawl of the heart which is faith (i'tiqaad), and qawl of the tongue which is uttering the testimony of Islam. Similarly 'amal (action) is of two kinds: actions of the heart, which are intention and sincerity, and actions of the body. When all four of these disappear, Imaan disappears completely. When faith (tasdeeq) of the heart disappears, the other three do not avail the person; tasdeeq is the condition of their authenticity and significance. If there is tasdeeq in the heart but the others are 1 Quoted in al-Husain al-Baghawi, Sharh al-Sunnah (Beirut: Muassasat al-Risaalah, 1983) p. 1 1. 2 lbn Taimiya, Majmoo, vol. 18, p. 272. Also see Abdul Razaaq Maash, Al-Jahl bi-Masai/ al­ ltiqaadwa Hukmuhu (Riyadh: Dar al-Watn, 1 996), pp. 63-75. Commentary on the Forty Hadith of al-Nawawi no longer there, this is the case where the dispute arises [whether such a person is still a believer or not]. There is no doubt that the non-submission of the body implies lack of submission on the part of the heart. For if the heart submits, the body also surrenders and obeys; but if, on the other hand, the heart does not submit there will be no assent (tasdeeq) that would manifest in obedience. The Prophet (peace be on him) said, "There is a lump of flesh in the body. When it is sound, the whole body is sound; but when it goes wrong, the whole body goes wrong as a result. Lo! it is the heart."1 This means that one whose heart is good, his body [and actions] shall definitely be good. The opposite is not true.2 However, the point is that when a part of Imaan is lost, the whole Imaan is lost only in the sense that it does not remain intact, but not in the sense that it disappears completely. It is only impaired [not completely gone]. Faith is like intelligence in that it differs from person to person. Although everyone has a core of intelligence which qualifies him as a rational being and distinguishes him from a lunatic, some people are definitely more intelligent than others. It is also obvious that the faith which produces actions of the heart and the body is more complete than the faith which does not produce them. Similarly, the knowledge upon which one acts is more complete than the knowledge upon which one does not act. That which cannot produce anything is plainly weaker than that which can produce something. The Prophet said, "One who is told about something is not equal to one who sees it."3 When Moses was told that his people were worshipping a heifer he did not cast the stone tablets down. He threw them only when he actually saw them worshipping the calf. The reason was not that he doubted the information Allah gave him. The reason was that the importance of a thing informed, no matter how reliable is the informer, is often not realized to the extent it is when it is seen. Ibrahim, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said, "My Lord! Show me how you give life to the dead? (Allah) said: Do you not believe? He said: Yea, but to satisfy my own heart" (al-Baqara 260). 1Part of a hadith in al-Bukhari and Muslim. 2 Hypocrites may do outward acts of piety but, in general, they will also display signs of their false piety. 3 Recorded by lbn Hibbaan and al-Tabaraani. With a different wording the hadith has been reported in Ahmad, Ibn Hibbaan and al-Haakim. It is an authentic hadith according to al-Albaani, footnotes to Sharh, p. 335.