Part 73

It is generally agreed that the pilgrimage was not established before the year 6 A.H. Moreover, it is known that the Messenger (pbuh) did not command people to have belief or clearly explicate its meaning to them at that time. Rather, they already knew the origin of its meaning. A full discussion of these matters may be found elsewhere.

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What is meant here is that those whom the Messenger refuses to describe as believers or Muslims must have abandoned some of the obligations of Iman or of Islam, even if they continue to practice other obligations. And so, on this basis, the pious ancestors and the Companions of the Prophet (pbuh) used to say: “A person may have both Iman and hypocrisy.”

Abu Dawid al-Sijistani said: “It was related to us by Ahmad Ibn Hanbal and Waki“ on the authority of al-A ‘mash, on the authority of Shaqiq, on the authority of Abu al-Miqdam, on the authority of Abu Yahya, who said: “Hudhayfah was asked who the hypocrite is, to which he replied: ‘He is the one who knows Islam but does not practice it.”” Abu Dawid also said that it was related to us by “Uthman Ibn Abi Shaybah and Jarir, on the authority of al-A‘mash, on the authority of ‘Amr Ibn Murrah,'' on the authority of Abu al-Bukhturj, on the authority of Hudhayfah, who said that there are four types of hearts: the qalb aghlaf, uncircumcised heart, which is the heart of the unbeliever; the heart of eloquent speech, which is the heart of the hypocrite; the desolate heart, in which there is a shining light, which is the heart of the believer; and a heart in which there is both belief and hypocrisy. The belief therein is like a tree whose roots tap into fresh water, while the hypocrisy is like a festering, bleeding sore; and whichever of the two overcomes the person is the victor. This statement has been related from the Prophet in the Musnad.

This statement by Hudhayfah is supported by Allah’s saying that: “... They were that day, nearer to disbelief than belief . . .” (3:167). For prior to this time there was hypocrisy in their hearts that had not yet gotten the better of them. Then on the day of the Battle of Uhud, their hypocrisy won out and they grew closer to being hypocrites than to being believers. “Abd Allah Ibn al-Mubarak related, on the authority of ‘Awf Ibn Abi Jamilah, on the authority of ‘Abd Allah Ibn ‘Amr Ibn Hind, on the authority of Ali Ibn Abi Talib, who said: “Iman resembles a small bright white spot in the heart [whiteness and brightness refer to purity of the soul], so that whenever one’s Iman increases, his heart's brightness increases, and when his Iman is complete, his heart will be completely white [1.e., wholly pure]. On the other hand, hypocrisy resembles a black spot in the heart [blackness refers to impurity of the soul]. So as one’s hypocrisy increases, his heart increases in blackness, and whenever his hypocrisy reaches its highest level, his heart becomes

“amr bn Murrah (2-116 A.H.) was a trustworthy scholar of hadith. {Kitab al-Jman MZ, p. 268.}

completely black. So according to Allah, if you looked into the heart of a believer, you would find it bright [with whiteness]; and if you looked into the hearts of hypocrites and unbelievers, you would find them black.” According to Ibn Mas‘iid: “Wealth causes hypocrisy to spring up in the heart just as water causes green herbs to sprout.” This statement was related by Ahmad [Ibn Hanbal] and others. Such statements are found frequently in the writings of the pious ancestors, which made it clear that both belief and hypocrisy may be found in the same person’s heart; this view finds support in both the Book and the Sunnah. For the Prophet (pbuh) made mention of the branches of belief, and also of the branches of hypocrisy, saying: “This branch [of hypocrisy] may be found along with many branches of belief.” Therefore he once said: “Whoever has belief in his heart the weight of a speck of dust shall be brought out of Hellfire.” Hence, whoever has even the least amount of belief shall not abide forever in Hellfire, even if he also has a great deal of hypocrisy in his heart. He will be tormented in Hellfire in proportion to the amount of hypocrisy in his heart, then be brought out of Hell. Hence we have the statement made to the desert Arabs. Allah says: “The desert Arabs say: ‘We believe.’ Say: “You have no faith; but you [only] say, ‘We have submitted our wills to Allah, for faith has not yet entered your hearts. . .”” (49:14). He denies that they have Iman in their hearts. However, this does not prevent them from having a degree of Iman. Likewise, He acknowledges the existence of belief in the heart of the thief, the adulterer, the one who does not desire for his brother {in Islam] what he desires for himself, and the one whose neighbor is not safe from his injurious conduct, as was mentioned earlier. Indeed, the Qur’an and hadith are full of such examples.

Therefore, while some among the pious ancestors hold that the statement, “we have become Muslims,” means, “we have submitted out of fear of the sword,” and others hold that they truly became Muslims, we hold that both views are correct. For this statement only means that they have entered into Islam, while outward Islam is something into which hypocrites also enter. Hence, those who enter into Islam include those in whose hearts there is both belief and hypocrisy. It is known that he whose heart contains as little as an atom’s weight of Iman comes out of Hell, unlike the sheer hypocrite, whose heart is wholly black and who will be in the lowest stratum of Hell. Because of this, the Companions were afraid of becoming hypocrites but not afraid of disbelieving Allah and His Messenger. This is because a believer is certain that he does not disbelieve Allah and His

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Messenger and, therefore, he can say, “I am a true believer.” Such a man knows this is based on his decisive belief. But Iman is not merely belief or assent. For there should be overt works that reflect this assent [as was discussed earlier]. For example, the love of Allah and His Messenger is part of Iman, so are loving what Allah commands and hating what He has forbidden. Because of this, the Prophet (pbuh) says in several places: “Whoever is happy for doing a good deed and unhappy for doing a bad deed is a believer.” For he loves good deeds and rejoices in them and hates the bad deeds and is offended by them. This love and hatred are among the characteristics of Iman.

It is known that when the adulterer commits adultery, he does so because he likes committing that deed. But if he had within himself the fear of Allah, which vanquishes lust and is conquered by the love of Allah, then he would not have committed adultery. Allah says about Yiisuf (peace be upon him): “. . . [Did we order] that we might turn away from him [all] evil and shameful deeds for he was one of our servants, sincere and purified?” (12:24). So whoever is truly sincere to Allah would not commit adultery, but he does so because he lacks the devotion to Allah, and this is the Iman that is taken away from him at the time he commits adultery. But his acceptance [of the existence of Allah, His Angels, His Books, and His Messengers] is not taken away from him; and it is said that he is a Muslim but not a believer. The Muslim who deserves Allah’s reward must accept certain truths. Otherwise, he would be considered a hypocrite. However, the mere fact that someone accepts the teachings of Islam does not mean that he has in his heart the required conditions of belief, such as the true love of Allah and His Messenger, the fear of Allah, sincerity to Him in all one’s deeds, and putting trust in Him. But it may happen that even though he accepts the Messenger’s message, his deeds are not in accordance with his beliefs. To him, his family and his wealth are dearer to him than Allah, His Messenger, and striving in Allah’s Cause. This concern was addressed to the believers in Strat al-Tawbah [Bara’ah], in which Allah says: “Say: If it be that your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your mates and your kindred and the wealth that you have gained; the commerce in which you fear a decline: or the dwellings in which you delight are dearer to you than Allah, or his Messenger or striving in His Cause, then wait until Allah brings about his decision, and Allah guides not the sinners” (9:24). It is a known fact that many Muslims possess these qualities.

It is affirmed that a man is not considered a believer until Allah and His Messenger are dearer to him than all of mankind. Also, a believer is he who does not doubt and strives [in the Cause of Allah] with his soul and property. Hence, Iman cannot be attributed to one who does not have in his heart the requirements of Iman, even if he has the assent. This is because he must have some love and fear of Allah besides assent. Otherwise, it would not be Iman at all. Rather, it is like the belief of Pharaoh, the Jews, and Iblis. This is what the pious ancestors criticized the Jahmites for. Al-Humaydi once said that he had heard Waki‘ say: “Orthodox Muslims say that Iman is both words and works, while the Murji’ites say that Iman is a saying, and the Jahmites say that Iman is knowledge.” In another version of this statement he adds: “this is unbelief.” Muhammad Ibn ‘Umar alKullabi reports having heard Waki‘ say: “The Jahmites are more odious than those of the Qadarite’s school.” Waki‘ also said: “The Murji?ites are those who say that verbal confession is separable from outward works; but whoever says such a thing shall perish. And whoever says, as Jahm did, that one’s intention may be separated from outward work, is an unbeliever.” This view was shared by Ahmad Ibn Hanbal.

For this reason Orthodox Muslims have held the view that belief is both sayings and works; this view has also been part of Orthodox Muslim rites, while more than one person has reported their unanimous agreement on it. We have already mentioned, on the authority of al-Shafi‘I (may Allah be pleased with him), the unanimous agreement on this view reported in his book al-Umm, where he states that: “The Companions of the Prophet, those who came after them, and our own contemporaries as well, have held unanimously that belief is a saying, a work, and an intention, and none of these three may be separated from any of the others.” Moreover, Ibn Abi Hatim mentions in his Mandqib that he once heard Harmalah”? say: “Hafg al-Fard and Mislaq al-Abadi once met together with al-Shafi‘l in alJarawi’s house, where they debated with him on the subject of belief. Mislaq argued that belief may increase or decrease, while Hafs al-Fard argued that belief is simply a saying. Hafs al-Fard won out over Mislaq in the debate, while Mislaq began to weaken, whereupon al-Shafi‘i heatedly entered the argument and settled the issue by saying that belief is both saying and work, and that it may either increase or diminish, thereby silencing Hafs al-Fard.