Islamic Belief

What is the meaning of Islamic Belief?

Answer – Islamic belief refers to the teachings in which the people of Islam have absolute certainty (or firm conviction) in their correctness.

Muslims believe in these matters with a firm conviction just like the conviction we have about a table in front of us and of the existence of the sun.

What is the meaning of Islam?

Answer – Islam is the affirmation/proclamation of the tongue and firm conviction of the heart that everything the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) brought is TRUE REALITY and REAL.

The literal meaning of Islam is one who submits or submission. It does not mean “peace” as has often been translated to.

One must make verbal testimony regarding their firm belief in Allah (Most High) and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). If one merely makes a verbal proclamation with no firm conviction or belief from the heart then one is liable to become a hypocrite.

What are the pillars of Islamic Belief?

Answer – There are 7 pillars of Belief as follows:

1. Belief in Allah Most High
2. Belief in His Angels
3. Belief in His Books
4. Belief in His Prophets
5. Belief in the Last Day
6. Belief in Pre-Ordained Destiny
7. Resurrection after Death

These are absolute essentials; one is required to believe in these. Dharuriyaat ad-Din (Absolute Essentials of Belief). If there are doubts or one does not believe in all of the above then one is outside the folds of Islam.

There is wisdom behind the order of Beliefs; Allah (Most High) transmitted revelations through the Angels, through His books to the Messengers (peace be upon them) to prepare us for the Day of Judgement.

What is the General Belief in Allah Most High?

Answer – Muslims firmly believe that Allah (Most High) is ascribed with all attributes of Perfection. And He is Exalted above the attributes of imperfection.

There are four golden rules on the Belief of Allah:

1. Tawheed – We must believe that Allah (Most High) is one. For clarity Tawheed does not translate to “Oneness” but translates to the belief that Allah (Most High) is One. This is without question an absolute requirement. If one was to believe in everything else except have Tawheed then his belief is pointless. The lexical meaning of Tawheed is “to make one”. The technical meaning is “Allah is One”.
2. Tanzih – Allah (Most High) is Absolute, dissimilar to creation and Exalted above all. The opposite of this is Tashbi (anthropomorphism).
3. His Essence/Reality – His Essence/Reality is beyond Human comprehension or understanding. There was a saying amongst the Salaf that, “whoever knows himself, knows Allah”. However no one truly knows himself so how can they possible know Allah (Most High). What we believe or know of Allah (Most High) is from the Qu’ran and the teachings of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).
4. Sifat Al-Kamal– Allah (Most High) is ascribed with only the attributes of perfection. Any imperfect or non-perfect attributes (neither perfect nor imperfect) cannot be ascribed to Allah (Most High).

   A). Perfect Attributes – Only for Allah (Most High)
   B). Non-perfect Attributes – such as sitting and standing cannot be attributed to Allah (Most High).
   C). Imperfect Attributes – Cannot be attributed to Allah (Most High).