1. What is imaan? How one can judge whether his or her imaan is increasing or decreasing?
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Answer:
What is faith and hypocrite?
Q-1: What is imaan?
How one can judge whether his or her imaan is increasing or decreasing?
The literal meaning of the Arabic term ‘emaan’ is that
one’s heart is absolutely and totally convinced, without an iota of a doubt,
about something.
For example, it is the belief of ‘emaan’ of every human
being that fire burns, or poison kills, or jumping from a considerable height
would sustain injuries, etc. One thus
does not need to put one’s hand in the fire to confirm whether it is hot or it
burns, or one does not need to taste poison to confirm it is dangerous to one’s
health, or one does not need to jump from a considerable height to confirm
whether one will sustain injuries. Any
belief whereupon one’s heart is totally and absolutely convinced is ‘emaan’.
When used in Islamic terminology, the term ‘emaan’ would
mean:
If one’s heart is absolutely and totally convinced with
all the six aspects and conditions of faith listed above, and one’s heart does
not hold even an iota of a doubt in the Truth of any of the six conditions
listed above….then one would have been blessed with ‘emaan’ or faith.
If one disbelieves or doubts even a part of one of the six
conditions of ‘emaan’ listed above, then one would join the ranks of those who
disbelieve. For example, if one believes
in all the Prophets but denies even one only of the appointed Prophets of
Allah, or one denies or doubts even one of the Revelations or Books of Allah, etc….then
that person would be deemed to have no ‘emaan’ or faith in the Sight of Allah
Subhanah.
Your Question: How
one can judge whether his or her imaan is increasing or decreasing?
When before doing anything, one immediately brings to
remembrance Allah Subhanah and His Guidance; and one constantly fears whether
what one is about to do is within or beyond the boundaries of the Lord; and one
strives to the best of one’s ability to everything which Allah and His
Messenger (saws) have Commanded one to do; and one strives to the best of one’s
ability to restrain himself and abstain from everything which Allah and His
Messenger have declared prohibited; and one’s heart constantly remembers the
standing in Allah’s Tribunal on that Inevitable and Tumultuous Day of
Judgment….then one would find one’s ‘emaan’ or faith increasing with every deed
of good and righteousness one does.
If the foremost in one’s heart and mind is the life of
this world and the aspiration of its transitory success and luxuries, and one
pursues the life of this transitory world regardless of whether it is within or
beyond the prescribed and clear Boundaries of Allah Subhanah….then one would
find one’s ‘emaan’ is decreasing.
Thus in short, if the constant goal and striving of one’s
life is to do deeds which are pleasing and acceptable to Allah Subhanah; then
one’s ‘emaan’ is on the increase. But if
the constant goal and striving of one’s life is to fulfill one’s lusts or
desires of this world without fear whether or not what one is engaged in or
pursuing is within or beyond the prescribed Boundaries of the Lord….then
without a doubt, one’s ‘emaan’ would be on the decrease.
Another good barometer to determine for oneself whether
one’s ‘emaan’ is on the increase or decrease is to determine what is foremost
in one’s mind before one says or does something…..if the thought of Allah
Subhanah, His Guidance, the seeking of His Pleasure, and the Last Day are the
foremost in one’s mind before one says or does anything….then one’s ‘emaan’ is
on the increase.
But if the thought that is foremost in one’s heart is the
life and luxury of this world, or the fulfillment of one’s lusts and desires,
etc. and one pursues these goals whether or not they are within or beyond the
prescribed Boundaries of Allah Subhanah…then one would find one’s ‘emaan’ is on
the decrease.
Your Question: What
does Munafik means and how one can judge who is momin and who is Munafik?
The Arabic term ‘Nifaaq’ means hypocrisy, and a ‘Munafiq’
or a hypocrite is one who has the disease of hypocrisy in their hearts.
When one is not totally and absolutely convinced or holds
a doubt in one’s heart about something; or one dislikes something in one’s
heart to the extent that one is pleased when some evil or harm befalls it….but because
one believes that the declaration of its belief would bring him some personal
or material benefit, such a false declaration would be ‘nifaaq’ or hypocrisy.
For example one dislikes someone and wills and wishes and
is pleased when some harm befalls that person; but when in the presence of that
person or their loved ones, they declare their undying loyalty or love for that
person…that would be a manifestation of the disease of ‘nifaaq’ or hypocrisy.
Thus a ‘Munafiq’, when used in Islamic terminology, would
be one who is neither convinced about Allah Subhanah nor the Last Day….whose
heart is restless when some good befalls Islam or the believing Ummah…whose
hearts is pleased when some evil or trial befalls Islam or the believing Ummah
….. but because he sees or envisions some personal or material benefit if he
joins the believing Ummah, he verbally declares his acceptance of Islam….such a
person would be ‘Munafiq’ in the Sight of Allah Subhanah. Such a person would be foremost in accepting
any good that Islam brings upon him….and the foremost in ‘turning his back’
when any sacrifice or trial is laid upon him because of his acceptance of
Islam!
Such is the enormity of this sin and crime of ‘Nifaaq’
(hypocrisy) in the Sight of Allah Subhanah, that the Lord Most Majestic has
Declared and Promised that the ‘Munafiqs’ (hypocrites) will be condemned to the
absolute lowest and the most horrendous rank in the Hell Fire….even lower than
the ‘mushriks’ (polytheists) and the ‘kuffars’ (disbelievers)!
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 4 Surah
Nisaa verse 145:
145 The hypocrites will be in the lowest depths of the fire: no helper
wilt thou find for them.
Your Question:…..how
one can judge who is momin and who is Munafik?
It is extremely difficult, if not outright impossible, for
one to judge who is a ‘mumin’ (true believer) and who is a ‘munafiq’
(hypocrite)! It is Allah Subhanah Alone
Who will Declare on the Day of Judgment who amongst those who declared belief
was indeed a ‘mumin’ and who amongst them was a ‘munafiq’.
Because faith and hypocrisy are conditions of one’s heart,
and one has not been given the power to enter into another’s heart and
determine and judge for sure whether one who has declared faith indeed has
faith or he is a hypocrite….it is nigh impossible to detect whether one is a
hypocrite or not, but there is a litmus test prescribed by the Messenger of
Allah (saws) to determine whether this disease of ‘nifaaq’ has entered one’s
heart or not……
Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 1.33 Narrated by Abdullah bin Amr
The Prophet (saws) said, "Whoever has
the following four (characteristics) will be a pure hypocrite and whoever has
one of the following four characteristics will have one characteristic of
hypocrisy unless and until he gives it up.
1. Whenever
he is entrusted, he betrays.
2. Whenever
he speaks, he tells a lie.
3. Whenever
he makes a covenant, he proves treacherous.
4. Whenever he quarrels, he behaves in a
very imprudent, evil and insulting manner."
Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to
Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only
Source of Strength.
Your brother and
well wisher in Islam,
Burhan
