1. Why is belief important?
- Human life is built on belief. Even in daily life, it is a person's beliefs that drive him.
- A Muslim's whole life must be based on Iman (faith).
- A Muslim finds answers to life's basic questions – "Who am I? What is my task in this world? What is my final end?" – through Iman.
Remember:
- More than a third of the Quran speaks about belief.
- In more than seventy places, the Quran mentions Iman and deeds together.
2. What is aqeedah?
- Aqeedah (عقيدة) is the singular and aqa'id (عقائد) is the plural. Both mean "belief".
Definition: In Islamic usage, aqeedah means beliefs built on final and certain evidence.
- The branch of knowledge that developed to set out the beliefs of Islam is called 'ilm al-aqeedah / 'ilm al-aqa'id (the science of belief).
Sources of aqeedah
- The Quran
- The Sunnah (the way of the Prophet ﷺ)
These two sources explain the basic beliefs of Islam.
3. All prophets taught the same aqeedah
All the messengers sent by Allah taught the same aqeedah. Times change, but aqeedah does not.
The Quran (42:13) – meaning: Allah has ordained for you the same religion that He enjoined on Nuh. (O Prophet!) What We revealed to you, and what We enjoined on Ibrahim, Musa and Isa, is this: "Establish the religion, and do not divide in it."
In simple terms: from Nuh (AS) to Muhammad ﷺ, all the prophets taught the same belief. So aqeedah does not change with the times.
4. The six pillars of Iman (the Hadith of Jibril)
When Jibril (AS) asked the Prophet ﷺ, "Tell me about Iman," the Prophet ﷺ replied (meaning): "Iman is to believe in Allah, His angels, His Books, His messengers and the Last Day, and to believe that good and bad happen according to Allah's will." (Bukhari)
آمَنْتُ بِاللهِ وَمَلَائِكَتِهِ وَكُتُبِهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ وَالْقَدْرِ خَيْرِهِ وَشَرِّهِ مِنَ اللهِ تَعَالَى
| No. | Belief | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Belief in Allah | Evidence that Allah exists and is One; His attributes, names and powers |
| 2 | Belief in the angels | Angels, jinn and the ruh (soul) |
| 3 | Belief in the Books | The Books and suhuf (scrolls) Allah sent down to guide people |
| 4 | Belief in the prophets / messengers | Their qualities, miracles (mu'jizat) and missions |
| 5 | Belief in the Last Day | The grave, ba'th (resurrection), hisab (reckoning), mizan (the scales), sirat (the bridge), jannah (Paradise), nar (Hellfire) |
| 6 | Belief in qada' and qadar | Allah's will (divine decree), which governs the whole universe |
5. The four divisions of aqeedah
Scholars of aqeedah group these six beliefs into four divisions.
| Division | Arabic | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Al-Ilahiyyat | الإلهيات | Belief in Allah; belief in qada' and qadar |
| 2. An-Nubuwwat | النبوات | Belief in the prophets, the messengers and the Books |
| 3. Ar-Ruhaniyyat | الروحانيات | Things beyond the senses: angels, jinn, devils (shayatin) and the ruh |
| 4. As-Sam'iyyat | السمعيات | Matters of the Hereafter: the grave, ba'th, mahshar (the gathering), hisab, mizan, hawd (the Prophet's pool), sirat, jannah, nar |
Memory tip:
- Ilah = God → Ilahiyyat = matters about God
- Nabi = prophet → Nubuwwat = matters about prophethood
- Ruh = soul → Ruhaniyyat = unseen creations
- Sam' = hearing → Sam'iyyat = matters of the Hereafter that can be known only by hearing them through revelation
Note: belief in the Books comes under Nubuwwat; qada' and qadar comes under Ilahiyyat.
6. The value of aqeedah
- Life can be good only when beliefs are sound.
- Aqeedah gives life a noble goal and enriches it.
- Without aqeedah, neither a Muslim individual nor a Muslim society can be formed.
7. How did aqeedah lose its purpose?
In later times, aqeedah became complicated for these reasons:
- Political divisions
- The influence of foreign ideas
- Excessive use of reason, beyond its limits
Result: aqeedah, which should have been the driving force of a person's life, became a mere topic of debate that led to fighting and quarrels.
Mistaken groups that appeared (examples)
- Jabriyyah
- Qadariyyah
- Murji'ah
- Mu'tazilah
8. Imams who protected aqeedah
The main imams who worked to protect the purity of aqeedah:
- Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (RH)
- Imam Abu al-Hasan al-Ash'ari (RH)
- Imam Abu Mansur al-Maturidi (RH)
All of them belonged to Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah.
Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah = those who follow the way of the Prophet ﷺ and his Companions.
If we also follow this way, we can succeed in this world and in the Hereafter.
Quick revision
- Aqeedah = belief built on certain evidence.
- Sources of aqeedah: the Quran and the Sunnah.
- All prophets taught the same aqeedah – (42:13).
- The six pillars of Iman – the Hadith of Jibril (Bukhari).
- Four divisions: Ilahiyyat, Nubuwwat, Ruhaniyyat, Sam'iyyat.
- Mistaken groups: Jabriyyah, Qadariyyah, Murji'ah, Mu'tazilah.
- Imams who protected aqeedah: Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Abu al-Hasan al-Ash'ari, Abu Mansur al-Maturidi.