INVITATION TO REFLECTION AND INVITATION TO FAITH
بِسْمِ ٱللَّٰهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
What is faith? What does it refer to?
Ahl-e-Sunnat wa Jamaat agree and united in saying:
الْإِیمَانُ إِقْرَارٌ بِاللِّسَانِ وَ تَصْدِیقٌ بِالْجَنَانِ وَعَمَلٌ بِالاَرُ کَانِ
Translation: Declaring the Kalima Tayyiba with the tongue confirming it with the heart and acting upon it with the limbs is faith.
The Quran and Hadith provide evidence for this.
Verbal Declaration:
Kalma Tayyab لَا اِلٰہَ اِلَّا اللّٰہُ مُحَمَّدٌ رَّسُوْلُ اللّٰہِ is a pillar of faith: without reciting the kalima Faith is invalid.
The following are some evidences supporting the necessity of the verbal declaration in faith: Allah almighty says,
قُولُوا آمَنَّا بِاللَّہِ
Translation: Say, O believers, “We Have believed in Allah”. (Al- Baqarah 2:136)
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) Said: I have been commanded to fight people until they testify that لَا اِلٰہَ اِلَّا اللّٰہُ (There is no deity but Allah) (Sahih Bukhari 2946, Sahih Muslim 125)
Abu Huraira (May Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) said: Faith comprises over seventy or sixty branches. The highest is the declaration of ‘There is no deity but Allah (لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّه), and the lowest is the removal of harmful objects from the path. Modesty is also a significant branch of Faith. (Sunan Tirmizi 2614, Sunan Abu Dawood 4676)
Heartfelt Declaration:
This refers to the confirmation and certainty of the heart. Heartfelt confirmation is an integral part of faith and is evident in Allah’s statement:
أُوْلَٰئِكَ كَتَبَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمُ الْإِيمَانَ
Translation: It is they in whose hearts Allah has inscribed faith. (Al-Mujadilah: 22)
Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that he heard the Prophet (peace be upon him) say: "On the Day of Judgment, my intercession will be accepted, and I will say: O Lord! Admit into Paradise those who have faith equal to the weight of a mustard seed in their hearts." Such people will be admitted to Paradise. I will again plead: O Lord! Admit into Paradise those who have even the smallest amount of faith in their hearts. Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: It seems as if I am looking at the Prophet (peace be upon him) showing his fingers. (Sahih Bukhari 7509)
Actions of the Heart:
These include sincerity, submission, fear, hope, and love. The evidence that these actions are part of faith is Allah’s statement:
إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ الَّذِینَ إِذَا ذُکِرَ اللَّہُ وَجِلَتْ قُلُوبُہُمْ
Translation: The believers are those whose hearts tremble when Allah is mentioned. (Al-Anfal 8:2)
The Arabic word (وَجِلَت) in the verse indicates an action of the heart, proving that it is part of faith.
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "I command you to have faith in Allah, and do you know what faith in Allah is? It is to testify that there is no deity but Allah". (Sahih Bukhari 7556)
Hazrat Ghaus-e-Aazam (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
تُعْتَقِدُ أَنَّ الْإِيمَانَ قَوْلٌ بِاللِّسَانِ وَمَعْرِفَةٌ بِالْجِنَانِ وَعَمَلٌ بِالْأَرْكَانِ، يَزِيدُ بِالطَّاعَةِ وَيَنْقُصُ بِالْعِصْيَانِ
And you should believe that faith is a declaration with the tongue, recognition with the heart, and actions with the limbs. It increases with obedience and decreases with disobedience. (Ghunyat-ul-Talibeen 109/1)
The Kalima Tayyiba is the first obligation of Islam that is incumbent upon every Muslim. Without understanding it, neither can one enter Islam nor faith.
The true realization and confirmation of the Kalima Tayyiba cannot be attained without a perfect spiritual guide. Without heartfelt confirmation, the heart remains dead, and the soul heedless.
The root of faith is heartfelt confirmation; verbal declaration and numerous deeds were also performed by the hypocrites. Fortunate is the one who attains the confirmation of Kalima Tayyiba; their heart illuminates with the light of Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him), and their other two aspects - verbal declaration and numerous deeds - are accepted in the divine court, granting them complete faith.
For the heedless who rely solely on verbal declaration and numerous deeds as a means of salvation, Shaheen Tawakkali (may Allah have mercy on him) states:
“Go laakh khud ko koi Musalman jataaye
Quran-o-Hadees ka paigham sunaye
Islam ka har aik amal karke dikhaye
Is kalma Tayyab ki jo tasdeeq na paaye
Wallah koi sahib-e-imaan nahi woh
Allah ke nazdeek Musalman nahi woh”
Meaning: Though one may profess Islam, preach the message of the Qur'an and Hadith, and perform every act of worship, without true affirmation of the Kalima Tayyiba, by Allah, they are not truly faithful. In the eyes of Allah, they are not considered Muslim.
Allama Iqbal (may Allah have mercy on him) says:
“Zubaan se keh bhi diya La Ilaha to kya hasil
Dil-o-nigaah Musalmaan nahi to kuch bhi nahi”
Meaning: If the heart and vision are not in alignment with Islam, then nothing is truly achieved.
مَنْ قَالَ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ أَلْفَ مَرَّةٍ إِلَّا بِالتَّحْقِيقِ فَهُوَ كَافِرٌ
Translation: Whoever recites the Kalima Tayyiba لَا اِلٰہَ اِلَّا اللّٰہُ مُحَمَّدٌ رَّسُوْلُ اللّٰہِ a thousand times without realization is a disbeliever. (Misbah-ul-Hayat Zad-ul-Imaan p.180)
Hazrat Mir Hayat (may Allah have mercy on him) states: The Kalima Tayyiba consists of two parts: لَا اِلٰہَ اِلَّا اللّٰہُ and مُحَمَّدٌ رَّسُوْلُ اللّٰہِ Whoever recites لَا اِلٰہَ اِلَّا اللّٰہُ a thousand times but does not recite مُحَمَّدٌ رَّسُوْلُ اللّٰہِ with a sincere heart is a disbeliever. Therefore, it is incumbent upon everyone to firmly believe in these matters. Truly, the one who recites لَا اِلٰہَ اِلَّا اللّٰہُ مُحَمَّدٌ رَّسُوْلُ اللّٰہِ with a sincere heart is a true believer. The one who does not consider these matters true, even if they recite the Kalima with their tongue, is a disbeliever. (Misbah-ul-Hayat 72)
Hazrat Sultan Bahu (may Allah have mercy on him) says: Without heartfelt confirmation, mere verbal repetition yields no benefit.
Hazrat Peer Aadil of Bijapur (may Allah have mercy on him) states:
“Tehqeeq nahi tasdeeq nahi talqeen nahi to kya hasil
Murshid se samajh le kalme ko tera hashr ae nadaan kya hoga”
Meaning: Without realization, confirmation, or proper guidance, what is the benefit? Learn the Kalima from a spiritual guide, O ignorant one - what will become of you?
In another place, he says:
“Tehqeeq kar tasdeeq kar kalma go ban jayega
Jo sarapa kalma hoga woh wali kehlayega”
Meaning: Realize, affirm, and proclaim the Kalima; Only those who embody it will be called true saints.
“Kaafi nahi iqrar hi tasdeeq karoge
Peer fehmi se raaz kalme ka pana hoga”
Hazrat Ma'roof Peer Madda Zilluhul Aa'li
Meaning: Merely declaring is not sufficient; you must affirm it within. Seek understanding of the Kalima through your spiritual guide, for only then will its secrets be revealed.
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: مَنْ كَانَ آخِرُ كَلَامِهِ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ، دَخَلَ الْجَنَّةَ۔
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "Whoever's last words are لَا اِلٰہَ اِلَّا اللّٰہُ will enter Paradise". (Sunan Abu Dawood 3116)
Mere verbal acknowledgment of the Kalima Tayyiba may abandon a person at the time of death, but the fortunate disciples who have received the eternal wealth of the Kalima Tayyiba from their perfect spiritual guide will always possess the Kalima, regardless of their state.
And it is these individuals who will receive intercession on the Day of Judgment.
The Prophet (peace be upon him), compassionate and merciful, said: "The person who will benefit the most from my intercession on the Day of Judgment is the one who sincerely testifies to لَا اِلٰہَ اِلَّا اللّٰہُ (Sahih al-Bukhari 99/6507)
The teaching and understanding of the Kalima Tayyiba require a perfect spiritual guide, without whom neither the secrets of the Kalima can be comprehended, nor its confirmation attained, nor can faith find a place in the heart.
قَالَتِ الْأَعْرَابُ آمَنَّا ۖ قُل لَّمْ تُؤْمِنُوا وَلَٰكِنْ قُولُوا أَسْلَمْنَا وَلَمَّا يَدْخُلِ الْإِيمَانُ فِي قُلُوبِكُمْ
The Bedouins say, "We have believed." Say, "You have not [yet] believed; but say [instead], 'We have submitted,' for faith has not yet entered your hearts". (Surah Al-Hujurat, Ayah 14)
Every individual is being invited to reflect and embrace faith by connecting with a perfect spiritual guide, thereby enriching themselves with the everlasting treasure of the Kalima Tayyiba. Illuminate your soul and heart with the light of the Kalima and attain the highest ranks of sainthood.
مَن يَهْدِ اللَّهُ فَهُوَ الْمُهْتَدِ وَمَن يُضْلِلْ فَلَنْ تَجِدَ لَهُ وَلِيًّا مُرْشِدًا
"Whomsoever Allah guides, he is the rightly guided; but whoever He sends astray, for him you will find no protecting guide." (Surah Al-Kahf, Ayah 17)
Finally, I conclude with a couplet by Hazrat Peer Aadil of Bijapur (may Allah have mercy on him):
“Ye naimat-e-kalma paaye wahi tahreer-e-azal mein tha jis ke
Kahlaye wahi mahboob-e-Khuda ye khaas hai naimat aam nahi”
Meaning: The blessing of the Kalima is granted only to those destined for it. They are the beloved of Allah, receiving a unique favour, not one given to all.
وَمَا عَلَيْنَا إِلَّا الْبَلَاغُ الْمُبِينُ
And upon us is only the clear delivery [of the message]. (Surah Ya-Sin 36:17)
The Inviter:
Radiance of the Sight of Peer Fehmi Hazrat Khwaja Sufi Shaikh Mohammad Farooque Shah Qadri Al-Chisti Aadil Fehmi Nawazi Maroof Peer Madda Zilluhul 'Aali