*Shaykh Abdul Rahman Abdul Khaliq
From the book, “The Clear Distinction Between Iman & Kufr”
*
The Messenger of Allah said, what translated means:
“There was not a Prophet whom Allah sent berfore me, but he had
disciples and companions from among his people. They follow his way
(Sunnah) and obey his orders. After that, later generations come.
They would claim to do what they do not do. They would do what they
were not ordered to do. Whoever struggles against them with his hand,
is a believer. Whoever struggles against them with his tongue, is a
believer. Whoever rejects them with his heart, is a believer. There
is no Iman left after this, even the weight of a mustard seed.”
[Muslim]
The above Hadith states that Iman requires rejecting sin. The
rejection can be practiced by using physical strength, with the
tongue or at least in the heart. To reject sin with the hand is to
remove it using force. As for removing and opposing sin with the
tongue, it is clear. Rejecting sin with the heart means to hate and
despise it and whoever does it. This type of rejection is the least a
Muslim can do. It does not subject the Muslim to harm from others.
This is the weakest of Iman. This Hadith means that whoever does not
reject sin, and whoever commits it, in his heart, is not a believer.
This is what the Prophet meant by “There is no Iman left after this,
even the weight of a mustard seed.”
This Hadith is clear evidence that whoever has less Iman than what
the Hadith described, will never leave hell. There is no Iman less
than that. Therefore, those who are pleased that sin is spreading
have lost their Iman, even if they claim to be Muslims. Then how
about those who love sin and love that it spreads?
Many Muslims today love to see women not wearing Hijab, in markets
and at public gatherings. They love intermingling between men and
women, to satisfy their sinful desires. Many curse conservative
Muslim societies and ridicule them, calling them reactionary and
uncivilized. Many of this type of Muslims are terrified if one called
for judging by what Allah has revealed. This call will lead to the
disappearance of what their hearts love: Sins, bars and cheap sinful
desires. This type of people has opened their hearts to Kufr. They
dislike adhering to Islam in matters of life and religion. They hate
societies that are clean of sin. To call such people “Muslims” is
unjust, and shows ignorance in the religion, what Islam calls for and
its goals.
Each Mu’min must reexamine his Iman to know if he chose Allah’s
Religion to be a complete way of life and to join the camp of
Muslims. If he does that, then he will have to love Islamic Laws and
will have to hate Kufr and sin, however and wherever they may be.
This is Iman.
Abu Sa`id al-Khudri said that he heard the Prophet say, what
translated means: “Whoever witnesses a sin, he must reject it with
his hand. If he cannot, then with his tongue. If he cannot, then with
his heart, and this is the least of Iman.” [Al-Bukhari, Muslim & At-
Tirmithi] “This is the least of Iman,” means that there is no Iman
lesser than rejecting sin with the heart.
Iman requires loving Allah’s Laws and Commandments and seeking to
implement them till Allah’s Word is the Highest, and the word of Kufr
is the lowest. If the heart is not moved by sin, by hating it and
whoever performs it, then this heart is pleased with sin. To be
pleased with sin is approving of it. To approve of sin is rejection
of the Religion of Allah, the Praised One, and of Iman in Him. If
satisfaction and approval is followed by love, obedience, praise and
blessing of sin, then two crimes exist. The first is Kufr and
rejection of Allah. The second is hindering from the Path of Allah.
Accepting the spread of sins and misguidance is a result of seeking
the demise of Allah’s Word and victory of Kafir word. This is the
exact opposite of Iman. Iman requires one to seek to make Allah’s
Word the Highest and the Kafir word the lowest.
This serious matter requires special attention and care from the
believer. He must rid his heart of love for other than Allah’s Laws
(Shari`ah), and of every desire that is in opposition to the Religion
of Allah, the Praised One. Allah is always sought for help.
Source: http://www.islaam.com