Yet, Faith is much more than just doing religious ceremonies in a mechanical fashion. In Islam, mere physical compliance to rites and rituals does not meet the requirements of piety. Even while explaining God’s sacred rites of animal sacrifice on the occasion of the great pilgrimage, the Qur’an states: ‘It is neither their meat nor their blood that reaches God but your piety’. (22:37). The Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa) said, “God does not look at your bodies or at your forms, but looks at your hearts”.
From a foundational acceptance of the Islamic rites and practices, Allah (swt) expects a devotee to progress into the higher stages of true belief in Faith: “The Arabs of the desert say, ‘We believe.’ Say, “You have not believed yet; but rather say, ‘We have accepted Islam,’ for the true belief has not yet entered into your hearts.” But if you obey Allah and His Messenger, He will not detract anything from your deeds Surely, Allah is Most Forgiving, Merciful. The believers are only those who truly believe in Allah and His Messenger, and then doubt not, but strive with their possessions and their persons in the cause of Allah. It is they who are truthful.” (49:15-16)
“None of you (believers) will attain to true piety unless you give out of what you cherish: whatever you give, Allah surely knows about it very well.” (3: 93)
“Collect
the provisions required for the journey (to the Hereafter), and surely,
the best provision is to be mindful of God- always be mindful of Me, O men of sound
judgement!” (2:198)
The Signs of True Faith
A noble believer is anchored in Taqwah, being mindful of God and His commandments at all times. Hence, his/her actions are shaped by a wider consciousness about ‘self’ and the ‘other’ in all contexts of life; striving against the trappings of the ‘self’, such believers will rise to the heights of selflessness through their generous outreach to God’s creations- even sacrificing their own worldly interests to benefit others, purely for the sake of Divine approval and mercy. Their deeds will testify to the high morals and manners of virtuous life rooted in a spirit of selfless sacrifice. Indeed, according to the Qur’an and the Ahadith, true faith is built on surer foundations of being human: of integrity of character and conduct; of gratitude for all of God’s blessings; of holding patience in times of scarcity or adversity; of empathy for all living beings; of spending one’s substance in God’s cause- in service to those in suffering and to liberate those held in varying kinds of ‘bondage’ in society.
Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa) viewed the believers as a
dynamic community- devoted to the service of fellow beings purely for the sake
of God’s approval. He described them as a knowledge-based society whose faith
practices and egalitarian ethos will confer inner peace on individuals; tranquillity,
harmony and peace in the social order. The Holy Prophet (sa) stated: “Whoever relieves a believer’s hardship in the world will have a hardship of the Day of Judgment relieved for him by God. Whoever eases a difficulty will be eased in the world and in the Hereafter by God. Whoever covers a Muslim will be covered by God in the world and in the Hereafter. God helps his slave as long as the slave helps his brother. Whoever travels a path to acquire knowledge will have his path to Paradise made easy by God. No group gathers together in a house of God, reciting the Book of God and studying it together, without tranquility descending upon them, mercy enveloping them, the angels encircling them, and God remembering them with those around Him. One who is slowed by his actions will not be quickened by his lineage.”
~ Sahih Muslim no. 7028, Kitab al-Dhikr wa’l-Du‘a’
Likewise, the
Qur’an defines the characteristics of true loyalty to God and Faith:
“(They think that
the duty imposed on them of being loyal to God is fulfilled by merely observing
certain rites and rituals. They should know that) loyalty to God does not
merely mean that you face the East or the West (in the prayer) but loyalty is
the loyalty of those who believe in God (with all their heart) and in the Last
Day and in the angels of God and in His Books and in His prophets and who,
though they love it dearly, give away their wealth to kinsfolk, to orphans, to
the destitute, to the traveller and to those who ask and for the liberation of
necks and who are diligent in the prayer and pay Zakaat, (and
loyalty is the loyalty of those who) when make a promise fulfill it and
especially (of those) who are steadfast in scarcity, illness and in times of
war. These are the people who are truthful to God in fulfilling the promise of
loyalty to Him and these are the ones who are in fact God-conscious”. (2:178)
Hence, beyond verbal profession of belief, when a person demonstrates true loyalty to God through obedience to His commandments like described in the above Verse, it is such believers who attain the rank of truly good believers- the ‘Abrar’, as the Qur’an calls them elsewhere. According to the Qur’anic exegists, ‘Abrar’ is derived from ‘Barra’ which means ‘to be just, be truthful, to bestow beautiful gifts, to keep oath, to behave courteously’. The Holy Qur’an speaks of the signs and characteristic features that distinguish the righteous, from the evil-doers. Whereas Allah (swt) conferred the gift of free will in this life on all humans, it is up to man to be grateful for the Divine Blessing and take Paradise as home in the Hereafter, or to profess disbelief and burn in the Fire of Hell in the world to come.
'Surely, the righteous will have a drink mixed with kafur, a spring for God’s servants, which flows abundantly at their wish. They fulfil their vows; they fear a day of widespread woes; they give food to the poor, the orphan, and the captive, though they love it themselves, saying, ‘We feed you for the sake of God alone: We seek neither recompense nor thanks from you. We fear the Day of our Lord––a woefully grim Day.’ So God will save them from the woes of that Day, give them radiance and gladness, and reward them, for their steadfastness, with a Garden and silken robes. They will sit on couches, feeling neither scorching heat nor biting cold, with shady [branches] spread above them and clusters of fruit hanging close at hand.' (76: 6-15)