Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Dear Burhan

1. What is imaan? How one can judge whether his or her imaan is increasing or decreasing?
2. What does Munafik means and how one can judge who is momin and who is Munafik?

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

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:

1. Absolute and total belief and conviction in the Oneness of Allah Subhanah.
2. Absolute and total belief and conviction in all the appointed Prophets of Allah Subhanah.
3. Absolute and total belief in all the revealed Scriptures of Allah Subhanah.
4. Absolute and total belief in the Angels of Allah Subhanah.
5. Absolute and total belief in the concept of the Hereafter, Paradise and Hell Fire, etc.
6. Absolute and total belief in the ‘Qadr’ or Divine Decrees of Allah Subhanah.

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