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"That Iman didn't enter your hearts” in the same way as Verse 3 of Surah Jumu'ah, where Allah says that “He is also sent for others of them who have not yet joined them. He is the Mighty, the Wise.”

It is also said that Mujaahid said, regarding Verse 14 of Surah Hujarat, that “we submitted out of fear of being taken as captives and executed”. ..He also said “just like the statement of the Prophet (SAW) to Sa’ad “…or Muslim”. He intended the Islam which is the submission out of fear of the Prophet (SAW) and the Muslims. That is the Islam of the hypocrites and that is not the Islam of the true believers.
[تعظيم قدر الصلاة ٢/٥٥٣-٥٥٥]

1. Imam Al Bukhari has a chapter in his book titled “If Islam wasn’t upon its true reality, and it was out of submittion or fear of being killed, due to Verse 14 of Surah Hujarat, and if it was out of it’s true reality, then it is according to Verse 19 of Surah Alee Imran”
   (Surely, the only Deen (true religion and the Right Way of life) in the sight of Allah is Al-Islam: Those to whom the Book was given did not adopt ways different than this except out of envy among themselves, and after the true knowledge had come to them. They should know that Allah is swift in calling to account those who deny His revelations. 3:19)

He mentioned the hadith of Sa’ad ibn Abu Waqas. Ibn Hajr commented on this saying, if Islam was like this, not upon its true reality, he wouldn’t benefit from it in the next life, and that if Islam is mentioned, it is the shar’i definition that is intended by it, and that is what is wanted in one’s Iman, and will benefit him in the next life. Like Allah mentioned in Verse 19 of Surah Ala Imran and Verse 36 of Adh-Dhariyat. When it is mentioned, at times, it is the linguistic definition that is intended. Which is mere submission without anything else.
The term ‘true reality’ in the statement of Imam Al Bukhari is the shar’i reality
[فتح الباري ٧٩/١]

In summary of that which is preceded in their statements: the shar’i definition of Islam is that which benefits him in front of Allah, is a synonym of Iman. As for the Islam that is mentioned in the verse which preceded, and the narration of Sa’ad ibn Waqas, it is the Islam that doesn’t benefit in front of Allah, and from there, there isn’t any relationship between that and Iman.

The 2nd view:

The second view is that they both mean the same thing. This is reported to have been the view of Imam Al Bukhari
[فتح الباري ١/٥٥/٧٨/١١٤]

Imam Muhammad ibn Nasr Al-Maroothi and Ibn AbdulBar.

Ibn AbdulBar said that the majority of the companions of Maalik where of this view.
[التمهيد ٩/٢٤٧]

He also said, as for the statement that Iman is Islam, the majority of our companions, and other than them from the Shaafi’ah and Maalikiyah, and the view of Dawood and his companions and the majority of Ahlus Sunnah and narrations
[التمهيد ٩/٢٥٠]

Also from them are the companions of Abu Hanifa
[الإيمان لابن تيمية ٣٥٣ ]
and Ibn Mandah
[الإيمان لابن منده ٣٢١/٣٢٢]

From the evidences:

1. Imam Ibn Abdul Bar said, the majority of the companions of Maalik where of the view that Iman and Islam are one thing. Ibn Bukair mentioned this in his book Al Ahkam. He supported his statement with verses 35 and 36 of Surah Adh-Dhariyat “Then We evacuated those of the Believers who were there. But We found not there any just (Muslim) persons except in one house.”

2. Those who say Iman and Islam are the same, say that from that which proves our point is: those who distinguish between Iman and Islam agree with us, in that the person who commits a major sin, which is deserving of entering hellfire, that the name of Islam is not removed from him, and that the most evil from amongst them, are those that Allah entered into the hellfire. They mention this in a hadith of the Prophet (SAW), and they affirm that Allah said, “take out from the hellfire, anyone who has an mustard seed, wheat grain or barley seed of Iman”
   [البخاري ٢٢]
   In this, Allah says that they have Iman in their hearts, and because of this, they were taken out of the hellfire, even though they were the most evil people from the people of Tawheed.

Both us, and those who disagree with us, agree that the title of ‘Islam’ is not removed from them. It is not possible for a person to have Iman in his heart, which allows him to be removed from the hellfire and enter into paradise, that isn’t a Mu’min, as it is not possible for a person to have Iman in his heart, that he is rewarded for, without being a Mu’min. The same way it isn’t possible for a person to commit Kufr and not be a Kaafir.
(تعظيم قدر الصلاة ٢/٥٣٥]

The intent of the above is to refute those who have expelled those who have committed major sins from Iman. They said they are Muslims but not Mu’mineen. So we say to them, how can you take away the label of Iman from them, whilst you affirm yourselves that those who have an atoms weight of Iman in their hearts (that committed major sins) leaves the hellfire? So, those that leave the hellfire, must be Muslim Mu’mins and there is no difference.

They said, in refuting the evidences of those that differentiate between the two:

1. Al Maroothi said, as for them using verse 14 of Surah Hujjarat, “The Bedouin Arabs say: "We have believed." Tell them: "You have not believed; rather say 'We have become Muslims;' for faith has not yet found its way into your hearts. If you obey Allah and His messenger, He will not deny you the reward of your deeds; surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful." as an evidence, and using the hadith of Sa’ad ibn abi Waqas when he said to a man “I see him as a Mu’min”, and the Prophet (SAW) said “or Muslim”, that doesn’t oppose our view. This is because we say that a man can be called a Muslim from two angles. The first, that he submits to Allah with Iman and obedience, taking it as his religion, wanting Allah sincerely. The second angle is, that he submits to the Messenger (SAW) and the believers out of fear of being killed or taken as a captive. So it is said, he has submitted/accepted Islam, meaning he has submitted through fear, and he never submitted to Allah.

This is not the Islam that Allah has chosen and is pleased with, which is true belief, which Allah has called the people to. The evidence for this is Verse 14 of Surah Hujarat. Allah intended from this,

principle. He says that Ihsan is more general in regards to itself and more specific with regards to the people within it, when compared to Iman. As for Ihsan, Iman is present within it, and with Iman, Islam is present within it. Muhsinoon {the people of Ihsaan} is more specific than Mu'minoon {the people of Iman}, and Mu'minoon is more specific than Muslimoon {the people of Islam}.

[الإيمان ٦]

He said the religion is of three levels; the first is Islam, the middle is Iman and the peak is Ihsaan. So whoever has reached the highest point (Ihsaan), has reached everything that is contained beneath it. So a Muhsin is a Mu'min, and a Mu'min is a Muslim, but that doesn't mean a Muslim necessarily has to be a Mu'min ( possessing full Iman).

[الإيمان ٢-٣٤١]

(2)

Amr Ibn Saad narrates from his father that the Prophet SAW gave (some money) to some men and didn't give it to another. So I said "Oh Messenger, you gave it to so and so, and you left so and so, and his is a Mu'min. So the Messenger SAW said" or a Muslim". I repeated it to him, "Oh Messenger, you gave it to so and so, and you left so and so, and his is a Mu'min. And again the Messenger SAW said" or a Muslim". This happened three times. He (SAW) then said, I give to some men and not to others, who are more beloved to me than them, fearing that these people will fall into the hellfire on their faces/noses."

[Bukhari and Muslim]

Ibn Abi Al-Izz Al-Hanafi commented on this narration, saying He (SAW) affirmed for the person Islam, but he stopped at giving him the name or title of Iman, so whoever says they are the same thing has differed.

[ شرح العقيدة الطحاوية ٤٣٤]

That which the scholars of the past intended, from the statements that we brought, is that Iman is more complete than Islam. Whereas the complete Mu'min is one that is promised paradise. As for the complete Muslim, then there is nothing saying that he will enter paradise without any punishment, because although he is a Muslim, it does not mean he is a Mu'min, and Allah knows best.

(3)

Additionally, those who differentiate between Iman and Islam have mentioned a particular principle regarding the use of titles. The principle refers to the notion that there can be a broader term with many, more specific terms within it. Each with different, more defined meanings and implications. {This is referred to as an Umbrella Term}. A word may have the meaning of two separate things if it's mentioned alone, and when it is mentioned alongside another word, it takes on its own definition. An example of this is can be found with the words Faqeer ( فقیر‌‎) and Miskeen (مسكين). If one of them is mentioned,then everyone who has a need is intended by it. But mentioned alone, one word refers to a certain type of need, and the other refers to the rest of them. {A Faqir is completely poor and totally needy, whilst the Miskeen is less needy than him}. This same notion also applies to the terms Iman and Islam. If they are mentioned together, they have a different meaning. If mentioned alone they can mean the same thing. Many scholars of the past have explicitly explained it this way.

[جامع العلوم والحكم - ٢٦)

(4)

And finally, we will mention that which we see as the strongest of evidences for those who differentiate between the two, which is the Hadith of Jibreel. It was narrated on the authority of Umar, who said:

While we were one day sitting with the Messenger of Allah SAW, there appeared before us a man dressed in extremely white clothes and with very black hair. No traces of journeying were visible on him, and none of us knew him. He sat down close by the Prophet SAW, rested his knee against his thighs, and said, "O Muhammad! Inform me about Islam."

The Messenger of Allah SAW said, "Islam is that you should testify that there is no deity except Allah and that Muhammad is His Messenger, that you should perform salah, pay the Zakah, fast during Ramadan, and perform Hajj to the House, if you are able to do so."

The man said, "You have spoken truly." We were astonished at his questioning Him (SAW) and telling him that he was right, but he went on to say, "Inform me about iman."

He (SAW) answered, "It is that you believe in Allah and His angels and His Books and His Messengers and in the Last Day, and in qadar (fate), both in its good and in its evil aspects." He said, "You have spoken truly."

Then he (the man) said, "Inform me about Ihsan." He (SAW) answered, "It is that you should serve Allah as though you could see Him, for though you cannot see Him yet (know that) He sees you."

[Bukhari and Muslim]

Ibn As-Salah commented on this Hadith, saying this is clarifying the origins of Iman, which is to have the inward beliefs, and clarifying the origins of Islam, which is to submit openly.

[الإيمان ٣٤٦]

Shaykul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah derives from this Hadith a

Ibn Kathir says that the benefit that can be extracted from the aforementioned verse, is that Iman is more specific than Islam, which is the Madhab (Position) of Ahlus sunnah wal Jama’a..

CHAPTER 4: IMAN, ISLAM AND THE CORRELATION BETWEEN THE TWO.

There have long been lengthy disputes, within the sects in Islam, regarding the issue of Iman and Islam. Is one more general than the other, or are they simply the same thing.

What is most important for us, at this particular moment, is to show the evidence and statements of Ahlus sunnah. The fundamental aim of this chapter is to show the evidences of Ahlus sunnah, who are split into two groups of thought on this issue. The first, being that the two meanings differ with regards to whether they are mentioned together, or if they are mentioned separately. The second view, is that they are both the same, regardless of when they are mentioned.

As for the first view, the majority of Ahlus sunnah are of this view. From them are Ibn Abbas, Al-Hassan Al-Basri, Muhammed Ibn Sireen, Az-Zuhri, Qatada, Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, Yahya Ibn Ma’een, Al-Khataabi,Al-Lalaka’ee, Ibn Salah, Ibn Taymiyah and Ibn Rajab and others.

From the greatest of evidences are in Surat Al-Hujarat, where Allah says the following:

“The Bedouins say: we believe, say: you believe not, but you only say we have surrendered (in Islam), for faith has not yet entered your hearts. But, if you obey Allah and his Messenger, he will not decrease anything in reward for your deeds. Verily Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.” [49:14]

Those who adopt the first stance use this verse as evidence to show that Iman and Islam are different , even when both are mentioned together. They said that in this verse, it clearly affirms that they have Islam, but negated that they have Iman, showing that the level of Iman is greater. They also use this verse as evidence to show that the Islam that has been affirmed, will not go unrewarded.. This is one of the two explanations of this verse.

Ibn Taymiyah says that the part of the verse, “But if you obey Allah and his messenger he will do decrease anything in reward for your deed”, is evidence to show that that the Islam that they showed, was the Islam that they are rewarded for, and that they are not hypocrites. Hence, this shows that if they obeyed Allah with the Islam that they had, Allah would reward them for their obedience. However, as for the hypocrite, then his actions are all void in the next life.

(٢٢٩ الإيمان )

Within the same verse, Allah says “But you only say we have surrendered (in islam) for faith has not yet entered your hearts”. The word lamma (لما), in the Arabic language, entails that something has not yet occurred but that it will occur at some point. Similar to the use of the word ‘when’ as opposed to ‘if’.

Similarly, Allah says in Surah Ale ‘Imran “Or do you think that you will enter paradise before Allah tests those of you who fought, and tests those who are patient”[ 3:142]. The use of the word lamma ( لما) shows that iman entering their hearts is something is going to happen but hasn't yet happened.

For example, the one that initially embraces Islam, Iman has not entered his heart yet, but it is something that will happen thereafter. For that reason, the majority of those who entered Islam willingly, Iman entered their hearts later. So when Allah says “but you only say we have surrendered”, he ordered them to say so, but as for the hypocrite ,he is never ordered to do anything.

( الإيمان 238-239).

Additionally, the negation of their Iman is similar to the one mentioned in the Hadith whereby it is explained that “The fornicator when he fornicates is not a believer so long as he commits it” ( Kitab Al-Iman, Sahih Muslim). This is also supported by the Hadith that states that “None of you will believe until you love for your brother what you love for yourself” (Bukhari and Muslim). The negation here is in reference to the obligatory Iman and not the original Iman, which one must posses as a Muslim. Likewise, the Bedouins in this verse didn't come with the obligatory Iman, so it was negated from them even though they where Muslims, and they came with the Iman that they would be rewarded for.

(٢٣ الإيمان )

IMAN ARE BRANCHES AND KUFR ARE BRANCHES:

Imam Al-Khattabi said:

“In this Hadith it's made clear that the shar'i definition of iman is a title that contains many branches and parts, some are greater than others. The title could refer to some of its branches like it can refer to all of it. The reality of it {when mentioned} consists of all its branches and parts like when the shar'i word Salah is mentioned. Its reality has branches and parts but when mentioned it consists of all the actions of salah.”
معالم السنن ٥٦/٥

Ibn Al-Qayyim said:

“Iman is originally made up from numerous branches, every branch is called iman, so salah is iman, likewise zakat is iman, and hajj, fasting, inward actions like shyness and reliance etc are all Iman. Due to some of these branches, iman may be negated by one abandoning it such as the branch of Shahada (the two testimonies) and due to others it won't be negated if one abandons it, such as not removing something harmful from the pathway. Between these branches are a great difference, some are closer to the branch of Shahada and some are closer to the branch of removing something harmful from the pathway.

Likewise the branches of Kufr are the same, consisting of branches and parts. Shyness is a branch of iman and not having shyness is a branch of Kufr. Speaking the truth is a branch of iman and lying is a branch of Kufr. All sins are branches of Kufr and all good deeds are branches of iman.”
كتاب الصلاة ٥٣

To summarise what we've just said:

1) All righteous deeds including actions of ones limbs enter the definition of iman.
2) Imperfection in ones good deeds harms ones iman.

3: THE CONNECTION BETWEEN ACTION AND IMAN

We've mentioned before the statements of the salaf regarding action, is part of iman. Now we're going to mention some of the evidences used to prove that actions are part of iman.

1) Allah says,
"وما كان الله ليضيع إيمانكم" بقرة ١٤٣

“And Allah will never make your faith (Prayers) to be lost.” (Al-Baqarah 143)

It's authentically reported that the reason for this verse to be revealed as mentioned in the long hadith of Al-Baraa and other than it that some companions passed away before the direction of prayer was changed to the Kaaba and they didn't know what to say about them so Allah revealed this verse. Bukhari has this narration in his saheeh in several places and in one place under the title 'prayers are from iman.'

Al-Hulaymi said:
"The scholars of Tafsir have unanimously agreed that the verse was talking about their prayers towards Bayt al-Maqdis, and thus prayers being iman. If that is the case then all actions are part of iman, for I don't know any difference between prayers and other actions." (المنهاج في شعب الايمان ٣٧/١)

2) Likewise the verse:
"إنما المؤمنون الذين إذا ذكر الله وجلت قلوبهم وإذا تليت عليهم ءايٰته زادتهم إيمانا وعلى ربهم يتوكلون. الذين يقيمون الصلاة ومما رزقناهم ينفقون. أولىئك هم المؤمنون حقا" الأنفال ٢-٤

“The believers are only those who, when Allah is mentioned, feel a fear in their hearts and when his verses are recited to them, they increase in faith; and they put their trust in their Lord.
Who perform the prayers and spend out of what we have provided for them.
It is they who are the believers in truth”

In these verses it shows how all the actions mentioned are from the compulsory part of iman and this is why the title iman is not given to the one that doesn't come with these acts because the word (إنما) is used to affirm only that which is mentioned and negate everything else. (الإيمان لابن تيمية ١٤)

3) Also from the clear evidences is the hadith pertaining to the group ‘Abd alqays’ whereby the prophet SAW said, “I command you to have iman in Allah alone”, and then he SAW said, “do you know what iman in Allah alone is?” So they said Allah and his messenger know best, so he SAW said, "bearing witness that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah, performing prayers, giving zakat and giving one fifth from the war booty."

The prophet SAW explained iman, in this Hadith, to be statements of the tongue and actions of the limbs.

(It is also known that these actions are not sufficient, as iman except with the iman of the heart as well, as it was mentioned in other places that iman of the heart is also a must. This tells us that these actions with iman in the heart is iman.) (شرح العقيدة الطحاوية ٣٨٩)

4) Also the hadith:
"Whoever gives for Allah, and prevents for Allah, and loves for allah, and hates for Allah, and marries for Allah, then he's completed his iman." (رواه احمد وقال الترمذي حديث حسن)

This shows that these actions are part of iman and by it ones iman is complete and without it ones iman is deficient. (المنهاج في شعب الايمان ٥١/١ للحليمي)

5) Also the hadith where the prophet SAW said,
“Iman is seventy or so branches or sixty or so branches.”

Many scholars have made this hadith the main evidence for this chapter. Many have authored books just regarding this hadith and some have looked deeply into the quran and sunnah to count the branches of iman such as:
• أبو عبد الله الحليمي – found 77 branches
• البيهقي – found 77 branches
• القزويني – found 77 branches
• اللالكائي – found 72 branches
• ابن بطه – found 70 branches
• أبو حاتم بن حبان – found 79 branches
• الحافظ ابن حجر – found 79 branches