Admonition No.1

It Should be known that as Allah Ta'ala is unique and unparalleled in His essence, so is He unparalleled and unique in His attributes. Therefore, it is very dangerous to talk about His attributes by using imagination and specify thier different states and causations. In this regard the Aqaids (beliefs) of majority of common Muslims are safe as they believe in the Sifaat (attributes) of Allah Ta'ala in general and do not bother to go in their finer details. Suhaba-Al-Kiram and Salf-i-Saaliheen also used to believe in the same way. Later on, when innovators [(Ahle-Bid'at) those who incorporated new things in Islam, which were not in Islam] increases in number, Scholastic philosophy (Ilm-e-Kalam) came into being. At this stage people talked more about the attributes of Allah which in turn led to carelessness in the law suits and other Ahkaam of Shari'ah.

For instance, Allah Ta'ala says in the Qur'an:

" The Most Merciful [who is] above the Throne established."

 Surat Ţāhā (20:5)

Now to try to make inquiries about the word "Istawa", what is meant by it? and what are its different interpretations? Is really a job of great courage when one does not know the reality of one's own attributes, how can he know the attributes of the Creator (of all worlds).

One should, simply believe that whatever has been said [by Allah and His messenger Rasulullah (Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam)] is the absolute reality and that His "Istawa" will be like His essence, His existence (As His existence, essence is unique and unparalleled and impossible to appreciate in this world, as is His essence unique, so is His "Istawa" also unique, unparalleled and impossible to appreciate as it is). What is the need to make inquiries about it when it is neither our entrusted duty nor will we be asked about it. Of course, one should certainly believe that His "Istawa" will not be our "Istawa", as Allah Ta'ala says:  

" There is nothing like unto Him "  
Surat Ash-Shūraá (42:11)

Now Question remains that how is this "Istawa", one should not argue about it. It should be left to Allah.

Similarly, in a Hadith it is narrated:

" Our cherisher (Allah Ta'ala) descends towards the sky which is immediately above the world, every night. "

 

Now one will start thinking what is meant by this descent (Nazool) (as Allah Ta'ala is everywhere)' how does it take place? The purpose of Rasulullah (Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam) in informing the Ummat about this is first to make the people to get engaged in the thikr  and Ibadaat of Allah Ta'ala with eagerness, fervour and presence pf mind during this time. One should try to do the same during this time (in which Allah Ta'ala makes a descent towards the Asman-e-Duniya), otherwise one will waste his whole life and will never be able to know the reality of these things.

No one knows this reality.

Everyone is dying with knowing it.

Allah Ta'ala says:

" As for those in whose hearts is deviations [from truth], they will follow that of it which is unspecific, seeking discord and searchin for its interpretation [suitable to them] ".

Surat 'Āli `Imrān (2:7)

Section-1

Rasulullah (Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said,

" Iman means to beleive in Allah, His all angels, His all Prophets, His all Books, the days of judgement (Aakhirat), & Taqdeer (predestination) & that all virtues & evils (are under His divine power)."

(Bukhari & Muslim)

To beleive also in Jannat, Jahannum & revivel after death have been, mentioned in a Hadith narrated in Muslim-Shareef (A famous book of Ahadith), in addition to the above things.

In another Hadith quoted in Tirmizi (Another famous book of Ahadith) it is narrated that:

"None can become a Mumin (one who has Iman) until he believes in Taqdeer in such a way that he believes without slightest doubt that whatever has to come, can never be avoided & whatever has not happened, would have never happened."

(Bukhari & Muslim)

For having faith (Iman) in Allah, it is necessary to believe in His essence, His attributes & in His onesness i.e., to believe that He is one & only one.

Thirty Branches of Islam are related to Qalb

1. To believe in Allah.
2. To believe that everything other than Allah is created & Makhlooq.
3. To believe in Angels.
4. To believe in all His books.
5. To believe in all His Prophets.
6. To believe in Taqdeer (predestination).
7. To believe in the day of judgement (Al-Qiyamah).
8. To believe in Jannat.
9. To believe in Jahannam.
10. To love Allah.
11. To love somebody because of Allah & to hate somebody because of Allah.
12. To love Prophet Muhammad (Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam).
13. Ikhlas (Sincerity).
14. Toaba (Repentance).
15. Khouf (Fear).
16. Rija (Hope).
17. Haya (Modesty).
18. Shukr (Gratitude, Thanks giving).
19. To fulfill the promise.
20. Sabr (Patience).
21. Tawadhu (Humility).
22. Kindness to mankind.
23. To be happy with (Qadha-Ilahi) predestination.
24. To make Tawakkul (Trust in Allah).
25. To leave Ujub (self-conceit, vanity).
26. To leave Keena (hatred).
27. To leave Hassad (Jealousy).
28. To leave Anger.
29. To leave evil-wishing.
30. To leave love of the world.

Now we will mention the excellence (Fadeelat) & some description of each of the above mentioned things in brief in different setions.

Introduction

Know that from the cited Ayat of Qur'an, a general interference is drawn that Iman has some Usul (basic principles) & some (farough) branches & in the above mentioned Hadith there number has also been fixed, some over seventy. In Order to specify them & describe them in detail, they have been classified into three groups:-

1. Inferior
2. Medium &
3. Superior,

so that research scholars (of Islam) Ulema-e-Mustambiteen & Mustakhrijeen could derive the remaining groups by Allah given capability & tell the same to others. Ulema like Muhadditheen & Muhaqiqueen have assembled these all groups after having a deep thought in Qu'ran & Hadith. They have written many books on this topic. May Allah give them better reward.

For quite some time I wanted to write these all branches of Iman in an language understandable by all for the information of Muslim brothers of this country so that they will come to know that the Iman, which they are claiming, has so many branches & will try to think that out of these, how many things they are not having, so that they can assess the inadequacy or perfection in their Iman & will also try to achieve those things which they find lacking in their Iman & will also feel ashamed of claiming to have perfect Iman unless they achieve all these things. Though one gets inferior degree of Iman by only believing in the basic principles of Deen but that Iman is as good as a lame, blind, deaf, dumb & disabled person is called a man, everyone knows that, of what use is such a person.

Second intention in narrating these branches of Iman is to tell the non-Muslims that the teachings of Islam are complete & perfect & Islam recognises only that person as perfect who has all these qualities of Iman. On seeing these imperfect Muslims, non-Muslims should not think that the teachings of Islam are inadequate & useless, since the purpose of Islam is to tell (the truth) not to make somebody forcibly Muslim. This our fault & not the fault of Islam.

Brothers: be ready to listen the branches of Iman, & keep your courage strong so that you get all these things in order to become a perfect Mumin.

There are seventy-seven branches of Iman, of which thirty are related to Qalb, seven are related to tongue & other forty are related to other parts of the body.