The Flame Of Faith [ Iman] The best of Gifts

The Flame Of Faith [ Iman] The best of  Gifts.

Iman- The best  of all gifts

 Allah has created  man out of  wet earth. Allah  has made  him  in the best  shape. Allah  made man so  special  that there  is nothing  more wonderful  than  he on the  earth . Each one of us  is  wonderful too. Allah has given  each one of us  the most  precious  gifts ; the ability  to talk , to think , to make  decisions  and to choose  what is the best  and good for us .

 But  the best  of  all  gifts is Iman- the Faith . But  what is Iman ? it  may be asked  Iman is to  believe  what Allah  has revealed  through his Messenger  Muhammad  peace be upon  him  with all  our heart  Iman  is to have  Faith in Allah , His Angels , His Books , His  Messengers , The last Day  and  Fate - good  and evil. The whole  of the religion  of Islam  can be  briefly  expressed  in a short sentence : 

Which means  there  is no god  but Allah and  Muhammad ism the  Messenger  of Allah . It is simply  confessing  it [ the Shahabah]  that a man  can enter the  fold of Islam . This is the brief  expression of Faith - Iman Mujmal . While  the  detailed expression of Faith - Iman  Mufassal  is clearly  set forth  in the  Hoy Quran. To take  an  Example :

[ Piety does not consist  in turning  your face  towards  the  east  or the  west- but  truly pious is he  who believes  in Allah  and the last Day ,and the angels ,  the Books ,the Prophets  and gives his wealth  in spite of the love  for it ,  to kinsfolk,to orphans  and the needy , and  to  the wayfarer, to those who ask, and  to set slaves free. And offers the prayer perfectly , and pay the  Zakah.And those who keep their promises whenever  they promise, and those  who are  patient  in  extreme poverty  and  ailment  and in time  of  peril : it is  they that  have proved themselves true, and  they are  pious]

 Iman In  Hadith

 It is related  by Umar bin  Khattab: One day while  we  were sitting  with the  Messenger  of Allah , a man  appeared before  us whose  clothes  were very  white  and  hair  very black. No  signs  of traveling  were  to be  seen on him and  none  of  us knew  him . He  walked unto the Prophet  and sat by him  in such a way that his  knees touched  the Prophet's  knees and his  palms were  placed  on the  prophet's  thighs.

 He asked  "O  Muhammad  [s]  Tell me  about  Islam ". The Messenger of Allah  said : " Islam is  to testify that there is no god but Allah and  Muhammad  is the Messenger  of Allah, to offer Salah  perfectly , to pay Zakah  , to fast in the month of Ramadan . and  to make pilgrimage  to the  House  of Allah  if one is  able to to do so .

 The man further asked :  Then tell me  about Iman"

 The  Prophet said  It is  to have  faith in Allah, His  angels , His  Books , His  Messengers ,  the last Day  and  in  Fate - good and evil.

 He  said ; Then  tell me about  Ihsan;

 He said :  It is to  worship  Allah as  though  you are seeing  Him, and  while you see Him not , He truly  sees you ".

 He said : " Then tell me  about the Hour { The Day of Judgement }."

 He said : " the one  questioned  about it  no better  than the  questioner "...... { till the  end of the Hadith}.

 This is our Faith  is our life. When  duty  calls, we should  be  prepared  to give  our life to  defend it.

The following  example  from the life of Abdullah bin Huzaifah , a  companion of the  Prophet, teaches  us the same lesson .

 Faith In Action 

 Umar ibn al  Khattab  {R} had  sent  an army to fight  the Romans . A young  faithful  believer called  Abdullah  bin Huzifah , was among the ` troops. Abdullah bin  Huzifah was very  brave  person . He fought  bravely  in the battle  but  once, as he  dashed  through the enemy  ranks, he fell into the hands of the  enemies and was taken  prisoner. They  took  him to their  emperor who  tempted him to  renounce Islam and  accept Christianity .

 The emperor  said :"O  Abdullah    If  you  would  agree to accept  Christianity we  would  give  you a  lot of wealth and  place  that would  make you happy ". 

 Abdullah replied :" For all your wealth , I am not prepared to part with my faith even for a moment ". The emperor  asked  angrily : " then tell me  everything  about your army which has come to attack us ".  Abdullah answered  " I shall tell you nothing . Each soldier  in the Muslim army is my brother . I would  do nothing that would bring harm to anyone  of them ". "Then I shall have  you put to death ". shouted  the  emperor  in tones  of great rage .

 Abdullah  feared  nothing . He  replied  bravely : " I would  love  to die  in the way of Allah ".

 The epperor  commanded  his troops to tie  down Abdullah{R}  and  take him away to be killed . The emperor  thought  this might  frighten him to tell everything   about the  Musim army But Abdullah said  nothing. His faith and  fearlessness  astonished the emperor  . At last,  he ordered  Abdullah {R} to be  flung into a person without  giving  him food and water . Abdullah spent three  days  in person without food and water  . The emperor  marvelleed  at the  faith of Abdullah. He  walked  upto  him and said : " I will set you free if you agree  to kiss my forehead ". Abdullah thought  for a while  and replied  : " shall kiss your forehead  if you agree  to set my Muslim  brother captives free".  Abdullah  kissed  the king's forehead  and he  set eight  Muslim captives free .

 when  Abdullah  bin Huzifah  returned , Umar {R} went out to the  outskirts  of Madinah to welcome  him  home . He told  Muslims  that it was  binding on everyone  present  to kiss Abdullah's forehead  and Umar {R} himself  made the  beginning . Everyone  present kissed  Abdullah bin  Huzaifah,   following the example   of Umar bin  Al Khattab {R}.