Pillars of " Faith(Imaan)"
What is Iman:
The word Iman itself is derived from.the stem "Amn" which refers to the state of safety. Thus, only when Imam and faith overflow the heart of a Muslim can they really feel unshakable safety.
The word Iman can be translated into faith, referring to one's belief, in which we have the ultimate trust. Iman is a stone that keeps one's heart steady or balanced.
These pillars include belief in Allah, belief in angels, belief in the Quran Kareem, belief in the messengers of Allah, belief in the day of judgement, and belief in the divine decree. Each pillar is essential for a complete and genuine faith according to Islamic teachings.
The six pillars of Faith in Islam in detailed as below.
The pillars or faith:
The pillars of Faith are six. They are the ones mentioned in the Hadith of Hazrat Jibrael when he asked the prophet Muhammad SAW about faith.
So he said: It is to believe in Allah, his angels, his books, his Messengers, the last day and to believe in the good and bad for qadar.
The strong connection of Faith:
The connection of Faith is the greatest kind of connection of all.
Due to the strength of it's connection, it has connected the creator with the creation, the heavens with the earth, the ummah with it's great messenger, the descendants of Adam on earth with each other, the descendants of Adam with the Jin, and finally this worldly life with the hereafter.
Because of this connection, Allah created the heavens the earth, and all that is therein; as well as paradise and hellfire. Also, because of it, Allah has been the ally of the believers. And finally, because of it Allah sent the messengers, revealed the books and legislated fighting jihad fir his sake .
1. Iman in Allah is the main one in pillars of Iman:
Iman in Allah consists of four matters:
The first: Iman in the existence of Allah:
Allah creates all of mankind to have Iman in their Creator, as he says:
"So direct your face towards the religion inclining to truth. Adhere to the disposition of Allah upon which he has created all people. No change should there be in the creation of Allah. That is the correct religion, but most of the people do no know."
Human intellect has proven that this universe has a creator, for indeed all of creation, from its beginning and afterward, must have a creative that brought it into existence.
A part of creation cannot bring itself into existence by itself, nor can it be created by chance.
This leads one to realize that there is a creator and he is Allah SWT the Lord of the world's.
One's senses also prove the existence of Allah, for we witness the alternating of the day and night, provision for every human and animal, and the management of the affairs of all creation; all of which prove his existence by clear cut evidence.
The second: Imam that Allah alone is the Lord, without any partners:
The Lord who deserved to be worshipped is the king within whose hand is the sovereignty. All affair's and creation belong to him.
So there is no creator or sovereignty except Allah, and indeed all affairs belong to him alone, the creation is his creation, the sovereignty is his sovereignty and the command is his command.
He is the all Mighty and the most Merciful, the self sufficient and the praiseworthy the all knowing and the All powerful.
He showers his mercy upon those who seek his mercy, forgives those who seek his forgiveness gives when asked, answers when call upon and does wherever he wills.
He is the ever living and the sustainer who is never overtaken by drowsiness or sleep.
To him alone belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth.
To him belong the treasures of the heavens and the earth, to him belong the unseen matters of the heavens and th earth and to him belong the troops of the heavens and the earth.
Allah SWT says:
" To Allah SWT belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth and whatever is within them. And hw is over all things competent."
Third; Iman in his servitude:
We know and have full conviction that Allah alone is the true deity whi has no partner's and that he alone is the one who deserves to be worshipped. So he is the Lord of the world's, and we worship him with what he has legislated with complete humbleness, love and reverence for him.
Just as we have humbled to his lordship in creation and maintenance, we must humble to his servitude in commandments and legislation.
We also know and have full conviction they just as he is one in his lordship without any partner, he is also one in his servitude without any partner.
So we worship him alone without any partner, and stay away from worship of everything bedsides him:
" And your God is one God. There is no deity worthy of worship except him, the entirety merciful, the especially merciful".
So Allah is the true deity, and the servitude of anything worshipped other than him ja false, as well as their worship.
The fourth: Iman in his names and attributes:
This means understanding, memorizing and acknowledging them, using them as a means of worshipping Allah and acting in accordance to them.
Thus, knowledge of Allah's attributes pertaining to his grandeur, glory, and majesty, fill the hearts of the slaves with reverence and awe for them.
Knowledge of the attributes pertaining to honour, strength ability and omnipotence fills the hearts with humbleness and submissiveness to him.
Knowledge of the attributes pertaining to Mercy, beneficence kindness and generosity fill the hearts with love of Allah SWT, as well as desire and craving for Allah's bounties kindness and Generosity.
Knowledge of the attributes pertaining to knowledge and encompassment necessities for the slave to be aware of Allah's constant observance of him in all his movements and situations.
Finally, knowledge of all these attributes necessities for the slave to have reverence, love, desire delight, reliance and nearness to him by worship of him alone without any partner.
We also affirm for Allah what he has affirmed for himself or what bjs messenger has affirmed for him in regards to hua most beautiful names.
We also believe in Allah's names and attributes, and that which they indicate of meanings and effects. So, for example, we believe that Allah is the most Merciful. This means that he is the possessor of mercy.
From the effects of This name is that he has mercy upon whom he wills. And the same can be said with the rest of his names and attributes.
We affirm all of that for him in a manner that is befitting to his Majesty, without changing their meaning, without negating them, without specifying the exact nature of them and without resembling then to the creation, bases on what he says:
" There is nothing like unto him, and hw ja the all-hearer the all-Seer.
2. Iman in the Angels:
Iman is the angels is to have the unequivocal belief that to Allah belong angels that are in existence it's the 2nd pillar of Iman.
We believe in whomever Allah has named from amon them, such as Jibrael.
Whoever's name we do not know, we believe in then generally and believe in whatever we know if their characters and actions. As far as rank is concerned. They are noble slaves who worship Allah.
They do not have any of the traits of lordship or divinity. They are a part of the world of the unseen and Allah had created them from light.
Hazrat Ayesha narrated:
" The Messenger of Allah said, The angels were created from light, the jinn were created from a smokeless flame of fire ".
As far as actions are connected: they worship Allah, glorify him and do whatever they are commanded to do.
As far as obedience is concerned: Allah has bestowed upon them complete submission fo his command and strength in exciting t. They have the innate nature of obedience.
The number of angels is a number that cannot be enumerated except by Allah. Amongst them are the bearers of the throne, the keepers if paradise, the keepers if hellfire, the guardians the recorders and others.
Among them, seventh thousand angels pray daily in Bayt al- Mamur, when they leave, never to return to it ever again.
3. Iman in the books:
Iman in the books is : to have an unequivocal belief that Allah revealed books to his Prophets and messengers as a means of guidance for his slaves. They are from his actual speech and whether they contain is truth with no doubt in it whatsoever.
Among them are those that Allah SWT names in the Quran Kareem and there are others that none knows of their names or number except Allah SWT.
The number of divine books mentioned in the Quran Kareem:
Allah has explained in the Quran Kareem that he revealed the following books:
- The Suhuf ( scripture) of Hazrat Ibrahim.
- The Tawrah ( Torah) which has the book that Allah revealed to Hazrat Musa.
- The Zabur ( Psalms), which was the book that Allah revealed to Dawud.
- The Injil, which was the book the Allah revealed to Isa.
- The Quran Kareem, which was the book that Allah SWT revealed to Hazrat Muhammad SAW for all the mankind.
The ruling concerning have Iman in and acting according to aforementioned books:
We believe that Allah SWT revealed these books and believe in whatever is authentic of their contents of the Quran Kareem, as well as whatever contents that have not been changed distorted from the aforementioned books.
Additionally, we act according to the rulings of whatever has not been abrogated from them with satisfaction and submission. And whatever we do not know of the aforementioned books, we believe in them generally.
4. Iman in the Messenger:
Iman in the messengers is to have an unequivocal belief that Allah sent to every nation a messenger, calling them to worship Allah alone and avoid what is worshipped besides him, to believe that they have all been sent as messengers and are truthful and that they conveyed fully what Allah SWT sent them with.
Amongst them are those who Allah SWT has taught us their names and amongst them are those who Allah SWT has concealed in his knowledge.
The ruling concerning having Iman in the Prophets and messengers;
It is obligatory to have Iman in all the prophets and messengers; whoever disbelievers in even one of them, he has disbelieved in all of them.
It is also obligatory to affirm everything that has been authentically narrated of information regarding them, and to follow them in the truthfulness of their Iman, completeness of their Tawheed, and the exemplary nature of their manner.
We are also obliged to follow the Shariah of the one who was sent to us, who is their seal and best among them, and who was sent to all of mankind and the entire world and Muhammad.
Difference between Prophet and messenger:
A messenger is to whom Allah revealed specific legislation and commanded him to convey it to those who did not know of it, or those who knew of it but opposed it.
A prophet is to whom Allah revealed previous legislation, to inform those around him who are members of that legislation and renew it's teachings.
Thus, every messenger is a prophet, but not vice versa. Furthermore, if the terms messenger and prophet are mentioned together, each has its own meaning; but if they are mentioned separately, one term comprises the meaning of the other.
5. Iman in the last day:
The last day is the day of judgement in which Allah will resurrect all of creation to be held to account and recompense.
It was named as such because there is no day after it. The inhabitants of paradise will reside in it forever, and likewise the inhabitants of hellfire will reside in it forever.
The most well known names of the last day:
The day of judgement, the day of resurrection, the day of sorting out, the day of emergence, the day of recompense, the day of eternity, the day of reckoning, the day of warning, the day if gathering, the day if loss and gain, the day of regret, the deafening noise. The calamity and others that Allah SWT has mentioned in the Quran Kareem.
In many names indicate the grandeur of the names and it's severe horror.
Iman in the last day:
It is the unequivocal belief of everything that Allah SWT and his Messenger have informed us of regarding what will happen in that tremendous day of: resurrection, gathering, accountability the bridge the scales, paradise, hell.
6. Iman in the Qadar:
Qadar ( predestination) is Allah's knowledge of everything in it's appointed measure and written in the preserved tablet.
It is unequivocal belief that everything that occurs of good or bad is from Allah's predestination and divine decree. This is as he says :
" Indeed, all things we created with qadar( predestination). And our command is but one, like a glance of the eye."
The pillars of Qadar:
Iman in qadar comprises of four matters:
- Iman that Allah SWT is the all knowing of all things, whether they are general or specific.
- Iman that Allah SWT has written Allah things that will come to pass in the preserved table pertaining to creation, the world's, conditions providing and lifespans.
He has written it's quantity, nature time and place. Nothing will change or be replaced, nor increase or decrease except by his decree.
3. Iman that whatever takes place is from the will of Allah SWT. Whether Allah wills shall happen, and whatever he does not will shall never be.
This pertains to hua actions, such as creation and organization, life and death or the actions of creation, such as intentions, speech, actions and conditions.
4. Iman that Allah is the creator of everything. He created all that exists in their very nature, attributes and movements. There is no creator or lord other than him.
Significance about pillars of Iman:
The six pillars of Iman in Islam are fundamental beliefs that form the core of Islamic faith and practice. These pillars provide a framework for understanding Allah, his creation and the purpose of life. They guide Muslims in their spiritual journey and shape their worldview, moral compass and commitment to living a righteous life, according to Islamic teachings
The Pillars of Iman (Faith) are the fundamental beliefs that every Muslim must hold. They form the foundation of a Muslim's belief system and shape their understanding of the world, their purpose in life, and their relationship with Allah (God). There are six Pillars of Iman, and each holds deep significance.
1. Belief in Allah (God) – Iman bi Allah
Significance: This is the cornerstone of Islamic faith. Believing in the oneness, uniqueness, and sovereignty of Allah shapes a Muslim’s worship, morals, and actions.
It emphasizes Tawheed (monotheism), rejecting any form of shirk (associating partners with God).
Encourages complete trust and reliance on Allah.
2. Belief in the Angels – Iman bil-Mala'ika
Significance: Angels are unseen beings created by Allah who carry out His commands (e.g., Angel Jibril who delivered revelations to the prophets).
Believing in angels reinforces the idea that Allah’s knowledge and command extend over everything and that humans are constantly observed.
3. Belief in the Revealed Books – Iman bil-Kutub
Significance: These are divine scriptures sent to different prophets (e.g., the Torah to Moses, the Gospel to Jesus, and the Qur'an to Muhammad ﷺ).
The Qur'an, as the final and preserved revelation, provides complete guidance for life.This pillar shows the continuity and unity of divine messages through history.
4. Belief in the Prophets – Iman bil-Rusul
Significance: Prophets were chosen by Allah to guide humanity. Belief in them affirms that Allah has always communicated His will to mankind.
Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is the final messenger, sealing the line of prophethood.
It encourages Muslims to follow their examples and teachings.
5. Belief in the Day of Judgment – Iman bil-Yawm al-Akhir
Significance: This belief gives life meaning and accountability. Every person will be judged by Allah for their deeds.
Encourages moral responsibility, justice, and striving for righteousness.
It reinforces the concept of reward (Jannah) and punishment (Jahannam).
6. Belief in Divine Decree (Qadar) – Iman bil-Qadr
Significance: Everything happens by Allah’s will and knowledge, including the good and the bad.
It teaches Muslims to trust Allah’s wisdom and plan, especially in times of hardship.
Balances personal responsibility with belief in divine will.
📌 Why the Pillars of Iman Are Important
Spiritual Foundation: They define what it means to be a Muslim.
Guidance: They shape behavior, decisions, and worldview.
Unity: They unify Muslims globally under a shared belief system.
Accountability and Purpose: They give life purpose and remind believers of the temporary nature of worldly life.
Pillars of Iman for kids:
1. Long discussion are key:
Long discussions are key in this mission. Speak to them about the components of the pillars of Iman in simple terms and words. Be sensibly exaggerative to get their attention, and make your discussion suitable to their liking.
2. Play games:
Play games with them that would Allow you to introduce them to who is Allah SWT, what angels are, who are Allah's messengers and their roles, and what happens to believers on the day of judgement.
The pillars of faith are a wall that we need to climb in order to attain the complete state of Iman required in Islam, and each block of the six blocks is necessary for building this wall.
Conclusion:
The six pillars of faith, rooted in trust and belief in Allah SWT, form the essence of Islamic faith. Through belief in Allah, angels , Holy books, messengers, the day of judgement, and divine decree, Muslims find guidance, purpose, and solace in their journey of faith. Teaching these pillars to children ensures the continuity of Islamic faith teachings and the cultivation if strong Iman from a young age. With dedication to Education and nurturing faith, individuals and communities can thrive spiritually and contribute positively to society.