Likewise, faith—by its very nature—deters a person from venturing into acts of disobedience; and if the servant should fall into sin, it averts the sin’s punishment by urging him to hasten to repentance. The Prophet ﷺ said, “The adulterer does not commit adultery at the moment he commits it while he is a believer…” to the end of the ḥadīth (1). He thus made it clear that faith repels the occurrence of shameless deeds. Allah, Exalted is He, says, “Indeed, those who are mindful of Allah—when a touch of temptation from Satan comes upon them, they remember, and at once they see clearly” (Qur’an 7:201).

Another fruit is that Allah has promised—and has deemed it incumbent upon Himself—to grant victory to the believers who truly uphold faith. Whoever fulfils faith along with its requirements and complements will receive victory in this world and the Hereafter. The enemies of the believers prevail over them only when the believers neglect faith and squander its many rights and obligations.

Guidance from Allah—in knowledge, in practice, and in recognising and pursuing the truth—is proportional to one’s faith and the fulfilment of its duties. Allah says, “By this [revelation] Allah guides those who seek His good pleasure to the paths of peace” (Qur’an 5:16). It is evident that seeking Allah’s good pleasure, which is the very essence of sincerity, is the soul of faith and the pillar upon which it stands.

And He says, “Whoever believes in Allah—He guides his heart” (Qur’an 64:11). This is practical guidance: a guidance of success and assistance that enables a person to fulfil the duty of patience when calamity strikes, once he knows that it is from Allah; whereupon he is content, submissive, and compliant.

A further fruit is that faith itself calls its possessor to increase in the knowledge and deeds—both outward and inward—that belong to it. According to the strength of his faith, the believer continually seeks to grow in beneficial knowledge and in beneficial works, visible and hidden; and as his faith intensifies, so do his faith itself, his aspiration, and his action, as Allah, Exalted is He, says, “The believers are only…”