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Once this is clear, the term “faith,” when used without qualification in the Quran and Sunnah, conveys the same meaning as “righteousness,” “piety,” and “religion,” as explained earlier. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, explained:

“Faith has seventy-odd branches. The highest is saying, ‘There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah,’ and the lowest is removing something harmful from the road.”

Thus, everything Allah loves falls within the meaning of faith. Likewise, “righteousness,” when used without qualification, encompasses all of this, as do “piety” and “religion,” or “the religion of Islam.”

It is also related that they asked about faith, whereupon Allah revealed the verse beginning:

“Righteousness is not that you turn your faces.”

Righteousness has been explained as faith, as piety, and as deeds that bring one closer to Allah. All these explanations are true. A report traced back to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, also states that he explained righteousness as faith.

Muhammad ibn Nasr said: Ishāq ibn Ibrāhīm narrated to us: ‘Abd Allāh ibn Yazīd al-Muqri’ and al-Mulā’ī narrated to us, both saying: al-Mas‘ūdī narrated to us, from al-Qāsim, who said:

“A man came to Abū Dharr and asked him about faith. He recited, ‘Righteousness is not that you turn your faces,’ to the end of the verse. The man said, ‘It was not about righteousness that I asked you.’

“He replied, ‘A man came to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and asked him about the very thing you have asked me about. He recited to him what I have recited to you, and the man said to him what you said