the affirmation, knowledge, love, fear, and hope within the heart are inward. They do, however, have necessary consequences that may indicate their presence. Yet a necessary consequence is indicative only if it, in turn, necessarily entails what it indicates. Thus, some of faith’s necessary consequences are acts performed by both the believer and the hypocrite, and so are not indicative … (1)
In the hadith reported by both Abdullāh ibn Amr and Abū Hurayrah, the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:
“The Muslim is the one from whose tongue and hand the Muslims are safe, and the believer is the one whom people trust with their lives and wealth.”
He thus described the Muslim in terms of something outward—people being safe from his harm—and the believer in terms of something inward—their trusting him with their lives and wealth. The latter quality is higher than the former: people are safe from someone who is trustworthy, but not everyone from whose harm they are safe is trustworthy. Someone may refrain from harming them while they still do not trust him, fearing that he refrains out of desire for something or fear of something, rather than faith in his heart.
In the hadith narrated by Ubayd ibn Umayr from Amr ibn Abasah, a man asked the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace:
“What is Islam?” He replied, “Feeding others and speaking gently.” The man asked, “Then what is faith?” He replied, “Generosity and patience.”
Feeding others is an outward deed that a person may perform for various purposes, as is speaking gently. Generosity and patience, by contrast, are two qualities within the soul. The Most High said:
“And urge one another to patience and urge one another to compassion.”
This is higher than the former: to be steadfast in patience and abundant in gratitude, generously showing mercy to others and patiently enduring hardships. This is the opposite of one who was created fretful—distressed when harm befalls him and withholding when good comes his way. Such a person shows neither generosity when blessed nor patience when afflicted.