And this is because īmān (faith) differs from tasdīq (affirmation) in both wording and meaning. One says saddaqtuhu (“I affirm him”), so the verb takes the person affirmed as its direct object. But amintuhu is used only in connection with security, the opposite of causing fear; instead, one says āmantu lahu (“I believe him”).

If one may say mā anta bi-musaddiqin li-fulān (“You do not affirm so-and-so”), just as one says hal anta musaddiqun lahu (“Do you affirm him?”), this is because a verb that normally takes a direct object may take the preposition lām to reinforce its grammatical operation when its object precedes it, or when the governing word is an active participle or another form whose grammatical operation is weaker than that of a verb. Thus, one says: ‘araftu hādhā (“I knew this”) and anā bihi ‘ārif (“I know it”); darabtu hādhā (“I struck this”) and anā lahu dārib (“I strike it”); and samma‘tu hādhā wa-ra’aytuhu (“I made this heard and saw it”) and anā lahu sāmi‘ wa-rā’in (“I hear and see it”). Likewise, one says saddaqtuhu (“I affirm him”) and anā lahu musaddiq (“I affirm him”), but not saddaqtu lahu bihi (“I affirmed it to him”).

This differs from āmana: when affirmation is intended, one does not say āmantuhu, as one says aqrartu lahu (“I acknowledged it to him”). In this usage, one says āmantu lahu (“I believe him”), just as one says aqrartu lahu (“I acknowledged it to him”). This, then, is a difference in wording.

The “second difference” is what was mentioned earlier: the word īmān is not used for every report, but for reports about unseen matters and similar things concerning which doubt may arise. When the listener acknowledges them, he is said to have believed. By contrast, the word tasdīq is general and encompasses all reports.

As for “meaning,” īmān derives from amn (security), which is a state of reassurance, just as iqrār (acknowledgment) derives from qarra–yaqirru (to settle), which is close in meaning to being secure. A truthful person’s report inspires reassurance, whereas a liar’s does the opposite. As the saying goes, “Truthfulness brings reassurance, while lying brings doubt.” Thus, the believer enters a state of security, just as the one who acknowledges enters a state of acknowledgment. The word iqrār also entails commitment, and it takes two forms: