Majmu' al-Fatawa - Ibn Taimiya - (7/641)

He—may Allah have mercy on him—was asked:

Is there any spiritual station or state above faith in Allah and His Messenger? Does faith encompass every station and state commended by Allah and His Messenger? Is faith to be described as a light that Allah places in a servant’s heart, enabling him, when it enters his heart, to distinguish truth from falsehood?

Is there some means by which faith is first attained—such as seeing righteous people, sitting with them and keeping their company, learning to perform a particular act, or something else? If its initial attainment has a cause, what is that cause? And what are the means—in their proper order—by which faith is strengthened until it reaches perfection?

Should one begin with renunciation until one practices it soundly? Or with knowledge until one becomes firmly grounded in it? Or with worship until one has fully exerted oneself? Or should one combine these according to one’s ability? How, then, does one attain the reality of the faith praised by Allah and His Messenger?

Explain to us the means by which the reality of faith is attained, detailing their various kinds, and describe the person who possesses it—may Allah be pleased with you.

سُئِلَ - رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ -: عَنْ الْإِيمَانِ بِاَللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ هَلْ فَوْقَهُ مَقَامٌ مِنْ الْمَقَامَاتِ أَوْ حَالٌ مِنْ الْأَحْوَالِ أَمْ لَا؟ وَهَلْ يَدْخُلُ فِيهِ جَمِيعُ الْمَقَامَاتِ وَالْأَحْوَالِ الْمَحْمُودَةِ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ أَمْ لَا؟ وَهَلْ تَكُونُ صِفَةُ الْإِيمَانِ نُورًا يُوقِعُهُ اللَّهُ فِي قَلْبِ الْعَبْدِ وَيَعْرِفُ الْعَبْدُ عِنْدَ وُقُوعِهِ فِي قَلْبِهِ الْحَقَّ مِنْ الْبَاطِلِ أَمْ لَا؟ وَهَلْ يَكُونُ لِأَوَّلِ حُصُولِهِ سَبَبٌ مِنْ الْأَسْبَابِ - مِثْلَ رُؤْيَةِ أَهْلِ الْخَيْرِ أَوْ مُجَالَسَتِهِمْ وَصُحْبَتِهِمْ أَوْ تَعَلُّمِ عَمَلٍ مِنْ الْأَعْمَالِ أَوْ غَيْرِ ذَلِكَ؟ . فَإِنْ كَانَ لِأَوَّلِ حُصُولِهِ سَبَبٌ فَمَا هُوَ ذَلِكَ السَّبَبُ؟ وَمَا الْأَسْبَابُ أَيْضًا الَّتِي يَقْوَى بِهَا الْإِيمَانُ - إلَى أَنْ يَكْمُلَ عَلَى تَرْتِيبِهَا؟ هَلْ يَبْدَأُ بِالزُّهْدِ حَتَّى يُصَحِّحَهُ؟ أَمْ بِالْعِلْمِ حَتَّى يَرْسَخَ فِيهِ؟ أَمْ بِالْعِبَادَةِ حَتَّى يُجْهِدَ نَفْسَهُ؟ أَمْ يَجْمَعُ بَيْنَ ذَلِكَ عَلَى حَسَبِ طَاقَتِهِ؟ أَمْ كَيْفَ يَتَوَصَّلُ إلَى حَقِيقَةِ الْإِيمَانِ الَّذِي مَدَحَهُ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ؟ بَيِّنُوا لَنَا الْأَسْبَابَ وَأَنْوَاعَهَا وَشَرْحَهَا الَّتِي يُتَوَصَّلُ بِهَا إلَى حَقِيقَةِ الْإِيمَانِ وَمَا وَصْفُ صَاحِبِهِ - رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْكُمْ.