in Allah, the Last Day, the angels, the Book, and the prophets.” That is, he acknowledges these things. There are many such examples in the Quran.

The point here is that the word īmān (faith) is used only in relation to certain kinds of reports. It is derived from amn (security), just as iqrār (acknowledgment) is derived from qarra (to become settled). Thus, the believer possesses security, just as the one who acknowledges possesses acknowledgment. This necessarily involves the heart acting in accordance with what it accepts as true. If someone knows that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, but this knowledge is not accompanied by love and reverence for him—rather, he hates and envies him and is too arrogant to follow him—then he does not believe in him; rather, he disbelieves in him.

The disbelief of Iblīs, Pharaoh, and those among the People of the Book who recognize him as they recognize their own sons, as well as others, falls into this category. Iblīs did not deny the truth of any report or reject any bearer of a report as untruthful; rather, he arrogantly refused to obey his Lord’s command.

Concerning Pharaoh and his people, Allah said:

“They denied them, though their souls were certain of them, out of injustice and arrogance.”

Moses said to him:

“You certainly know that none but the Lord of the heavens and the earth has sent these down as clear proofs.”

The Exalted also said:

“Those to whom We have given the Scripture recognize him as they recognize their own sons.”

Thus, the heart’s mere knowledge of the truth does not benefit a person unless it is accompanied by the heart acting in accordance with that knowledge, such as loving the truth and following it. Indeed, the person most severely punished on the Day of Resurrection will be a scholar whom Allah did not cause to benefit from his knowledge. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to