Al-Hasan ibn Umar informed us; Ahmad ibn Hamdan narrated to us; Bishr ibn Musa narrated to us; Mu'awiyah ibn Amr narrated to us; Abu Ishaq—that is, al-Fazari—narrated to us, saying:

“They say that Allah’s obligations upon His servants are not part of faith; that faith may be claimed without deeds; that people do not differ in the degree of their faith; and that the righteous and the wicked are equal in faith.”

But this is not how the hadith has come from the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. It has reached us that he said: “Faith has seventy-odd—or sixty-odd—branches. The highest of them is the testimony that there is no god but Allah, and the lowest of them is removing something harmful from the road. Modesty is a branch of faith.”

Allah Most High says: “He has ordained for you the religion which He enjoined upon Noah, which We have revealed to you, and which We enjoined upon Abraham, Moses, and Jesus: ‘Establish the religion and do not be divided concerning it.’” [al-Shura: 13]

Religion is affirmation; it is faith and deeds.