1602 — Muhammad ibn Ja‘far ibn Muhammad al-Naḥwī, in Kufah, informed us: ‘Ubayd Allah ibn Thabit al-Ḥarīrī narrated to us: Ahmad ibn Manṣūr narrated to us: ‘Abd Allah ibn Ṣāliḥ narrated to us: Mu‘āwiyah ibn Ṣāliḥ narrated to us, from ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭalḥah, from Ibn ‘Abbās, concerning His words:
“Today I have perfected for you your religion” [al-Ma’idah 5:3]—and this is Islam—“and completed My favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.” [al-Ma’idah 5:3]
He said: “Allah informed His Prophet and the believers that He had perfected faith for them, so that they would never need any addition to it. Allah has perfected it, so it will never diminish; and He has approved it, so He will never be displeased with it.”
Regarding His words:
“Indeed, the believers are only those whose hearts tremble when Allah is mentioned.” [al-Anfal 8:2]
He said: “When Allah’s obligations are performed, nothing of the remembrance of Allah enters the hearts of the hypocrites. They do not believe in any of Allah’s signs, they do not rely upon Allah, they do not pray when they are out of sight, and they do not pay the zakah due on their wealth. Thus, Allah—Glorified be He—has declared that they are not believers.”
Allah then described the believers, saying:
“Indeed, the believers are only those whose hearts tremble when Allah is mentioned.” [al-Anfal 8:2]
Thus, they fulfill His obligatory duties. “And when His verses are recited to them, they increase them in faith.” [al-Anfal 8:2] And, in affirmation: ⦗966⦘ “And upon their Lord they rely,” [al-Anfal 8:2] meaning, they place their hope in none besides Him. “Those who establish the prayer,” [al-Anfal 8:3] meaning, “the five prayers”; “and spend out of what We have provided them,” [al-Baqarah 2:3] meaning, “the zakah due on their wealth.” “Those are the true believers,” [al-Anfal 8:4] meaning, “they have renounced disbelief.”
He said: Allah then described hypocrisy and its people, saying:
“Indeed, those who disbelieve in Allah and His messengers and wish to make a distinction between Allah and His messengers...” [al-Nisa’ 4:150]
up to His words:
“They are truly the disbelievers.” [al-Nisa’ 4:151]
Thus, Allah has made the believer a true believer and the disbeliever a true disbeliever.
Regarding His words:
“So that they may increase in faith along with their faith,” [al-Fatḥ 48:4]
he said: “Allah Most High sent His Prophet with the testimony that none is worthy of worship except Allah. When the believers affirmed it, He added the prayer for them. When they affirmed it, He added fasting for them. When they affirmed it, He added pilgrimage for them. When they affirmed it, He added jihad for them. He then perfected their religion for them, saying:
‘Today I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favour upon you.’ [al-Ma’idah 5:3]”
Ibn ‘Abbās said: “The most firmly established faith of the inhabitants of the heavens and the earth, and their truest testimony, is the testimony that none is worthy of worship except Allah.”