85 — Abu ʿAmr—according to another narration, Abu ʿAmrah—Sufyān ibn ʿAbd Allāh (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: “I said, ‘Messenger of Allah, tell me a statement about Islam after which I will need to ask no one else.’ He replied, ‘Say: I believe in Allah, and then remain steadfast.’ ” Related by Muslim.

Explanation: His request, “tell me a statement about Islam after which I will need to ask no one else,” means: give me a decisive, conclusive answer so that I will not have to consult anyone further. The Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—answered, “Say: I believe in Allah, and then remain steadfast.”

His words, “Say: I believe,” are not intended as a mere utterance of the tongue, for there are people who say, “We believe in Allah and the Last Day,” yet they are not believers. What is required is the affirmation of both heart and tongue: a person must pronounce it with his tongue after it has been firmly rooted in his heart, held with absolute certainty and without the slightest doubt. Neither belief of the heart alone nor utterance of the tongue alone suffices; faith must combine both. For this reason the Prophet, while calling people to Islam, would say: “O people, say Lā ilāha illā Allah (there is no god but Allah) and you will prosper.” He said “Say,” that is, pronounce it with your tongues—while belief of the heart is equally essential.

The phrase “I believe in Allah” encompasses belief in Allah’s existence, His Lordship, His exclusive right to be worshiped, His names and attributes, His rulings, His disclosures, and everything that comes from