The meaning of Islam and faith

I asked him about faith and Islam, so I said to him: Differentiate between faith and Islam. He said: And shall I give you the example of it? He said: I said: I would want that. He said: The example of faith from Islam is like the example of the Sacred Kaaba from the Sanctuary; a man may be in the Sanctuary and not be in the Kaaba, and he may not be in the Kaaba until he is in the Sanctuary. Hence, he may be a Muslim and may not be a believer, and he will not be a believer until he is a Muslim. He said: Then I said: Then does anything exclude him from faith? He said: Yes. I said: Then to what thing does it turn himـ? He said: To Islam or disbelief. And he said: If a man is to enter the Kaaba and his urine slips form him, he must be taken out of the Kaaba and must not go out of the Sanctury, and if he is to go out from the Sanctuary, wash his robe and purify himself, he is not prevented from entering the Kaaba. Whereas if a man is to enter the Kaaba and urinates in it intentionally, he must be taken out of the Kaaba and from the Sanctuary, and his neck is to be stricken.

I asked al-Rida, peace be upon him, about faith, so he said: Faith is a contract in the heart, uttering by the tongue and act with the limbs; faith is by nothing except like this.

The Messenger of Allah, Allah’s blessings be upon him and his Family, said: Faith is not by adorning nor by wishing, however, faith is what has been made sincere in the heart and creceded by actions.

The Messenger of Allah, Allah’s blessings be upon him and his Family, said: Faith is (consisting of) saying and action, (the like of) two associating brother.

The Messenger of Allah, Allah’s blessings be upon him and his Family, one day met Haritha bin Nu’man al-Ansari, and he said to him: How have you become up at the morning, O Haritha? He said: I have become at the morning, O Allah’s Messenger, a true believer. He said: Indeed, for every (level of) faith there is a reality, so what is the reality of your faith? He said: I have prevented by self from this world, remained awake at my night and become thirsty during my day, and so, it is as if I am by the Throne of my Lord and the Reckoning is near, and it is as if I am by the people of Paradise who, in it, are being enticed, and by the people of the Fire who, in it, are being tormented. Then the Messenger of Allah, Allah’s blessings be upon him and his Family, said: You are a believer. May Allah enlighten faith in your heart, so remain firm, may Allah make you firm. Then he said to him: O Messenger of Allah, there is nothing on my self from which I am more fearful over, than my vision. Then the Messenger of Allah, Allah’s blessings be upon him and his Family, supplicated and his vision went away.

The Messenger of Allah, Allah’s blessings be upon him and his Family, was with us during some of his journeys, as a convoy met him and said: Peace be upon you, O Messenger of Allah. So he said: What are you? They said: We are believers. He said: What is the reality of your faith? He said: Satisfaction with the decision of Allah, submission to the commandment of Allah and entrustment to Allah, Exalted is He. Then he said: Wise scholars, as if they are to be, due to wisdom, Prophets. Hence, if you are truthful, then do not built that which you will not dwell in, and do not gather that which you will not consume, and fear Allah to Whom you will return.