The Sunnah also provides support for this. For example, the wellknown Hadith of Jibril (Gabriel) when he asked the prophet (peace be upon him) about Islam, Iman and Ihsan (the perfection of Faith). He first asked about Islam, and in another narration he began by asking about Iman then mentioned Islam and Ihsan. The point is that he first asked about the requirements of Iman because it purifies the Muslim inwardly in a way that is reflected upon his outward behavior. This is why Allah defined Islam as outward submission because it has to do with a Muslim's submissiveness to Allah (may He be Praised). The word "Islam" indicates submission to Allah (Exalted be He), and obeying His Commands. For that reason, Allah called the outward matters of worship 'Islam' as they include humbling oneself and worshipping Him, obeying His Commands and abiding by His laws.
It is said "A person submitted and surrendered to another i.e. he humbled himself to someone and followed his commands. Likewise, submission to Allah means humbling oneself to Him and observing His Shari'ah (may He be Praised and Exalted).
Islam means outward submission to Allah while Iman combines inward and outward submission to Him as in observance of the teachings of Allah's Purified Shar`ah (Law). That is why they were coupled in the Sahih (authentic) Hadith, the Prophet (peace be upon him) explained Islam as outward deeds which testify to one's submission that includes verbal testimony that there is no God worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad is His Messenger, performance of the five daily prayers, payment of Zakah, fasting the month of Ramadan, and performing Hajj to the Sacred House in Makkah. Also, Iman has to do with inward submission that includes believing in Allah and His Angels, etc.
The Sahih Hadith reads: O Messenger of Allah, what are the best acts? He said: to feed the food and send regardings to whom you know and to whom you know not. According to another Hadith: Whose Islam is the best i.e. who is a very good Muslim? He replied: One who avoids harming the Muslims with his tongue and hands.
Thus, the word "Islam" refers to the outward deed which demonstrates a servant's submission to Allah's commands, obeying His Shari`ah, and abiding by it while Iman is akin to the inward Iman in one's heart such as believing in Allah, His Angels, Books, Messengers, the Last Day, and Qadar (predestination) whether good or bad. When the Prophet (peace be upon him) was asked about Iman, he said, To have faith in Allah, His Angels, His Books, His Messengers, the Day of Resurrection and the Divine destiny whether good or bad. He explained Iman as believing in these six matters which are essentially the fundamentals of Faith and the Deen of Islam, for whoever lacks Iman has no share in Islam, and whoever lacks Islam is not a Mu'min (believer). Accordingly, believing in these essential requirements of Iman is a prerequisite for the validity of one's Islam. However, a Muslim's Iman might be perfect or not, as Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) stated about the Bedouins: Say: "You believe not but you only say, 'We have surrendered (in Islâm)"
Because their Iman was not perfect and did not fulfill the essential requirements to be true believers, Allah denied them the perfect Iman as this cannot be associated with those who neglect religious obligations, as the Prophet (peace be upon him) stated, There is no faith, for a person who does not have patience Similarly, he (peace be upon him) said: "None of you will believe until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself." The Prophet (peace be upon him) also said: He who believes in Allah and the Last Day should either utter good words or better keep silent; and he who believes in Allah and the Last Day should show hospitality to his guest. He who believes in Allah and the Last Day should keep good relation with his Kith and kin. He who believes in Allah and the Last Day should not hurt his neighbors. To explain it further, Iman entails practicing good deeds. Thus, Islam without Iman is the act of hypocrites. The perfect Iman necessitates abiding by what Allah and His Messenger commanded and refraining from what they forbade. If a Muslim falls short in adhering to this, then he is not a believer as Allah negated Iman from the Bedouins in His statement: Say: "You believe not but you only say, 'We have surrendered (in Islâm)" and as negated also by the previous Hadiths.
To summarize, Allah (may He be Praised) and His Messenger denied the Iman of those who neglected some obligations of faith, although they remained within the fold of Islam. These six tenets are the core of the Deen of Islam; whoever fulfills them along with the outward matters of Iman, then they are believing Muslims. But those who neglect these tenets have no share either in Islam or Iman. Their status is like that of hypocrites who pretentiously adopted Islam, identified themselves as believers, offered Salah (Prayer) with Muslims, performed Hajj, and even fought in the cause of Allah but they are inwardly not with the Muslims, let alone those who antagonize them for nothing except their detesting the Deen of Allah and His Messenger and they belie and deny what was revealed to the messengers. They claim to be Muslims to fulfill their own wicked desires. Allah has exposed their matter and declared their Kufr (disbelief) and misguidance; they become even more disbelieving than those who openly declare their Kufr, and that is why they will go to Hell and abide there eternally
in the lowest place of the Fire. This is what they deserve because their evil towards the Islamic faith is emphatically confirmed and Muslims can be deceived by their pretension of being brothers and some important secrets might be disclosed to them which they exploit to harm Muslims and betray them. That is why their Kufr is more severe and their evil is more harmful. The same applies to whomever claims to believe in these fundamentals of Iman and does not offer the outward obligations of Islam such as testifying
that there is no deity except Allah and Muhammad is His Messenger, offering Salah, Sawm (Fast), paying Zakah, performing Hajj or neglecting other outward practices of Islam which Allah has enjoined. This is evidence of their lacking Iman or its weakness. They are ar risk for Allah may reject their Faith as it is unanimously agreed upon that Iman is denied by not offering the two testimonies of Faith. However, Iman cannot be completely rejected from a Muslim, rather their Iman is not perfect owing to their falling short in certain obligations such as observing Sawm, performing Hajj and paying Zakah; although having the ability to do so and other matters defined by the majority of scholars. Whoever abandons such obligations, then he is Fasiq (someone flagrantly violating Islamic law) and devoid of guidance, but not a Murtad (apostate) according to the majority of the scholars as long as he does not deny such obligations. As for the obligation of Salah, some scholars held the view that neglecting it is a form of apostasy from Islam even if a person does not deny its obligation in accordance with the soundest opinion among scholars based on many proofs including the Prophet's statement:
That which differentiates us from the disbelievers and hypocrites is our performance of Salat. He who abandons it, becomes a disbeliever.
Compiled by AlImam Ahmad AhlulSunan (authors of Hadith compilations classified by jurisprudential themes)with a Sahih Sanad (chain of narrators) on the authority of Buraydah ibn AlHaseeb (may Allah be pleased with him).
Others ruled that the abandonment of Salah is Kufr, but not Kufr Akbar (a major disbelief that takes one out of the religion of Islam) if the person does not deny its obligation. This matter is an independent realm of study but our goal here is to explain that there is no Islam for one without Faith and no faith for one without Islam. They mutually define each other. As previously mentioned, the word "Islam" means submission and humbleness to Allah and His Omnipotence (may He be Praised) which is in relation to the outward submission of the servant to His Lord. Similarly, the word "Iman" is a term refers to the Muslim's inward belief which Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) knows. It is also called so because it has to do with the belief of the heart which is associated with outward obligations that reflect this believing heart. They are, when adhering to and practicing,
an indication of the validity of Iman. Conversely, whoever does not observe these outward obligations, this designates that they have no Iman or weak Iman. According to AhlulSunnah walJama`ah (those adhering to the Sunnah and the Muslim main body), Iman in its generality includes Islam and vice verse, as Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) says:
Truly, the religion with Allâh is Islâm.
This Iman is included according to the main stream Muslims. No Islam without Iman and Iman means guidance, Godfearing, and righteousness. These terms, even different, refer to the same meaning i.e. believing in Allah and His Messengers, following His Guidance, abiding by the teachings of His Deen. Furthermore, the word "Ihsan" in general implies both Iman and Islam because it is confined to Allah's servants who have perfected their faith. In the same way, if one of the three words were said generally, the other two are naturally implied. Thus, if it is said that the Muhsinon (gooddoers) are the most beloved servants to Allah, then this implies that they have perfected their Islam and Iman, as Allah (Exalted be He) states:
and do good. Truly, Allâh loves AlMuhsinûn (the gooddoers).
Truly, Allâh is with those who fear Him (keep their duty unto Him), and those who are Muhsinûn (gooddoers. See the footenote of V.9:120).
The Muslim who reaches the degree of Ihsan must manifest this by their strong Islam and Iman, piety and observance of Allah's orders. It is only then that he deserves to be ranked as Muhsin, for Ihsan is not reached unless preceded with sound Islam and perfect Iman. Dear brother, you should know that the word Mu'minon (believers) implies the word Muslims, because it is more specific, as Allah (Exalted be He) states:
and verily, Allâh is with the believers.
Allâh has promised the believers, men and women, Gardens under which rivers flow
The word "Mu'min" refers only to those who believe with their hearts and act accordingly with their bodily organs to demonstrate belief in the Oneness of Allah's Lordship. The Mu'minon deserves to be called so because of their belief with the heart, their true Islam, their observance of Allah's commands and not transgressing His Limits. This meaning is indicated by the Hadith of Sa`d ibn Abu Waqas (may Allah be pleased with him) when he asked the Prophet (peace be upon him) why he gave the bounties to certain people and excluded others, Sa`d said:
O Messenger of Allah, you gave suchandsuch and excluded suchandsuch, and I think they are believers. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Or Muslims. Sa`d repeated his question and the Prophet kept saying: Or Muslims.
To explain it further, if coupled together, Iman and Islam have two meanings: a specific meaning and a general one. The word "Muslim" is more general than the word "Mu'min", accordingly every Mu'min is a Muslim but not vice verse. Yet, when generally and separately speaking, both terms may be used interchangeably as previously stated. This is also indicated in the Prophet's statement:
Faith has over seventy branches,or over sixty branches, the most excellent of which is the declaration that there is none worthy of worship (in truth) but Allah, and the humblest of which is the removal of what is injurious from the path: and modesty is the branch of faith.
(Agreed upon by AlBukhari and Muslim).
This Hadith carries the general implication that Iman includes Islam (submissiveness to Allah), Huda (guidance), Ihsan, Taqwa. Iman, whose most excellent expression is that there is no deity but Allah, and humblest of which is the removal of what is injurious from the path; this is the essence of our Deen and it is Islam and Iman. That is why the Prophet stated:
The uppermost of all these is the Testimony of Faith: "La ilaha illallah" (there is no true God except Allah).
It is known that the Shahadah (Testimony of Faith) that there is no deity but Allah is the first pillar of Islam along with testifying that Muhammad is His Messenger. Allah made this Shahadah the highest rank of Iman, and as such, it includes in its generality Islam, its pillars, and the obligations related to it. Similarly, when referring only to the Iman in Allah or in Him and His Messenger, this includes all what Allah Prescribed and His Messenger conveyed with regard to Salah, Zakah, Sawm, Hajj, belief in Angels, Books, the prophets,