Branches of Iman — In the Light of Hadith

It is narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘As رضي الله عنه that the Prophet ﷺ said: “A Muslim is the one from whose tongue and hand other Muslims remain safe, and a Muhajir is the one who abandons what Allah has forbidden.” (Sahih Bukhari)

Explanation:
This hadith has two parts. In the first part, the qualities of a true Muslim are described, and in the second part, the qualities of a true Muhajir are explained. According to the first part, a true Muslim is one who does not accuse others falsely, does not fabricate lies against anyone, and does not engage in backbiting—meaning he is not involved in the crimes committed by the tongue. He does not attack anyone in a manner that constitutes verbal aggression. The term “tongue” also includes the pen, for the pen is a powerful and often dangerous representative of speech. The impact of written words, such as those found in journalistic columns, demonstrates the seriousness of this responsibility. In addition to this, other Muslims remain safe from the wrongdoing of his hand. The wrongdoing of the hand includes theft, robbery, banditry, and all related actions. Thus, the person from whose hand and tongue other Muslims are not safe is not a true Muslim, even if he considers himself among the Muslims. Although the wording of the narration specifically mentions Muslims being safe from one’s tongue and hand, this does not imply that wrongdoing toward non-Muslims is permissible. In another narration, the word “person” or “human” is used, which extends the meaning to all people.

In the second part of the narration, the Prophet ﷺ defined a true Muhajir as the one who abandons all those things which Allah has prohibited. This means that merely leaving one city for another does not make a person a Muhajir. Rather, Hijrah is to leave an environment that is contrary to Shari‘ah, and after striving for reform within it and failing, to move elsewhere in order to safeguard one’s religion and Iman. If the intention is this, then it is Hijrah; otherwise, not everyone who leaves his home can be called a Muhajir.

It is narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar رضي الله عنه that a person asked the Prophet ﷺ: “Which Islam is best?” He ﷺ replied: “That you feed others and offer Salam to everyone you know and to those you do not know.” (Sahih Bukhari)

Explanation:
The question in this hadith is the same as in the previous narration, yet the Prophet ﷺ gave one response to one person and another response to someone else. This clarifies that all such teachings form part of Islam. The word used in the question is Islam, not Iman, and this is significant because there is a distinction between Islam and Iman. Iman primarily relates to belief, while Islam relates to practice. These two are inseparable; both must exist together. It is necessary that belief be present and that actions bear witness to it. The Prophet ﷺ stated that the best Muslim is the one who feeds the poor. Zakah is not specifically mentioned here; rather, feeding people is highlighted as a general form of charity and generosity, which should be present in every good Muslim. The second instruction is to offer Salam both to those one knows and to those one does not know. Whenever you visit a place—whether a gathering, a mosque, a platform, or even a public place—you should greet all present without distinction. It is against proper etiquette to greet only those whom one recognizes while ignoring others. The correct practice is to greet everyone equally and then shake hands with those whom one knows. The wording of the hadith emphasizes greeting all people, and the practice of the Companions رضي الله عنهم was that when they entered a gathering, their greeting was general, and thereafter specific greetings were offered to particular individuals as appropriate.

It is narrated from Anas رضي الله عنه that the Prophet ﷺ said: “None of you can be a true believer until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself.” (Sahih Bukhari)

Since this narration speaks in the context of Iman, unlawful matters are automatically excluded from its meaning. Rather, it refers to lawful things—that a person should desire for others what Allah and His Messenger ﷺ approve for him. After this, he should have a sincere concern for the well-being of others. Just as he seeks success and prosperity for himself, he should wish the same for others. If he desires wealth and honor for himself, he should desire them for others as well. He should not be narrow-hearted, desiring everything for himself and nothing for others. It should not be that he wishes others to speak truthfully with him while he himself speaks falsely to others, or that he expects others to fulfill his rights while he is reluctant to fulfill the rights of others. Such conduct reflects a serious moral deficiency.