IMAN (Faith)
By accepting iman, one enters the fold of Islam. But iman is not simply the verbal recitation of the Kalima, the creed of Islam. According to the Quran, it is ma‘arifah (THE QURAN 5: 83), that is realization. Realization of truth is the door to Islam. When one discovers that Islam is truly God's religion and that it is the same truth that one has been seeking all along, one undergoes a unique experience of realization which is known in Islamic terminology as ma‘arifah.
Making any kind of discovery revolutionizes a person's life, but when this discovery is of the realities of our existence leading to an intellectual transformation, it becomes synonymous with the emergence of a new life for the individual.
This kind of intellectual revolution is no simple event. It turns a man into a superman, and gives him the greatest mission of his life. It regulates his life in such a way that no part of it remains unaffected. He begins to see all of humanity as his family and the entire universe as his abode. Such a discoverer becomes a maker of history, rather than a product of it.
According to a hadith: Copy Arabic text (Musnad al-Bazzar 10080) One who says there is no god but God, will go to Paradise. When a person adopts Islam, he utters this kalimah: Copy Arabic text Saying this kalimah, a person enters Islam. Hadith tells us that when a person utters this phrase, he becomes deserving of Paradise. Uttering this kalimah gives one the ticket to Paradise. On the other hand, the same Quran says: Copy Arabic text (63:1) Some people come and say that the Prophet is the Messenger of God.
They bear witness that the Prophet is the Messenger of God. But the Quran says: Copy Arabic text (The hypocrites are liars!)
The kalimah-e-shahadat is the certificate to Paradise, but the Quran also says that some who utter this kalimah are liars and will be punished.
Why this difference?
There is kalimah with spirit and kalimah without spirit. In one place, kalimah is regarded as certificate to Paradise, and at another place uttering the same kalimah is called a lie.
The second case is of those who only do lip service, while their heart is empty of faith. Kalimah has great importance in Islam. But spiritless kalimah is of no use. Kalimah should be accompanied by spirit. When you utter the kalimah, you should say it with spirit. Kalimah with spirit and kalimah without spirit are two different things. Kalimah without spirit has no value. Only kalimah with spirit has value. This is very clear. I gave reference for both: kalimah with spirit and kalimah without spirit. This makes clear that in Islam any deed has value in God's eyes if it has spirit. Otherwise, God will cast it aside.
