In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
The term Muslim and Mu'min (believer) are used frequently in the Qur'an, often interchangeable, but at other times with clearly different senses. We can say in short that a Muslim is a person who declares that he believes in the message of Islam which means that he believes that there is no deity save Allah and that Prophet Muhammad (Allah bless him and grant him peace) is Allah's messenger.
A believer, on the other hand, is someone who truly believes in Islam and tries to implement it in his life. There is, then, a subtle difference which gives the term "Mu'min" or believer, clear connotations of firm belief and positive action to see that the belief is put into practice.
We can also say that Muslim is one who declares that he submits himself to Allah, while a believer is one who fulfills the requirements of such a submission in word and deed.
There is a reference in the Qur'an to the two conditions of being a Muslim and being a believer. When we reflect on the two verses concerned, we will understand the difference between the two words. Allah chastises the bedouins who, when they embraced Islam, claimed for themselves the grade of faithful believers. But faith had not yet firmly entered their hearts,
قَالَتِ ٱلْأَعْرَابُ ءَامَنَّا ۖ قُل لَّمْ تُؤْمِنُوا۟ وَلَـٰكِن قُولُوٓا۟ أَسْلَمْنَا وَلَمَّا يَدْخُلِ ٱلْإِيمَـٰنُ فِى قُلُوبِكُمْ ۖ وَإِن تُطِيعُوا۟ ٱللَّـهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥ لَا يَلِتْكُم مِّنْ أَعْمَـٰلِكُمْ شَيْـًٔا ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّـهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ ﴿١٤﴾ إِنَّمَا ٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ بِٱللَّـهِ وَرَسُولِهِۦ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَرْتَابُوا۟ وَجَـٰهَدُوا۟ بِأَمْوَٰلِهِمْ وَأَنفُسِهِمْ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّـهِ ۚ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلصَّـٰدِقُونَ ﴿١٥[Qur'an, Al-Hujurat 49:14-15]
The bedouins say, "We have believed." Say, "You have not [yet] believed; but say [instead], 'We have submitted,' for faith has not yet entered your hearts. And if you obey Allah and His Messenger, He will not deprive you from your deeds of anything. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful." (14) The believers are only the ones who have believed in Allah and His Messenger and then doubt not but strive with their properties and their lives in the cause of Allah. It is those who are the truthful. (15)
The Bedouins from a tribe of Asad who immediately upon accepting Islam claimed to be true believers and began to hold that as a favor they had done to the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace. They said to him: "Messenger of Allah, we have accepted Islam. Other Arabs have fought against you while we have not."
Allah wanted them to realize their true condition. They had simply submitted themselves in the literal sense of the word "submission", but they had not experienced in their heart the true nature of faith. That is a condition which is attained by a person whose faith colors all his life; actions, practices, and habits.
Nevertheless, Allah's grace dictates that every single good action that they do will be credited to them and they are given its reward in full. This is an aspect of Allah's grace which ensures that even the first step into Islam is sufficient to give people the full credit for their good actions. None of what they do is wasted as is the case with disbelievers. Allah is always more inclined to forgiveness and compassion. He accepts the first step from His servant and rewards him for his obedience to give him a chance and time to appreciate the true nature of faith.
The two verses also define the meaning of faith. A believer is one whose faith is complete, total, unshakable, entertains no doubts, and is ready to strive hard, sacrificing his wealth and his life for Allah's cause. When the true meaning of faith finds its way into a person's heart, he is bound to work hard for implementing that faith in real life. He is keen that people should enjoy that happiness. Hence, he works hard for the implementation of the Divine code of living represented by Islam, Allah's message to mankind. His struggle is a mark of his faith.
The verses provide proof that Faith is a higher grade than Islam. This is also demonstrated in the Hadith of Jibril, peace be upon him, when he questioned the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, about Islam, then Iman then Ihsan. Thus moving the general matter to one more specific, then even more specific. Imam Ahmad recorded that `Amir bin Sa`d bin Abi Waqqas said, "The Messenger of Allah gave (something to) some men and did not give one of them. Sa`d said, `O Allah's Messenger, you gave to so-and-so and so-and-so. However, you gave nothing to so-and-so, even though he is a believer.' The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said,
«أَوْ مُسْلِمٌ؟»
(Or say, a Muslim.) Sa`d repeated his statement thrice each time the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, answered,
«أَوْ مُسْلِمٌ؟»
(Or say, a Muslim.) The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, then said,
«إِنِّي لَأُعْطِي رِجَالًا وَأَدَعُ مَنْ هُوَ أَحَبَّ إِلَيَّ مِنْهُمْ،فَلَمْ أُعْطِهِ شَيْئًا مَخَافَةَ أَنْ يُكَبُّوا فِي النَّارِ عَلَى وُجُوهِهِم»
I might give some men and give nothing to others, even though the latter are dearer to me than the former. I do not give them things for fear that they might be thrown on their faces in the Fire.
This Hadith is recorded in the two sahihs. Therefore, the Prophet made a distinction between the grade of believer and the grade of Muslim, indicating that Iman is a more exclusive grade than Islam.
The bedouins whom the Ayah mentioned were not hypocrites, rather they were Muslims in whose hearts Faith was not yet firmly established. They claimed a higher grade for themselves than the grade that they earned, and they were taught a lesson as a consequence. These bedouins were taught a lesson.,
Believers are supporters of one another. They assist one another. No enmity between them. No jealousy between them. No rancor between them. No arrogance with one another. No deceit towards one another. No treachery between them. They respect one another. They fulfill one another’s rights. They order what is right i.e. what Allah loves and is pleased with, which is what He made obligatory followed by the Sunnah. They forbid what is wrong, i.e. what Allah is not pleased with, which what He made forbidden. They establish prayers and pay zakat. They do not let anyone in their homes delay their prayer past its time. They don't let themselves and their children to look at ugly, shameless, immoral, filthy pictures. Their phones, iPads and other devices are means to obey Allah and His Messenger, not to search for shameless, ugly, filthy pictures. They do not let their children show disobedience to parents. They don't cut off family relations.
وَٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَٱلْمُؤْمِنَـٰتُ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَآءُ بَعْضٍ ۚ يَأْمُرُونَ بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ ٱلْمُنكَرِ وَيُقِيمُونَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَيُؤْتُونَ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَيُطِيعُونَ ٱللَّـهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥٓ ۚ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ سَيَرْحَمُهُمُ ٱللَّـهُ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّـهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ ﴿٧١[Qur'an, At-Tawba 9:71]
The believers, men and women, are Auliya’ (helpers, supporters, friends, protectors) of one another; they enjoin (on the people) Al-Ma‘ruf (i.e. Islamic Monotheism and all that Islam orders one to do), and forbid (people) from Al-Munkar (i.e. polytheism and disbelief of all kinds, and all that Islam has forbidden); they perform As-Salat (Iqamat-as-Salat), and give the Zakat, and obey Allah and His Messenger. Allah will have His Mercy on them. Surely Allâh is All-Mighty, All-Wise. (71)
وَعَدَ ٱللَّـهُ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَٱلْمُؤْمِنَـٰتِ جَنَّـٰتٍ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا ٱلْأَنْهَـٰرُ خَـٰلِدِينَ فِيهَا وَمَسَـٰكِنَ طَيِّبَةً فِى جَنَّـٰتِ عَدْنٍ ۚ وَرِضْوَٰنٌ مِّنَ ٱللَّـهِ أَكْبَرُ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ هُوَ ٱلْفَوْزُ ٱلْعَظِيمُ ﴿٧٢[Qur'an, At-Tawba 9:72]
Allah has promised the believing men and believing women gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein they abide eternally, and pleasant dwellings in gardens of perpetual residence; but approval from Allah is greater. It is that which is the great attainment. (72)
وَعَدَ ٱللَّـهُ ٱلْمُنَـٰفِقِينَ وَٱلْمُنَـٰفِقَـٰتِ وَٱلْكُفَّارَ نَارَ جَهَنَّمَ خَـٰلِدِينَ فِيهَا ۚ هِىَ حَسْبُهُمْ ۚ وَلَعَنَهُمُ ٱللَّـهُ ۖ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ مُّقِيمٌ ﴿٦٨[Qur'an, At-Tawba 9:68]
Allah has promised the hypocrite men and hypocrite women and the disbelievers the fire of Hell, wherein they will abide eternally. It is sufficient for them. And Allah has cursed them, and for them is an enduring punishment. (68)
O Allah, make us of the believers and save us from the Hellfire.
Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
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