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Q&A · General

What is the difference between Islām, Īmān, and Iḥsān?

In the well-known ḥadīth of Jibrīl, the Prophet ﷺ explained Islām as the outward acts of submission (the shahādah, prayer, zakāh, fasting Ramaḍān, and Ḥajj for the one able), Īmān as the inward belief (in Allah, His angels, His Books, His Messengers, the Last Day, and the decree, its good and its bad), and Iḥsān as "to worship Allah as though you see Him, and if you do not see Him, He surely sees you." So Islām is what the limbs do, Īmān is what the heart holds, and Iḥsān is the excellence and sincerity with which both are performed. The three are connected: complete Īmān produces Islām, and Iḥsān perfects them. Ahl al-Sunnah hold that īmān consists of statement, belief, and action, increasing with obedience and decreasing with sin — as Allah says of the believers, "and when His verses are recited to them, it increases them in faith."

Evidence — the daleel
Sahih al-Bukhari 50 ṢaḥīḥSahih Muslim 8 ṢaḥīḥQuran 8:2
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Informational, not a personal fatwa. Consult a qualified scholar for rulings on your situation.

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