Branches of Faith & Ways to Protect It
English Essay on "Branches of Faith & Ways to Protect It"
Branches of Faith & Ways to Protect It
If someone gives you a plant to take care of, how do you think you will do it? Wouldn’t you try your best not to let that plant die? And, of course, to do that you are going to make sure that all the things that plant need, you provide it and keep it away form all the harmful things. At the same time, you will try to find out about the basic elements that plant is consisted of and the basic things those elements need to grow properly.
Believe me or not but all of us have one, very delicate and at the same time very strong tree to take care of, given to us by our Lord. Allah Almighty has given us this tree that is planted in our hearts, called “shajarat-ul-Imaan” (Tree of faith). Allah Almighty describes that tree in the Holy Quraan:
“Have you not seen how Allah coined a similitude (of parable) a good word like a good tree, the root of that tree is firmly established in the ground and the branches reach the heavens.”
At another place in the Holy Qur’aan,. Allah Almighty said: “(This particular tree by the permission of its Lord), gives fruits (all kinds of fruits) anytime Allah Almighty wants it to give fruits. Allah Almighty also said: “Allah coins similitude for the human beings (for you and I), so that perhaps we may reflect (we may think).4essays.blogspot.com” Science says there are trees in other plants than earth. Allah Almighty created seven heavens and earth other than this planet: Some people say that there are trees and some say there are not.
There is proof in the Holy Qur’aan and Sunnah that there are trees in the paradise. One of them is called “Toobaa”, the tree for the “ghurab’a” (strangers). The shade of that tree is one-month journey arid this is where the believers will take their clothes from.
The most important tree in this world is the tree of faith (shajarat-ul-Imaan). The tree that Allah Almighty has planted in our hearts, the tree that we all should be worrying about day and night. We all must know what that tree of faith is made of, so that we can take good care of it. Almost all the trees that Allah Almighty: has created/originated, almost all of them have three very basic things:
1. Root:
2) Trunk:
3) Branches and fruits:
The roots of the most important tree on this earth - faith are:
a) Knowledge and b) Certainty
The tree of faith is the basic belief of Islam: La IIaaha Ill-Allah”. “There is no God worthy of worship except Allah Almighty.” So the root for us for the tree of faith is the knowledge of the meaning of La Ilaaha Ill-Allah It covers every single aspect of our life. When we know that there is no God other then Allah Almighty, we totally surrender to Him alone and we take everything that He gave us through the Holy Qur’aan and the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (Sail Allaho alaihe wasallam).
The other half of the root of this tree is certainty, meaning the certainty of everything what “La Ilaaha Ill-Allah” brings. When implementing Islam in our lives, or when accepting a matter which we were not aware of before, we should do it with firm belief and certainty, as long as it is from the Holy Qur’aan and the authentic Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (Sail Allaho alaihe wasailam) and his Companions.
The tree of faith, like other trees, also has a trunk, which is purity of intention (al-Ikhlaas). We must have the purity of intention for our tree to be firm and unshakable and immovable. Abdullah Ibn-e-Sahl at4uzkuri (Radhi Allaho anho) (scholar from the taba’een) was asked: “What is faith?” He said: “Faith is statement, is action, is intention (Niyyat) and is Sunnah. If it is a statement without actions then it is Kufr (disbelief), if it is a statement and action without intention then it is Nifaq (hypocrisy), if it is a statement, action and intention without the Sunnah, then it is Bid’a1i (innovation).”
To keep a healthy trunk of our tree, we must have a pure intention of our actions. Our every righteous deed is divided into two parts. The first half of a righteous deed is the purity of intention. The intention has to be pure for the pleasure of Allah only.
This tree should also have branches and fruits. And these are:
a) Righteous deeds
b) Honourable/noble character
At several places in the Holy Qur’aan, Allah Almighty has distinguished the people of paradise from the people of Hell as indeed those who believed and did righteous deeds.
Those people who believed and did righteous deeds have also been given the glad tidings of paradise at several places in the Holy Qur’aan.
Every righteous deed consists of two parts. First part is the purity of intention (for the sake of Allah only). Second. Half of the righteous deed is that the action has to be in conformed with the Shari’ah.
That is the Holy Qur’aan and Sunnah of the Holy Prophet (Sail Allaho alaihe wasallam) and .the Companions (Radhi Allaho anhum). If the action is not conformed with the Shari’ah, it is not considered a righteous deed.
When a tree has firm roots and healthy trunk and branches, it automatically produces good fruits. Similarly, when we establish firm roots of faith in our heart and keep healthy trunk and branches of the tree, the fruits will prosper.
If we have the knowledge of our religion and certainty of whatever knowledge we have, and we do righteous deeds with pure intentions, we will automatically develop an honourable and noble character. Things that will make our tree die are:
1) Kufr: If we allow Kufr to come into our tree, it will de story the tree.
2) Shirk: If we allow Shirk to come into our tree, it will also destroy the tree.
3) Bid’at: If we allow Bid’at (innovations) of all types to come into our tree, it will demolish our tree. Our tree will become yellow, our tree will become dry, and our tree will eventually die!
Note: Muslims nowadays are involved in so many “religious practices”, thinking that they are pleasing Allah Al-mighty, though, in reality, they are getting themselves involved either in Bid’aat or sometimes even to the extant of Shirk. Muslims, intentionally or unintentionally, either add or remove stuff from how a certain act was originally practised by our pious predecessors and hence making it a Bid’at.
And since the act was not practiced according to the Shari’ah, it will not be considered a righteous deed. To avoid from getting ourselves, involved in these dangerous things, it is extremely important to have the knowledge of the religion and to refer back to our pious predecessors in every single thing we do or say.
What is faith? To answer this question, we would say, faith is:
1) Belief: Faith is a belief in our hearts. It is to have a firm belief of “La Ilaaha Ill-Allah” in our hearts and all the thing that it brings. Every thing that we find from the Holy Qur’aan and Sunnah, we must have a sincere and firm belief on that without having any doubts.
2) Statement: Faith is a statement by our tongue. We must state “La Ilaaha Ill-Allah” by our tongues. Meaning whatever beliefs we have, we cannot just keep them in our hearts, but we must siiy them out. - 3) Actions: Faith is to carry out our beliefs and our statements by our bodily limbs. After believing in “La Ilaaha Ill-Allah” and stating it, we must imply it in our actions.
And the way we imply “La ilaaha il-Allah” in our actions is by modifying our every action and deed according to the Holy Qur’an and Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (Sail Allaho alaihe wasallam) and our pious predecessors. A general example of the above could be wearing ‘Hijab’. If one has a firm belief in Allah Almighty and whatever He revealed, he/she will definitely believe that wearing Hijab is a command of Allah and it is mandatory.
Then only believing is not enough, we must have to admit by stating by our tongues the fact that Hijab is necessary and inform other people about it in a nice pleasing way (not in a displeasing or complaining manner).
But still a Muslim woman’s faith does not complete until she starts wearing it.
To think that faith is in our hearts only is one of the tricks of Satan. The Satans from among the human and the Jinns shouldn’t fool us by thinking that faith is in our hearts only, and as long as we have a firm b4ief, our faith is completed.. Rather we have to show our beliefs by our statements and by our actions. The Holy Prophet (Sall Allaho alaihe wasallam) said:
“Faith has seventy branches. And the highest (branch) of faith is the statement “La Ilaaha Ill-Allah”.
(It is the most sublime, the most magnificent and the most superior of all branches of faith). The lowest (branch) of faith is to remove some harmful thing from the street. And modesty is a part of faith.”
Faith wears out. We all go through high and low levels of faith. As the Holy Prophet (Sail Allaho alaihe wasallam) informed us that faith wears out in each and everyone of us like a “thaub” (garment) wears out. (like our clothes wears out and they become shabby eventually, faith wears out like that “thaub”). So the Holy Prophet (Sail Allaho alaihe wasallam) advised us (since our faith wears out) in his saying: “So all of you Muslims should ask Allah Almighty to renews the faith in our hearts.”
Believe me or not but all of us have one, very delicate and at the same time very strong tree to take care of, given to us by our Lord. Allah Almighty has given us this tree that is planted in our hearts, called “shajarat-ul-Imaan” (Tree of faith). Allah Almighty describes that tree in the Holy Quraan:
“Have you not seen how Allah coined a similitude (of parable) a good word like a good tree, the root of that tree is firmly established in the ground and the branches reach the heavens.”
At another place in the Holy Qur’aan,. Allah Almighty said: “(This particular tree by the permission of its Lord), gives fruits (all kinds of fruits) anytime Allah Almighty wants it to give fruits. Allah Almighty also said: “Allah coins similitude for the human beings (for you and I), so that perhaps we may reflect (we may think).4essays.blogspot.com” Science says there are trees in other plants than earth. Allah Almighty created seven heavens and earth other than this planet: Some people say that there are trees and some say there are not.
There is proof in the Holy Qur’aan and Sunnah that there are trees in the paradise. One of them is called “Toobaa”, the tree for the “ghurab’a” (strangers). The shade of that tree is one-month journey arid this is where the believers will take their clothes from.
The most important tree in this world is the tree of faith (shajarat-ul-Imaan). The tree that Allah Almighty has planted in our hearts, the tree that we all should be worrying about day and night. We all must know what that tree of faith is made of, so that we can take good care of it. Almost all the trees that Allah Almighty: has created/originated, almost all of them have three very basic things:
1. Root:
2) Trunk:
3) Branches and fruits:
The roots of the most important tree on this earth - faith are:
a) Knowledge and b) Certainty
The tree of faith is the basic belief of Islam: La IIaaha Ill-Allah”. “There is no God worthy of worship except Allah Almighty.” So the root for us for the tree of faith is the knowledge of the meaning of La Ilaaha Ill-Allah It covers every single aspect of our life. When we know that there is no God other then Allah Almighty, we totally surrender to Him alone and we take everything that He gave us through the Holy Qur’aan and the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (Sail Allaho alaihe wasallam).
The other half of the root of this tree is certainty, meaning the certainty of everything what “La Ilaaha Ill-Allah” brings. When implementing Islam in our lives, or when accepting a matter which we were not aware of before, we should do it with firm belief and certainty, as long as it is from the Holy Qur’aan and the authentic Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (Sail Allaho alaihe wasailam) and his Companions.
The tree of faith, like other trees, also has a trunk, which is purity of intention (al-Ikhlaas). We must have the purity of intention for our tree to be firm and unshakable and immovable. Abdullah Ibn-e-Sahl at4uzkuri (Radhi Allaho anho) (scholar from the taba’een) was asked: “What is faith?” He said: “Faith is statement, is action, is intention (Niyyat) and is Sunnah. If it is a statement without actions then it is Kufr (disbelief), if it is a statement and action without intention then it is Nifaq (hypocrisy), if it is a statement, action and intention without the Sunnah, then it is Bid’a1i (innovation).”
To keep a healthy trunk of our tree, we must have a pure intention of our actions. Our every righteous deed is divided into two parts. The first half of a righteous deed is the purity of intention. The intention has to be pure for the pleasure of Allah only.
This tree should also have branches and fruits. And these are:
a) Righteous deeds
b) Honourable/noble character
At several places in the Holy Qur’aan, Allah Almighty has distinguished the people of paradise from the people of Hell as indeed those who believed and did righteous deeds.
Those people who believed and did righteous deeds have also been given the glad tidings of paradise at several places in the Holy Qur’aan.
Every righteous deed consists of two parts. First part is the purity of intention (for the sake of Allah only). Second. Half of the righteous deed is that the action has to be in conformed with the Shari’ah.
That is the Holy Qur’aan and Sunnah of the Holy Prophet (Sail Allaho alaihe wasallam) and .the Companions (Radhi Allaho anhum). If the action is not conformed with the Shari’ah, it is not considered a righteous deed.
When a tree has firm roots and healthy trunk and branches, it automatically produces good fruits. Similarly, when we establish firm roots of faith in our heart and keep healthy trunk and branches of the tree, the fruits will prosper.
If we have the knowledge of our religion and certainty of whatever knowledge we have, and we do righteous deeds with pure intentions, we will automatically develop an honourable and noble character. Things that will make our tree die are:
1) Kufr: If we allow Kufr to come into our tree, it will de story the tree.
2) Shirk: If we allow Shirk to come into our tree, it will also destroy the tree.
3) Bid’at: If we allow Bid’at (innovations) of all types to come into our tree, it will demolish our tree. Our tree will become yellow, our tree will become dry, and our tree will eventually die!
Note: Muslims nowadays are involved in so many “religious practices”, thinking that they are pleasing Allah Al-mighty, though, in reality, they are getting themselves involved either in Bid’aat or sometimes even to the extant of Shirk. Muslims, intentionally or unintentionally, either add or remove stuff from how a certain act was originally practised by our pious predecessors and hence making it a Bid’at.
And since the act was not practiced according to the Shari’ah, it will not be considered a righteous deed. To avoid from getting ourselves, involved in these dangerous things, it is extremely important to have the knowledge of the religion and to refer back to our pious predecessors in every single thing we do or say.
What is faith? To answer this question, we would say, faith is:
1) Belief: Faith is a belief in our hearts. It is to have a firm belief of “La Ilaaha Ill-Allah” in our hearts and all the thing that it brings. Every thing that we find from the Holy Qur’aan and Sunnah, we must have a sincere and firm belief on that without having any doubts.
2) Statement: Faith is a statement by our tongue. We must state “La Ilaaha Ill-Allah” by our tongues. Meaning whatever beliefs we have, we cannot just keep them in our hearts, but we must siiy them out. - 3) Actions: Faith is to carry out our beliefs and our statements by our bodily limbs. After believing in “La Ilaaha Ill-Allah” and stating it, we must imply it in our actions.
And the way we imply “La ilaaha il-Allah” in our actions is by modifying our every action and deed according to the Holy Qur’an and Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (Sail Allaho alaihe wasallam) and our pious predecessors. A general example of the above could be wearing ‘Hijab’. If one has a firm belief in Allah Almighty and whatever He revealed, he/she will definitely believe that wearing Hijab is a command of Allah and it is mandatory.
Then only believing is not enough, we must have to admit by stating by our tongues the fact that Hijab is necessary and inform other people about it in a nice pleasing way (not in a displeasing or complaining manner).
But still a Muslim woman’s faith does not complete until she starts wearing it.
To think that faith is in our hearts only is one of the tricks of Satan. The Satans from among the human and the Jinns shouldn’t fool us by thinking that faith is in our hearts only, and as long as we have a firm b4ief, our faith is completed.. Rather we have to show our beliefs by our statements and by our actions. The Holy Prophet (Sall Allaho alaihe wasallam) said:
“Faith has seventy branches. And the highest (branch) of faith is the statement “La Ilaaha Ill-Allah”.
(It is the most sublime, the most magnificent and the most superior of all branches of faith). The lowest (branch) of faith is to remove some harmful thing from the street. And modesty is a part of faith.”
Faith wears out. We all go through high and low levels of faith. As the Holy Prophet (Sail Allaho alaihe wasallam) informed us that faith wears out in each and everyone of us like a “thaub” (garment) wears out. (like our clothes wears out and they become shabby eventually, faith wears out like that “thaub”). So the Holy Prophet (Sail Allaho alaihe wasallam) advised us (since our faith wears out) in his saying: “So all of you Muslims should ask Allah Almighty to renews the faith in our hearts.”
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