WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.640 Welcome back to The Deep Dive. We've got a really 00:00:02.640 --> 00:00:06.000 interesting stack of research today because we 00:00:06.000 --> 00:00:09.439 are looking at a word that I think most people 00:00:09.439 --> 00:00:12.679 think they know, that the mechanics of it, the 00:00:12.679 --> 00:00:15.019 actual engine under the hood are surprisingly 00:00:15.019 --> 00:00:18.620 complex. The word we're unpacking today is iman. 00:00:18.920 --> 00:00:21.739 It's a massive topic. And you're right. If you 00:00:21.739 --> 00:00:23.899 grab a standard dictionary or just ask a random 00:00:23.899 --> 00:00:25.780 person, they're going to translate iman simply 00:00:25.780 --> 00:00:29.129 as faith. Yeah, just faith. But looking at these 00:00:29.129 --> 00:00:31.109 theological texts, the articles, and the linguistic 00:00:31.109 --> 00:00:33.429 breakdowns we're going through today, translating 00:00:33.429 --> 00:00:36.869 Ema as just faith is, well, it's a bit like calling 00:00:36.869 --> 00:00:40.109 a skyscraper a hut. You miss the structural integrity 00:00:40.109 --> 00:00:42.130 of the thing. That's exactly the angle I want 00:00:42.130 --> 00:00:44.689 to take today, the structure. Because the sources 00:00:44.689 --> 00:00:47.009 we're covering, they don't describe Ema as this 00:00:47.009 --> 00:00:49.350 fluffy abstract feeling that just floats around 00:00:49.350 --> 00:00:51.570 in the ether somewhere. No, not at all. They 00:00:51.570 --> 00:00:53.549 describe it like a piece of architecture. Or 00:00:53.549 --> 00:00:55.869 actually, the most common metaphor in the texts 00:00:55.869 --> 00:00:58.890 is a tree. Roots deep in the ground, branches 00:00:58.890 --> 00:01:00.929 reaching up to the sky. Right, it's depicted 00:01:00.929 --> 00:01:03.429 as a system. It's an engine that drives behavior. 00:01:03.890 --> 00:01:05.969 And what's really fascinating about the material 00:01:05.969 --> 00:01:09.609 for me is how numerical it gets. Oh, the lists. 00:01:09.769 --> 00:01:11.230 Yeah, the lists. You have the six pillars that 00:01:11.230 --> 00:01:12.790 hold the structure up, and then you have the 00:01:12.790 --> 00:01:15.930 77 branches that dictate everything from how 00:01:15.930 --> 00:01:19.450 you pray to, well, literally removing a stone 00:01:19.450 --> 00:01:22.060 from the road. That specific example that's sewn 00:01:22.060 --> 00:01:23.980 in the road is probably my absolute favorite 00:01:23.980 --> 00:01:26.540 takeaway from this whole stack of research. It's 00:01:26.540 --> 00:01:29.140 such a vivid image. It really is. But before 00:01:29.140 --> 00:01:31.120 we get to the branches, we kind of have to start 00:01:31.120 --> 00:01:33.879 with the root definition, because the texts make 00:01:33.879 --> 00:01:36.640 a really hard distinction between iman and Islam. 00:01:37.180 --> 00:01:39.299 And I think for a lot of people, those words 00:01:39.299 --> 00:01:41.640 are totally interchangeable. They aren't in this 00:01:41.640 --> 00:01:43.700 context. And this is where the linguistics get 00:01:43.700 --> 00:01:45.939 really cool. To understand iman, you have to 00:01:45.939 --> 00:01:48.140 look at the root word. It comes from a mana, 00:01:48.280 --> 00:01:52.519 which actually means Security or safety? Safety? 00:01:53.180 --> 00:01:55.280 In what sense? Like physical safety? Because 00:01:55.280 --> 00:01:57.019 usually when people talk about faith, it sounds 00:01:57.019 --> 00:01:59.340 like a risk. You know, you take a leap of faith. 00:01:59.739 --> 00:02:02.200 That's the Western connotation for sure. But 00:02:02.200 --> 00:02:05.060 here, the linguistic root implies existential 00:02:05.060 --> 00:02:07.760 safety. It implies a certitude that brings you 00:02:07.760 --> 00:02:11.750 peace. Oh, wow. Yeah, it's not. I hope this is 00:02:11.750 --> 00:02:14.490 true, fingers crossed. It is confidence in a 00:02:14.490 --> 00:02:16.889 real truth. When you have that level of confidence, 00:02:16.969 --> 00:02:19.349 you feel secure. You aren't anxious about the 00:02:19.349 --> 00:02:22.650 unknown because you trust the source. So it's 00:02:22.650 --> 00:02:24.889 the exact opposite of blind hope. It's a settled, 00:02:25.270 --> 00:02:27.889 grounded state. Exactly. And this is where the 00:02:27.889 --> 00:02:29.990 distinction with Islam gets really sharp. So 00:02:29.990 --> 00:02:31.830 if you're following along with us, the sources 00:02:31.830 --> 00:02:35.900 describe Islam as submission. Its seat, its location 00:02:35.900 --> 00:02:38.219 in the human being is the intellect or the exterior. 00:02:38.259 --> 00:02:39.960 The outside stuff. Right, you follow the rules, 00:02:40.080 --> 00:02:43.060 you pray, you fast, you give charity. When you 00:02:43.060 --> 00:02:46.219 submit to those practices, you become a Muslim. 00:02:46.860 --> 00:02:49.180 One who submits. Okay, so Islam is sort of like 00:02:49.180 --> 00:02:51.560 the contract. You sign it, you follow the terms, 00:02:51.599 --> 00:02:53.580 you are a participating member of the community. 00:02:53.780 --> 00:02:57.879 Correct. But iman is defined as faith or recognition. 00:02:58.479 --> 00:03:00.699 Its seat isn't just the intellect or the limbs, 00:03:01.000 --> 00:03:03.599 it's the heart. It creates the mumin or the believer. 00:03:03.770 --> 00:03:06.550 So technically, based on these theological texts, 00:03:06.650 --> 00:03:09.169 you can be a Muslim without fully being a Moomin 00:03:09.169 --> 00:03:12.610 yet. Precisely. And the sources cite this famous 00:03:12.610 --> 00:03:15.770 anecdote involving Bedouins in the Quran. They 00:03:15.770 --> 00:03:18.349 came to the Prophet and claimed to believe to 00:03:18.349 --> 00:03:21.110 have Iman. Right. But the response they got was 00:03:21.110 --> 00:03:24.669 essentially, no, say instead that you have submitted, 00:03:25.030 --> 00:03:28.110 say you have Islam because faith Iman has not 00:03:28.110 --> 00:03:30.530 yet fully settled in your hearts. That's a pretty 00:03:30.530 --> 00:03:32.819 sick burn, actually, just like. You're following 00:03:32.819 --> 00:03:34.860 the rules, but you don't really get it yet. It's 00:03:34.860 --> 00:03:37.319 not necessarily an insult though. It's a classification. 00:03:37.659 --> 00:03:41.159 It suggests that Iman is a higher tier of internalization. 00:03:41.219 --> 00:03:43.159 Think of it like it's the difference between 00:03:43.159 --> 00:03:44.819 following the speed limit because you don't want 00:03:44.819 --> 00:03:46.800 to tick it, and following it because you genuinely 00:03:46.800 --> 00:03:48.560 believe it's the safe and right thing to do. 00:03:48.680 --> 00:03:50.560 That is a great way to put it. Now the sources 00:03:50.560 --> 00:03:53.219 also mention a third dimension here, right? Isan. 00:03:53.300 --> 00:03:55.620 Yes. The religion is often mapped out in three 00:03:55.620 --> 00:03:57.979 dimensions. You have Islam, which is the practice, 00:03:58.539 --> 00:04:01.199 Iman, which is the faith, and Isan, which is 00:04:01.199 --> 00:04:04.020 excellence or deep spirituality. But for our 00:04:04.020 --> 00:04:06.800 deep dive today, we are zooming in squarely. 00:04:06.939 --> 00:04:10.360 on Iman, and the Prophet Muhammad gave a very 00:04:10.360 --> 00:04:12.919 rigid three -part definition for it. It's not 00:04:12.919 --> 00:04:14.919 just a feeling. No, it's very structured. I have 00:04:14.919 --> 00:04:16.899 that breakdown right here in the notes. It's 00:04:16.899 --> 00:04:19.180 acknowledgement in the heart, voicing with the 00:04:19.180 --> 00:04:21.699 tongue, and activity with the limbs. And the 00:04:21.699 --> 00:04:24.540 text emphasized that you need all three. Yeah. 00:04:24.660 --> 00:04:26.839 It's not enough to just know the truth privately 00:04:26.839 --> 00:04:29.139 in your heart. You have to express it. That's 00:04:29.139 --> 00:04:31.439 the tongue, and then reflect that confidence 00:04:31.439 --> 00:04:33.959 in your physical actions. That's the limbs. If 00:04:33.959 --> 00:04:36.620 any piece is missing, the Iman is incomplete. 00:04:36.839 --> 00:04:38.920 So let's look at the acknowledgement in the heart 00:04:38.920 --> 00:04:42.300 part. If iman is a structure, what is the foundation? 00:04:42.740 --> 00:04:45.040 The sources call these the arkhan al -iman, right? 00:04:45.060 --> 00:04:47.399 The pillars of faith. Right. Just as a building 00:04:47.399 --> 00:04:51.120 needs a solid foundation, iman has six non -negotiable 00:04:51.120 --> 00:04:53.540 articles of belief. If you pull one of these 00:04:53.540 --> 00:04:55.500 out, the whole thing collapses. OK, let's run 00:04:55.500 --> 00:04:57.240 through the list because some of these are standard 00:04:57.240 --> 00:04:59.560 for monotheistic religions, but a few really 00:04:59.560 --> 00:05:01.680 surprise me with their nuance. So number one 00:05:01.680 --> 00:05:04.930 is tahid. Belief in the oneness of God. That 00:05:04.930 --> 00:05:07.910 is the absolute core. Without that, nothing else 00:05:07.910 --> 00:05:11.949 stands. Makes sense. Number two is angels. Specifically 00:05:11.949 --> 00:05:14.670 their existence. The source has mentioned Gibral 00:05:14.670 --> 00:05:18.230 or Gabriel, Mikhail, Iserfil. It's accepting 00:05:18.230 --> 00:05:21.250 that there is a reality beyond the visible spectrum. 00:05:21.709 --> 00:05:23.370 It's acknowledging that the universe is just 00:05:23.370 --> 00:05:25.189 much busier than what we can see with our eyes. 00:05:25.470 --> 00:05:27.569 Number three is where I think people from other 00:05:27.569 --> 00:05:29.829 traditions might get tripped up. Belief in the 00:05:29.829 --> 00:05:32.470 books, and it's not just the Quran. No, and that's 00:05:32.470 --> 00:05:35.990 a very common misconception. To have Iman, you 00:05:35.990 --> 00:05:38.069 must believe in the original scriptures authored 00:05:38.069 --> 00:05:40.810 by God. This includes the Injil, which is the 00:05:40.810 --> 00:05:43.689 gospel given to Jesus, the Torah given to Moses, 00:05:44.410 --> 00:05:47.949 the Zabur, or Psalms, given to David, even the 00:05:47.949 --> 00:05:50.540 Scrolls of Abraham. So it validates the previous 00:05:50.540 --> 00:05:52.779 revelations. It's not saying everything before 00:05:52.779 --> 00:05:55.279 this was wrong. Quite the opposite. It acknowledges 00:05:55.279 --> 00:05:57.180 a continuity of divine communication throughout 00:05:57.180 --> 00:05:59.300 history. It says we are part of the exact same 00:05:59.300 --> 00:06:01.720 story, which actually leads directly to pillar 00:06:01.720 --> 00:06:04.920 number four, belief in the prophets. Right. Again, 00:06:04.959 --> 00:06:07.180 from Adam all the way to Muhammad, it includes 00:06:07.180 --> 00:06:10.259 Jesus, Moses, David, Joseph, Jacob. It's a belief 00:06:10.259 --> 00:06:12.819 in the unbroken lineage of messengers. Then number 00:06:12.819 --> 00:06:16.360 five is the day of judgment. This is the accountability 00:06:16.360 --> 00:06:19.750 mechanism. Resurrection, the division of humanity 00:06:19.750 --> 00:06:22.889 into paradise or hell, and the scales, the mizan, 00:06:22.990 --> 00:06:26.629 the wadibs. It's the core belief that your actions 00:06:26.629 --> 00:06:29.490 have consequences that outlast a human lifetime. 00:06:29.910 --> 00:06:32.350 And finally, number six, this is the philosophically 00:06:32.350 --> 00:06:35.689 heavy one, predestination or qadar. The divine 00:06:35.689 --> 00:06:38.410 decree. This is the belief that God knows and 00:06:38.410 --> 00:06:41.529 allows all outcomes. And the text is very specific 00:06:41.529 --> 00:06:43.889 here, whether those outcomes are perceived by 00:06:43.889 --> 00:06:47.290 us as good or bad. It's an acceptance that absolutely 00:06:47.290 --> 00:06:49.329 nothing happens outside of God's knowledge or 00:06:49.329 --> 00:06:50.930 permission. See, that seems like the hardest 00:06:50.930 --> 00:06:53.529 one to truly internalize. It requires accepting 00:06:53.529 --> 00:06:56.529 a total lack of control. It does. But remember 00:06:56.529 --> 00:06:59.050 the root word we talked about, safety. The theological 00:06:59.050 --> 00:07:01.529 argument here is that accepting God is in control 00:07:01.529 --> 00:07:03.810 actually provides that safety. Because someone 00:07:03.810 --> 00:07:06.370 else is driving. Exactly. If you believe the 00:07:06.370 --> 00:07:08.610 one in control is perfectly merciful and wise, 00:07:08.810 --> 00:07:10.870 you don't panic when things go wrong. You have 00:07:10.870 --> 00:07:13.709 that certitude. But those are the roots. That's 00:07:13.709 --> 00:07:17.040 the internal stuff. Right. But a tree isn't just 00:07:17.040 --> 00:07:19.579 roots. If you have roots but no branches, you 00:07:19.579 --> 00:07:22.160 just have a stump. And this is where the source 00:07:22.160 --> 00:07:24.759 material gets incredibly granular. We move from 00:07:24.759 --> 00:07:28.040 the pillars to the branches. The Shu 'ab al -Iman. 00:07:28.279 --> 00:07:31.439 This concept is wild to me. It comes from a hadith 00:07:31.439 --> 00:07:34.879 stating that faith has 70 odd branches. And later, 00:07:35.120 --> 00:07:38.259 a scholar named al -Bahaki, who is an absolute 00:07:38.259 --> 00:07:40.879 heavy hitter in this field, compiled them into 00:07:40.879 --> 00:07:43.490 a definitive collection. And the spectrum of 00:07:43.490 --> 00:07:46.209 this list is huge. It's almost confusingly wide. 00:07:46.430 --> 00:07:48.990 At the very top, the highest branch, is the declaration, 00:07:49.129 --> 00:07:52.269 La ilaha illallah mufaha. There is no true God 00:07:52.269 --> 00:07:54.870 but Allah. High theology, the biggest concept 00:07:54.870 --> 00:07:57.029 possible. Correct. The ultimate metaphysical 00:07:57.029 --> 00:07:59.310 truth. And the lowest branch. For moving an obstacle 00:07:59.310 --> 00:08:01.550 like a stone, thorns, or trash from the road. 00:08:01.689 --> 00:08:03.730 See, that connection fascinates me. You have 00:08:03.730 --> 00:08:05.649 the ultimate truth of the universe at the top 00:08:05.649 --> 00:08:07.269 and picking up a rock so someone doesn't trip 00:08:07.269 --> 00:08:09.129 at the bottom. And they are both considered faith. 00:08:09.290 --> 00:08:11.350 They're both imam. It connects high theology 00:08:11.350 --> 00:08:15.110 directly to civic duty. It implies that your 00:08:15.110 --> 00:08:17.589 internal belief in God should literally make 00:08:17.589 --> 00:08:20.230 the world physically safer for the people walking 00:08:20.230 --> 00:08:22.709 down your street. If your faith doesn't result 00:08:22.709 --> 00:08:25.329 in you being a considerate neighbor, the texts 00:08:25.329 --> 00:08:28.639 argue your faith is deficient. So al -Bahaki 00:08:28.639 --> 00:08:31.620 breaks these 77 branches down into three categories, 00:08:32.019 --> 00:08:34.419 heart, tongue, and body. Let's look at the heart 00:08:34.419 --> 00:08:36.720 first. There are 30 branches here. These are 00:08:36.720 --> 00:08:39.320 mostly about emotional regulation and internal 00:08:39.320 --> 00:08:42.700 states, love for God, obviously, but also remorse 00:08:42.700 --> 00:08:45.879 for sins, humility, and really interesting ones 00:08:45.879 --> 00:08:49.039 like the absence of jealousy or not having a 00:08:49.039 --> 00:08:51.370 love for the world. Meaning materialism. Exactly. 00:08:51.370 --> 00:08:53.470 It's about orienting your internal compass. Yeah. 00:08:53.750 --> 00:08:56.549 If you are consumed by jealousy or greed, that 00:08:56.549 --> 00:08:58.429 is considered a broken branch of your faith. 00:08:58.529 --> 00:09:00.909 It's an internal malfunction of your emma. Then 00:09:00.909 --> 00:09:02.990 you have the actions of the tongue. Seven of 00:09:02.990 --> 00:09:04.909 them. Reciting scripture, gaining knowledge, 00:09:05.049 --> 00:09:07.250 teaching, and this one, refraining from lying 00:09:07.250 --> 00:09:09.169 or backbiting. And there's a really specific 00:09:09.169 --> 00:09:11.629 social one in here too. Replying to a sneeze. 00:09:11.889 --> 00:09:15.090 Yes. Saying bless you or your Hamakala is a branch 00:09:15.090 --> 00:09:17.590 of faith. It's not just good manners. It's elevated 00:09:17.590 --> 00:09:20.610 way beyond manners. In this framework, it's a 00:09:20.610 --> 00:09:23.070 branch of Ivan. It's a recognition of the other 00:09:23.070 --> 00:09:25.649 person's existence and a prayer for mercy upon 00:09:25.649 --> 00:09:28.809 them. It turns a basic biological reflex into 00:09:28.809 --> 00:09:31.250 a spiritual interaction. It builds community 00:09:31.250 --> 00:09:33.809 cohesion. That is such a cool reframe. OK, so 00:09:33.809 --> 00:09:36.730 heart, tongue. But the biggest category is the 00:09:36.730 --> 00:09:39.769 actions of the body. There are 40 branches here. 00:09:40.230 --> 00:09:42.789 And this list is surprisingly practical. It's 00:09:42.789 --> 00:09:45.149 almost a manual for being a good citizen. I was 00:09:45.149 --> 00:09:47.320 reading through these. It covers personal hygiene, 00:09:47.559 --> 00:09:49.320 keeping your clothes clean, covering yourself 00:09:49.320 --> 00:09:51.620 properly. It includes financial ethics, too. 00:09:51.980 --> 00:09:54.559 Paying debts is a branch of faith. Ensuring your 00:09:54.559 --> 00:09:57.019 income is pure is a branch of faith. That's a 00:09:57.019 --> 00:09:59.279 big one. It means business isn't just business. 00:09:59.440 --> 00:10:02.320 It's theology. Exactly. And it includes social 00:10:02.320 --> 00:10:05.419 responsibility, repaying loans, making peace 00:10:05.419 --> 00:10:08.220 between warring factions. It even includes family 00:10:08.220 --> 00:10:10.059 duties like comforting your parents and raising 00:10:10.059 --> 00:10:12.580 your children well. There's one term emphasized 00:10:12.580 --> 00:10:15.740 here regarding the body higher, modesty. Yes, 00:10:15.940 --> 00:10:18.720 Hia is highlighted as a crucial branch. But look 00:10:18.720 --> 00:10:21.100 at the breadth of this. If you look at these 00:10:21.100 --> 00:10:23.740 40 branches, you realize that iman isn't just 00:10:23.740 --> 00:10:26.179 what you think about on a prayer mat. It's whether 00:10:26.179 --> 00:10:28.600 you pay your employees on time. It's whether 00:10:28.600 --> 00:10:30.980 you clean up your trash. It's whether you visit 00:10:30.980 --> 00:10:33.799 your sick neighbor. It bridges the gap between 00:10:33.799 --> 00:10:37.820 the spiritual and the mundane perfectly. But... 00:10:37.549 --> 00:10:39.389 You know, this raises a question about mechanics. 00:10:39.570 --> 00:10:41.789 If faith requires all these actions, does that 00:10:41.789 --> 00:10:44.149 mean faith is dynamic? Can it change? Or is it 00:10:44.149 --> 00:10:47.009 just like a light switch, you know, on or off? 00:10:47.190 --> 00:10:49.929 That is a classic debate in the history of Islamic 00:10:49.929 --> 00:10:52.929 theology. But the Sunni view presented in our 00:10:52.929 --> 00:10:55.970 sources uses that tree analogy for a very specific 00:10:55.970 --> 00:10:58.870 reason. A tree grows. It can wither. It can lose 00:10:58.870 --> 00:11:00.889 branches in a winter storm and grow them back 00:11:00.889 --> 00:11:03.570 in the spring. So faith fluctuates. Yes. The 00:11:03.570 --> 00:11:06.149 standard formula given is it increases with obedience 00:11:06.149 --> 00:11:08.899 and good deeds. and it decreases with sin. So 00:11:08.899 --> 00:11:10.980 deeds aren't just extra credit for believers? 00:11:11.519 --> 00:11:14.080 No, not at all. A scholar mentioned in our texts, 00:11:14.139 --> 00:11:17.039 Hamiduddin Farahi, argues that deeds are the 00:11:17.039 --> 00:11:20.240 actual proof of faith. Since words can be cheap 00:11:20.240 --> 00:11:22.639 and thoughts are completely invisible to us, 00:11:23.059 --> 00:11:25.360 deeds testify to the reality of the faith in 00:11:25.360 --> 00:11:28.139 a person's heart. So a person who claims to believe 00:11:28.139 --> 00:11:30.480 but acts terribly is like a person who claims 00:11:30.480 --> 00:11:32.759 to have a healthy tree but points to a stump 00:11:32.759 --> 00:11:35.299 with dead branches. The branches prove the roots 00:11:35.299 --> 00:11:37.899 are alive. If there are no branches, you really 00:11:37.899 --> 00:11:39.919 have to question if the root is actually down 00:11:39.919 --> 00:11:42.100 there in the dirt. That makes a lot of sense. 00:11:42.419 --> 00:11:44.399 Now, I want to touch on the relationship between 00:11:44.399 --> 00:11:47.039 faith and reason. Because there is often this 00:11:47.039 --> 00:11:48.960 assumption, especially from the outside looking 00:11:48.960 --> 00:11:51.740 in, that faith means turning off your critical 00:11:51.740 --> 00:11:54.620 thinking. You know, don't ask questions, just 00:11:54.620 --> 00:11:57.620 blindly believe. The sources we have today heavily 00:11:57.620 --> 00:12:00.340 dispute that. Ismail Raji al -Farouqi, a really 00:12:00.340 --> 00:12:03.539 prominent scholar, is quoted here. And he argues 00:12:03.539 --> 00:12:06.960 that Islam presents its principles Rationally. 00:12:07.000 --> 00:12:10.519 Rationally. How so? He says, it expects acceptance 00:12:10.519 --> 00:12:13.820 based on logical arguments. It's not about blind 00:12:13.820 --> 00:12:16.279 submission. It's about critical thinking. The 00:12:16.279 --> 00:12:19.080 Quran appeals to the intellect constantly with 00:12:19.080 --> 00:12:22.620 phrases like, do you not think or do you not 00:12:22.620 --> 00:12:25.120 reason? It tells people to look at the stars, 00:12:25.279 --> 00:12:27.720 look at the camels, look at the rain. It treats 00:12:27.720 --> 00:12:30.580 the natural world as data to be analyzed to prove 00:12:30.580 --> 00:12:33.399 the creator exists. So it's actively asking you 00:12:33.399 --> 00:12:35.940 to look at the evidence. Exactly. And the Shia 00:12:35.940 --> 00:12:37.519 view, which we're going to get to in a second, 00:12:37.879 --> 00:12:40.679 doubles down on this even more. They argue that 00:12:40.679 --> 00:12:43.039 you cannot imitate someone else in the fundamentals 00:12:43.039 --> 00:12:45.440 of faith. You have to reason your way there yourself. 00:12:45.620 --> 00:12:47.960 Before we get into the Shia view, there's a concept 00:12:47.960 --> 00:12:50.080 here in the notes called the sweetness of faith. 00:12:50.460 --> 00:12:52.820 which sounds very poetic, but they describe it 00:12:52.820 --> 00:12:55.879 as a tangible, lived state. It is poetic, but 00:12:55.879 --> 00:12:57.960 the commentary clarifies it really well. It's 00:12:57.960 --> 00:13:00.580 described as an experience. You taste the sweetness 00:13:00.580 --> 00:13:02.679 when you love God and the messenger more than 00:13:02.679 --> 00:13:05.059 anything else, even more than yourself. That 00:13:05.059 --> 00:13:08.600 sounds intense. It is intense. But Amin Asan 00:13:08.600 --> 00:13:10.539 Islahi, another scholar we're looking at, explains 00:13:10.539 --> 00:13:12.759 that this isn't just emotional hysteria. It's 00:13:12.759 --> 00:13:15.080 a love based on intellect and core principles. 00:13:15.519 --> 00:13:18.759 It means you prioritize this viewpoint over your 00:13:18.759 --> 00:13:21.779 own worldly desires. It's an intellectual conviction 00:13:21.779 --> 00:13:24.799 that evolves into an emotional state. It starts 00:13:24.799 --> 00:13:27.519 in the head, settles in the heart, and becomes 00:13:27.519 --> 00:13:30.100 sweet or easy to follow. We've been looking at 00:13:30.100 --> 00:13:32.500 this pretty broadly, but we need to pivot to 00:13:32.500 --> 00:13:34.519 a specific perspective mentioned in the source 00:13:34.519 --> 00:13:37.980 material, the Shia view of iman, because there's 00:13:37.980 --> 00:13:40.159 a distinction there that changes the definition 00:13:40.159 --> 00:13:42.659 slightly. Right. If we look at 12 Rashi 'a Islam, 00:13:43.080 --> 00:13:45.460 the definition of ihan has an additional very 00:13:45.460 --> 00:13:48.679 specific pillar. Which is? Belief in the imas. 00:13:49.019 --> 00:13:52.039 This is the leadership of the twelve infallible 00:13:52.039 --> 00:13:55.419 Imams, starting with Ali ibn Abi Talib. So for 00:13:55.419 --> 00:13:58.759 Shia theologian, true iman requires monotheism, 00:13:59.100 --> 00:14:01.539 prophethood, divine justice, resurrection, and 00:14:01.539 --> 00:14:04.720 the iman. So does that change who is officially 00:14:04.720 --> 00:14:06.720 considered a believer? Technically, within that 00:14:06.720 --> 00:14:09.059 specific theological framework, yes. In this 00:14:09.059 --> 00:14:11.740 view, every believer is a Muslim, but not every 00:14:11.740 --> 00:14:14.230 Muslim is a believer, or mu'min. Unpack that 00:14:14.230 --> 00:14:16.769 a bit for us. So Islam gives you legal status. 00:14:16.850 --> 00:14:19.250 Yeah, you're part of the community You can marry 00:14:19.250 --> 00:14:21.529 other Muslims you inherit you're protected by 00:14:21.529 --> 00:14:24.950 the law But Iman which includes that specific 00:14:24.950 --> 00:14:28.190 belief in the Imams is considered the prerequisite 00:14:28.360 --> 00:14:31.440 for the higher spiritual acceptance and the full 00:14:31.440 --> 00:14:33.899 guarantee of paradise. It's like a tighter circle 00:14:33.899 --> 00:14:36.539 within the larger circle. Exactly. And there's 00:14:36.539 --> 00:14:38.539 a note here about imitative faith that I found 00:14:38.539 --> 00:14:41.720 really interesting in the context of Shia theology 00:14:41.720 --> 00:14:44.679 and the Mutazilites. Yeah, I saw that too. Tackled. 00:14:44.820 --> 00:14:47.480 Right. They argue that faith cannot be merely 00:14:47.480 --> 00:14:50.120 imitative. Meaning you can't just believe because 00:14:50.120 --> 00:14:53.220 your parents believed. Exactly. You cannot just 00:14:53.220 --> 00:14:55.440 copy the people around you. You have to reach 00:14:55.440 --> 00:14:57.500 conviction through your own understanding and 00:14:57.500 --> 00:15:00.370 reasoning. If you just follow the crowd, that 00:15:00.370 --> 00:15:03.289 isn't considered true iman regarding the fundamental 00:15:03.289 --> 00:15:05.389 beliefs. You have to do the intellectual work 00:15:05.389 --> 00:15:07.429 yourself. That goes right back to the idea of 00:15:07.429 --> 00:15:09.610 faith and reason being linked. You have to own 00:15:09.610 --> 00:15:11.769 it. You can't just lease it from your dad. You 00:15:11.769 --> 00:15:14.509 really do. Whether you look at the Sunni perspective 00:15:14.509 --> 00:15:17.950 emphasizing deeds as the proof of faith or the 00:15:17.950 --> 00:15:20.090 Shia perspective emphasizing the necessity of 00:15:20.090 --> 00:15:22.590 independent reasoning, the common thread is active 00:15:22.590 --> 00:15:25.610 participation. You can't be a passive passenger 00:15:25.610 --> 00:15:27.820 in your own belief system. It really does seem 00:15:27.820 --> 00:15:30.139 like Iman is portrayed as a living organism. 00:15:30.200 --> 00:15:32.820 It's not a badge you wear. It is. It resides 00:15:32.820 --> 00:15:34.879 in the heart, it's spoken by the tongue, and 00:15:34.879 --> 00:15:38.019 it's proved by the limbs. It's a total comprehensive 00:15:38.019 --> 00:15:40.019 system. And I think that's the big takeaway for 00:15:40.019 --> 00:15:42.440 me. If you think about it, we usually keep the 00:15:42.440 --> 00:15:44.620 metaphysical stuff, the angels, judgment day, 00:15:44.679 --> 00:15:47.399 the heavy theology in one box. And then we keep 00:15:47.399 --> 00:15:49.980 the mundane stuff, cleaning the street, paying 00:15:49.980 --> 00:15:52.679 back a loan, being nice to your parents in a 00:15:52.679 --> 00:15:55.360 completely separate box. And Iman smashes those 00:15:55.360 --> 00:15:58.080 boxes together. It says that your belief in the 00:15:58.080 --> 00:16:01.120 angels is directly linked to whether or not you 00:16:01.120 --> 00:16:04.299 remove a thorn from the path. It demands that 00:16:04.299 --> 00:16:06.779 internal belief results in external good. It's 00:16:06.779 --> 00:16:08.879 a remarkably high standard. It basically says, 00:16:09.460 --> 00:16:11.539 don't tell me what you believe, show me how you 00:16:11.539 --> 00:16:14.039 live. It is. It's not a membership card you just 00:16:14.039 --> 00:16:16.340 carry in your wallet and forget about. It's a 00:16:16.340 --> 00:16:18.940 state of being you have to maintain every single 00:16:18.940 --> 00:16:21.259 day. I want to leave you, our listeners, with 00:16:21.259 --> 00:16:23.740 that thought about the stone in the road. Because 00:16:23.740 --> 00:16:26.080 we mentioned earlier, the sources say that the 00:16:26.080 --> 00:16:28.860 lowest branch of faith is removing an obstacle 00:16:28.860 --> 00:16:31.519 from the path. The absolute minimum requirement. 00:16:31.659 --> 00:16:34.620 The floor of faith. Right. So if removing a stone 00:16:34.620 --> 00:16:37.799 is the minimum proof that faith exists, what 00:16:37.799 --> 00:16:40.340 does it say about the state of faith in a society 00:16:40.340 --> 00:16:43.419 where we are constantly creating obstacles for 00:16:43.419 --> 00:16:46.019 others rather than removing them? That is a very 00:16:46.019 --> 00:16:48.340 heavy question to end on. Something for you to 00:16:48.340 --> 00:16:51.019 mull over. That's it for this deep dive into 00:16:51.019 --> 00:16:53.259 the architecture of belief. Thanks for listening.