Al-Hujuraat (The Inner Apartments)

15. Believers are only those who have believed in Allah and His Messenger (S) and then doubt not but strive with their possessions and their lives for the Cause of Allah. They are the truthful [in their claims to faith].

Having faith in the Noble Prophet of Islam (S) is supposed to accompany that in God Almighty;

(“Believe in Allah and His Messenger [SAW]”).

Faith is something inward that may be recognized through practice and without struggling in the Cause of Allah is nothing more than empty words.

The token of true faith is perseverance and doubtlessness regarding the same;

(“And then doubt not but strive with their possessions and their lives for the Cause of Allah”).

Since attainment to such inward affair, namely faith, is not so facile, the blessed Verse treats of its tokens distinguishing believers from Muslims, the sincere from the lying, and those who enthusiastically answered to the Noble Prophet’s (S) Call from those who pretended belief in order to achieve worldly possessions, saying that true believers are solely those who believe in God Almighty and His Messenger (S) and entertain no doubt but struggle with their lives and possessions in the Cause of Allah.

The first token of faith is doubtlessness in proceeding on the Path of the Islamic faith. The second token is to struggle in Allah’s Cause with one’s possessions. The third token which is the most exalted is to struggle with one’s life.

Thus, Islam makes mention of the most obvious tokens: perseverance and doubtlessness on the one hand and sacrificing one’s possessions and life on the other. How may faith be deeply rooted in heart when man does not sacrifice his possessions and life in the Cause of the Beloved?

Thus the blessed Verse closes:

“They are the truthful [in their claims to faith].”

They are truthful believers in whose hearts the spirit of faith flows.

The standard put forth by the Holy Qur’an for distinguishing between

“truthful believers”

and

“liars pretending belief in the Islamic faith”

is not restricted to the tribe of Banu Asad, but it is a clear criterion for all times thereby a distinction may be made between true believers from pretenders.

The criterion may also serve to reveal the value of those who pretend belief in the Islamic faith anywhere and claim the Noble Prophet’s (S) indebtedness to them but in practice they do not reflect the least token of their faith and belief in Islam.

Au contraire, there are people who not only claim nothing but also regard themselves at fault and at the same time stand foremost in the arena of self sacrifice. If we apply this Qur’anic criterion in assaying true believers, the number of pretenders to belief in the Islamic faith far exceeds that of true believers.