booke

al-isl§m and al-Êm§n 55between the two kinds of faith is that al-isl§m is the innate (natural)disposition of all people in this world, while al-Êm§n is a form of ritualworship that contradicts humans’ innate disposition. Through theserituals, adherents of al-Êm§n differ from those who are not ahl al-Êm§n,but they do not differ in their moral behaviour (respect for parents,avoidance of fraud and perjury, etc.), which is universally articulatedin similar ways.As for the problem of disbelief ( al-kufr), we have said that the Bookcorrelates two kinds of disbelief to the two types of faith: disbelief inthe realm of al-isl§m and disbelief in the realm of al-Êm§n. The firstkind of disbelief negates the existence of God, the Hereafter and‘doing what is righteous’; it undermines the fundaments of al-isl§m.Al-k§fir bi’l-ll§h is, in short, an atheist who has dissented from God.The second kind of disbelief rejects belief in MuÈammad (ß) and hisbook. It refers to someone who refuses to acknowledge bothMuÈammad’s prophethood ( al-k§fir bi-nubåwatihi) and his messengerhood( al-k§fir bi-ris§latihi). Both kinds of disbelief must be expressedin deliberate, fully articulated, and publicly stated views by whichthe disbelievers antipathetically oppose either kind of faith. Onlythose who have declared their disbelief in such an open and antagonisticmanner, like for example Abå Lahab who became a k§firbecause he was openly hostile towards MuÈammad (ß), shall bedeclared infidels. Others who did not openly contradict MuÈammad’smessage even though they did not believe in it, were—quite rightlyso—not regarded as k§firs.O you who believe! Believe in God and His Apostle, and the scripturewhich He has sent to His apostle and the scripture which He sent tothose before (him)… ( Al-Nis§" 4:136)‘Those who believe, then reject faith, then believe (again) and (again)reject faith, and go on increasing in unbelief—God will not forgivethem nor guide them nor guide them on the way.’ ( Al-Nis§" 4:137)Al-isl§m and al-Êm§nHaving established the true pillars of al-isl§m and al-Êm§n we can nowextend our study of the differences between the two realms of faith:Al-isl§m means faith that entails belief in Allah, the Hereafter, and‘doing what is righteous’; al-Êm§n, in contrast, pertains to faith in thetruth of messengerhoods, that is, divine revelations put down in heavenlyscriptures and transmitted by God’s apostles, and finally in‘doing what is fair and just’. A Muslim-Assenter ( al-muslim) can also