Faith is considered a belief and trust in God based on good evidence but without total proof. To have faith, we must trust that God is there and working on our behalf, even though we can’t see him with our eyes.

Faith is the belief in something or someone, even when there is no absolute proof. It can also refer to trust in a person, thing, or concept.

Faith is a key component of religious belief systems. Faith is often considered to be a combination of loyalty, commitment, and trust.

In general Faith can also refer to loyalty to a person or duty. It can also refer to the quality of keeping promises. Faith can also be considered a firm belief in something, even when there is no proof.

Etymology: The word “faith” comes from the Latin word fidere, which means “to trust”.

Faith is often considered to be complementary to hope. Faith is also considered to be more than just intellectual agreement.

In Islam, Faith (Iman) means to believe; to have faith in something means to believe in it. It also means to show acquiescence and acceptance to the sacred Law, and to all that the Prophet (SAW) brought, and to accept and believe. The one who does all this is a believer (Mu’min).

Al‐Azhari said: ‘The basis of iman is to enter into a state of belief in the trust (Amana) that God Almighty has given one.’

The technical meaning of faith is firm belief in something real, based on evidence. Experts in this subject have defined faith as being ‘to believe with the heart and proclaim with the tongue’; some have added ‘to act with the body.’ Or, in the words of Abu `Ubayd al-Qasim ibn Salam: ‘Faith is to have sincere devotion to God with the heart, to testify this with the tongue, and to act on it with the body.’

Umar ibn al-khattab said: We were with the Messenger of God (SAW) one day, when there came to us a man wearing dazzling white clothes, with jet black hair; there were no marks of travel on him, and yet not one of us knew him. He sat by the Prophet (SAW), knee to knee, placed his hands on his thighs, and said: “O Muhammad (SAW)… “Tell me about faith (iman).” He said: “To believe in God and His angels and His books and His messengers and the Last Day, and to believe in Providence, the good of it and the evil of it.” “You have spoken truly,” he said, and then: “Tell me about excellence (ihsan).” He said: “To worship God as if you saw Him; for if you see Him not, He assuredly sees you.” He said: “Tell me about the Hour.” He said: “The one questioned knows no more about it than the questioner.”. . . ” Then the stranger went away, and I tarried a while. He then said to me: “O `Umar, do you know who the questioner was?” I said: “God and His Messenger know best.” He said: “It was Gabriel. He came unto you to teach you your religion.”

Al‐Zuhri said: ‘surrender is the word, and faith is the deed.’ he cites as evidence for this the Almighty’s words: The desert Arabs say, “We believe.” Say, “Ye have no faith; but ye (only) say, `We have submitted our wills to Allah,’ for not yet has Faith entered your hearts. But if ye obey Allah and His Apostle, He will not belittle aught of your deeds: For Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (Quran 49:14).

Others say that surrender and faith are the same thing, citing as evidence for this God’s words: Then We evacuated those of the Believers who were there, But We found not there any just (Muslim) persons except in one house: (Quran 51:35–36). The only just or righteous persons found in Sodom and Gomorrah were in the house of Lut. He and his believing family and adherents were told to leave in due time, and the wicked were destroyed in a shower of brimstone. But We found not there any just (Muslim) persons except in one house: That was the house of Lut; and even there, his wife had no faith: she disobeyed the Command and perished.

Al‐khattabi said: “The correct way to approach this is to speak in specific and not general terms; for one who surrenders (Muslim) might be faithful in some circumstances but not in others, whilst one who is faithful (Mu’min) is in a state of surrender in all circumstances. Every Mu’min is a Muslim, but not every Muslim is a Mu’min.

The basis of faith is belief, and the basis of surrender is submission and acquiescence; a man might surrender on the outside whilst not acquiescing on the inside; and he might believe on the inside whilst not acquiescing on the outside.”

There is a hierarchy in faith, and the faithful are distinguished from one another by its degrees.

Imam Abu Muhammad al-Husain ibn Mas`ud al- Baghawi says: The Prophet (SAW) made ‘surrender’ a name for outward actions, and ‘faith’ a name for inward beliefs. This is not because actions are not part of faith, or that belief of the heart is not part of surrender; rather, it is a detailed explanation of a totality which is in fact one single thing, the sum of which is called ‘religion. Belief and action are both included in the names of faith and surrender together.

The Almighty says that the religion which he has gladly chosen, and which he accepts from his servants, is surrender; and religion could not be acceptable or pleasing unless it included belief alongside action.

Some see that if surrender and faith are mentioned together, they take on different meanings, whilst if they are mentioned separately, they mean the same thing: if they are mentioned in the same place, surrender comes to mean outward action, and faith comes to mean inward action; and if either one of them is mentioned on its own, it is taken to mean both, in which case there is no difference between them.

The Prophet (SAW) explained iman as being the faith and submission of the heart, meaning faith in God, his angels, his books, his messengers, and so on; and he explained Islam as being a particular surrender, namely that of the Five Pillars.

The Prophet (SAW) said: ‘Surrender is public, and faith is in the heart.’ Outward actions can be seen by others, whilst the belief, knowledge, love, fear and hope of the heart are hidden, although they do have effects which might indicate them – although effects do not indicate anything unless their cause is certain.

From this, we can see how the heart is the locus for belief and faith, and the thing that the Almighty is interested in. The Messenger of God (SAW) said: Indeed, in the body there is a morsel which, if it is sound, the whole body is sound, and if it is spoiled, the whole body is spoiled. Indeed, it is the heart.

So faith is more specific than surrender, and excellence is more specific, and a higher level, than faith. The be‐all and end‐all of spiritual excellence is for the servant to ascend the levels of awareness of God Almighty and to witness him in all one’s actions and one’s conduct. This is the third degree, after surrender and faith, and is higher than them both; and it is built upon them, and not extraneous to them. There can be no faith without surrender, and no Excellence without faith. It is an excellence which the believer observes in all situations, and in worship in its most comprehensive meaning, which means more than just rites and supererogatory acts of devotion.

There is no iota of doubt that most of our afflictions are tests of faith. God tests us in many ways. He tests us with our wealth and possessions, our wives, our children and our health. Only the munin among us scale through.

In the Quran, Allah says, “We will certainly test you with a touch of fear and famine and loss of property, life, and crops” in Surah Al-Baqarah, (Quran 2:155).

Allah is saying that he will test people with fear, hunger, loss of wealth, and loss of life. Allah tests people to distinguish between believers and non-believers. Allah promises to give good news to those who are patient.

There is no doubt Allah has been testing us with the death of loved ones. Last Wednesday, January 15, our friend Oriyomi Onanuga passed away after she had been tested with illness. A two term Federal legislator, Oriyomi represented Ikenne/Sagamu/Remo North Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives. She left behind her children and her aged mother (Iya Yomi) who has now lost her only child, which she had in London 59 years ago. May Allah give her and the children succour. A vivacious and lively lady, NNS Oriyomi will sing no more. May Allah give her husband, Alhaji Onanuga, a fello member of Anwar-ul-Islam National Executive Council, the fortitude to bear the loss. May Allah obliterate her shortcomings and grant her Jannatul Firdous. Inna lillah wa ina ilehi rajiun.

Barka Juma’at and a happy weekend 

Today, Allah, through the Holy Quran speaks to us about the concepts of justice, equity and fairness. It is clear to all discerning observers that Nigeria is one huge crime scene where all manners of evil, wickedness, vice and iniquities converge to rob the people of justice, equity and most importantly fairness in all its ramifications.

Justice is the sum-total, of all recognised rights and duties, as it often consists of nothing more than a balanced implementation of rights and duties, and of due regard for equality and fairness. The Qur’an is emphatic on the objectivity of justice, so much so that it defies any level of relativity and compromise in its basic conception. A perusal of the Quranic evidence on justice leaves one in no doubt that justice is integral to the basic outlook and philosophy of Islam.

Allah (SWT) said in the Holy Quran, Surah Al-Hadid: We sent aforetime Our apostles with Clear signs and sent down with them the Book and the Balance (of Right and wrong), that men may stand forth in justice; and We sent down Iron, in which is (material for) mighty war, as well as many benefits for mankind, that Allah may test who it is that will help, unseen, Him and His apostles: For Allah is Full of Strength, Exalted in Might (and able to enforce His Will). (Quran 57: 25) 

There is no gainsaying the fact that the major themes of the Quran include God-consciousness, fairness, equity, justice, equality and balance in all our dealings. These concepts are drummed into the believers every Juma’at service in the form of admonitions where we are enjoined to heed the words of Allah in Surah Al-Nahl : Allah commands justice, the doing of good, and liberality to kith and kin, and He forbids all shameful deeds, and injustice and rebellion: He instructs you that ye may receive admonition. (Quran 16:90)

It stresses the doing of what is right because it is the truth.  As a reflection of Allah’s attributes of Al-’Adl (The Just One) and Al-Muqsit (The Upholder of Equity), we are urged to establish justice and deal with all in a manner that assures equity, fairness and balance and safeguards the rights, property, honour and dignity of all people.  God assures us that even though He is All-Powerful and none can challenge His Authority, He deals with all with truth, kindness, justice, and the rights of none will be transgressed on the Day of Judgment.   

Allah says in Surah Al Anbia’ Ayah 47: We shall set up scales of justice for the Day of Judgment, so that not a soul will be dealt with unjustly in the least. And if there be (no more than) the weight of a mustard seed, We will bring it (to account): And enough are We to take account. (Quran 21:47)

The narrow dictionary equivalents for Justice and Equity are the words Insaaf, ‘Adl and Qist.  But the words are more comprehensive in their meaning and application.    The words ‘Adl and Qist, in their various forms, are used in the Quran about twenty seven times each. 

The root meanings of the word ‘Adl include the sense of Justice, Equity, Fairness, Non- Discrimination, Counter-Balance, to Rectify, Put in Order, Evenness, Proportion and the like.  When Prophet Muhammad (SAW), said “help the oppressor and the oppressed”, he was stressing this same concept.  The Companions responded that they understood what “helping the oppressed” meant, but what did he mean by “helping the oppressor”?  He replied, “By preventing the oppressor from oppressing others”.  The root meanings of the word Qist include Equity, Fairness, Justice, Fair Distribution, Correctness, Balance, and Scale. 

In Surah Al Ma’idah, Ayah 9, it is said that we should stand firmly for Allah as witness to fairness: O ye who believe! Stand out firmly for Allah, as witnesses to fair dealing, and let not the hatred of others to you make you swerve to wrong and depart from justice. Be just: That is next to Piety: And fear Allah. For Allah is well acquainted with all that ye do. (Quran 5:9)  

See also Surah Al Nisa’, Ayah 135: (Quran 4:135) And Shu’ara Ayat 181-184; Surah Al Nahl, Ayah 90. God instructs Prophet Muhammad (SAW), in Surah Al Shurah, Ayah 15: Now then, for that (reason), call (them to the Faith), and stand steadfast as thou art commanded nor follow thou their vain desires; but say: “I believe in the Book which Allah has sent down; and I am commanded to judge justly between you. Allah is our Lord and your Lord. For us (is the responsibility for) our deeds, and for you for your deeds. There is no contention between us and you. Allah will bring us together, and to Him is (our) final goal. (Quran 42:15)

Other aspects of justice referred to in the Quran are the following:

Allah doth command you to render back your Trusts to those to whom they are due; and when ye judge between man and man, that ye judge with justice: Verily how excellent is the teaching which He giveth you! For Allah is He Who heareth and seeth all things. (Quran 4:58)

“And O my people! Give just measure and weight, nor withhold from the people the things that are their due: Commit not evil in the land with intent to do mischief.  (Quran 11:85)

O ye who believe! Stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses to Allah, even as against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, and whether it be (against) rich or poor: For Allah can best protect both. Follow not the lusts (of your hearts), lest ye swerve, and if ye distort (justice) or decline to do justice, verily Allah is well acquainted with all that ye do. (Quran 4:135)

To Him will be your return–of all of you. The promise of Allah is true and sure. It is He Who beginneth the process of creation, and repeateth it, that He may reward with justice those who believe and work righteousness; but those who reject Him will have draughts of boiling fluids, and a Penalty grievous, because they did reject Him. (Quran 10:4)

A person’s faith does not become perfect until he observes fairness with respect to himself and others. In exchange, God shall increase his honour and glory. Man, by nature, prefers his own self and loves everything that is associated with him. He also possesses a dislike for everything bad and evil. Similarly, (justice demands that) if he does not desire anything bad and evil for himself, he should not desire it for the others too.

The Quran says: If ye fear that ye shall not be able to deal justly with the orphans, marry women of your choice, two, or three, or four; but if ye fear that ye shall not be able to deal justly (with them), then only one, or (a captive) that your right hands possess. That will be more suitable, to prevent you from doing injustice. (Quran 4:3)

In one way or the other we are all guilty of some of the injunctions in these ayats, particularly our leaders. It however, applies to all of us. It was once said, that the issues of injustice, unfairness and inequitable dispensation of resources is an all pervasive malaise. From the flinching tramp, the woman who digs for gold, the rich with their insatiable thirst for more, to the legislator, who is the sole beneficiary of his legislations and the executive who corners the people’s commonwealth to feather their own nests, we are all guilty. When justice, equity and fairness departs from a society, that society is finished.

(Saying): “Eat of the good things We have provided for your sustenance, but commit no excess therein, lest My Wrath should justly descend on you: And those on whom descends My Wrath do perish indeed!  (Quran 20:81)

May Allah’s wrath not fall on us, Amin!

The New Year deaths continue with the demise of our friend and Aburo, Babatunde Okegbenro popularly called ‘Lakabo’. He died last Saturday 4^th January. We chatted and exchanged New Year greetings and he was in high spirit. May God give strength and fortitude to the wife and children he left behind. Lakabo was 65. May his soul rest in peace. Aku ara feraku.

The New Year was not satisfied, it descended on the house of my Auntie, Alhaja Amuda Fagbo (widow of late Alhaji Saka Fagbo), whisking away her daughter Hamdalat Nana Fagbo, just as this Sermon was going to bed. Inna lilahi wa ina illehi raji’un. May Allah grant Nana Jannatul Firdous.

Barka Juma’at and a happy weekend.

The New Year 2025 has started rolling and all of us are adding another year to our life here on terra firma. However, we are all inexorably marching closer to our grave. For every minute, hour, day, week, month, and year that we add, there is a corresponding movement towards the grave. Everyman born of a woman must taste death. Quran 3:185 “Every soul shall have a taste of death:”

What lesson do we get from this realization? In the not too distant future, we would leave all our amazing wealth, results of our accumulation and gathering and descend into the grave or rise up to heaven or hell alone without any accompaniments. Remember the gold, ornaments and other worldly goods buried with the Egyptian and Aztec kings, none left the earth with them.

We search the world for the renowned men of old like Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan (reigned from 1628 to 1658) who built the Taj Mahal, one of the seven wonders of the world, commissioned in 1632, to house the tomb of his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. People don’t even remember him anymore.

With the advance in civilization and the growth of religion, burial and other acts, concern has centered on the Hereafter, retribution, and the possibilities of punishment for our earthly transgressions.

The thinking man has also reflected on his actions and the possible legacies he would leave behind, its enduring nature or the obliteration of all he had worked for in life. There is a constant need to visit these concepts to reassure ourselves that we are walking on the right path and not going in the other direction.

As the years roll by, one day, one after the other, we will take our exit from this earthly plane. What is expected of each human being, where does his path lead him after the sojourn on earth?

The answer to this is exemplified in Ecclesiastes 3, the third chapter of the Book of Ecclesiastes in the Hebrew Bible or the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. The book contains philosophical speeches by a character called ‘Qoheleth’ “the Teacher”; composed probably between the fifth and second centuries BC. Targum, and Talmud attribute the authorship of the book to King Solomon.

The points below are relevant to today’s discourse. The Teacher said:

10 I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it.

11 He hath made everything beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.

12 I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life.

13 And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.

14 I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.

15 That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past.

16 And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there.

17 I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.

18 I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts.

19 For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity.

20 All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.

21 Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?

22 Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?

There is no doubt many of us are not intellectually equipped to fathom the questions of death and the beyond. Fortunately, concepts such as inevitability of death and legacy are not too much to understand. However, few understand the importance of legacy in the life of man. Many supposedly rich and great men have had their legacies tarnished and obliterated shortly after their demise. Some even had their life efforts destroyed in their lifetimes by their progenies.

As for the grave, we are told the life of the deceased in the grave is different from his life in this world. It is a special kind of life in al-barzakh (the interval between death and the Day of Resurrection) which is not like life in this world. To this end we often pray for our dead to be spared the punishment of the grave.

A view from the grave: Life in the World Unseen, first published in 1956: The words of an ex-Catholic Monsignor Robert Hugh Benson, who discovered that life after death is completely different to that which he spent his life teaching.

Two important concerns of a good Muslim are his legacy and the grave. There is always the fear that his progeny would obliterate whatever good he has spent his life to build. It is a real and founded fear. May Allah give us children who will preserve our legacies. Amen.

“O Prophet! Truly We have sent thee as a Witness, a Bearer of Glad Tidings, and a Warner, And as one who invites to Allah’s (Grace) by His leave, and as a Lamp spreading Light. (Quran 33:45-46) 

The Prophet left a legacy of a political system that was the embodiment of guardianship and care of the people and whose distinctive qualities were justice and accountability in governance as acknowledged by Muslims and non-Muslims alike.

A system fashioned upon the words of Allah in Surah an-Nisa: “O ye who believe! Stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses to Allah, even as against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, and whether it be (against) rich or poor: For Allah can best protect both. Follow not the lusts (of your hearts), lest ye swerve, and if ye distort (justice) or decline to do justice, verily Allah is well acquainted with all that ye do.” (Quran 4:135)

The prophet said: “Each of you is a guardian and each of you is questioned over his subjects, the Imam is responsible over the people and he is questioned over his responsibility.”

Leaders such as Khalifah Umar bin Al Khattab who during the famine in Medina refused to eat anything but coarse food, saying; “If I don’t taste suffering, how can I know the suffering of others?”

Can we say these about our leaders? Do they even understand what it means to leave a legacy of service? Legacy is fundamental to what it is to be human. Being reminded of death is a good thing because death informs life. It gives you a perspective on what is important.

In this New Year, there is a need to realize that for each new hour, new day, new week, and new month, there is a corresponding movement towards the grave. This is the mathematics of death. The grave beckons with the ticking of time. It cannot be halted or reversed.

“I shall pass this way but once; any good that I can do or any kindness I can show to any human being; let me do it now. Let me not defer nor neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.” Stephen Grellet 1773–1855

Inna lillah wa ina ilehi rajiun. In one of the first deaths of the New Year, the death occurred last Wednesday 1^st January 2025, of Alhaja Adewale, amiable wife of our brother Alhaji R.O. Adewale, our former National General Secretary of Anwar-ul-Islam Movement of Nigeria. May Allah grant Alhaji Rafiu Adewale, the fortitude to bear the loss. May Allah grant our Alhaja Jannatul Firdous. We will miss her annual catering during the Ramadan Tafsir they host every year.

Barka Juma’at and a happy New Year.