Usul al-Iman li-Ibn Baz
- Author died
- 1420 AH
- Editions
- Islamic University
Usul al-Iman (The Principles of Faith) is a theological treatise by the Saudi Arabian scholar Ibn Baz (d. 1420 AH / 1999 CE) expounding the six foundational pillars of Islamic creed grounded in the Quran and the Prophetic Sunnah .
Origin and Scope
The treatise originated as a lecture chosen by the Islamic University in Medina and delivered by Ibn Baz, who served as the General President of the Administrations of Scientific Research, Ifta, Da'wah, and Guidance . It was subsequently published in the university's journal (Majallat al-Jami'ah al-Islamiyyah) and included in his collected writings and legal verdicts (Majmu' Fatawa wa Maqalat Mutanawwi'ah) .
The work focuses on defining the six pillars of faith (usul al-iman): belief in Allah, His angels, His revealed scriptures, His messengers, the Last Day, and the divine decree (al-qadar), both good and bad . The author frames these principles as the foundation of religion upon which the uprightness, security, and success of the Muslim community depend .
Key Themes and Theological Arguments
The Six Pillars and Scriptural Evidence
Ibn Baz grounds the six principles in key Quranic passages, including Surah al-Baqarah (2:177), which enumerates five principles, and verses affirming the divine decree : لَّيْسَ الْبِرَّ أَن تُوَلُّوا وُجُوهَكُمْ قِبَلَ الْمَشْرِقِ وَالْمَغْرِبِ وَلَٰكِنَّ الْبِرَّ مَنْ آمَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ وَالْمَلَائِكَةِ وَالْكِتَابِ وَالنَّبِيِّينَ ("Righteousness is not that you turn your faces toward the east or the west, but righteousness is [in] one who believes in Allah, the Last Day, the angels, the Book, and the prophets"). He also cites the Hadith of Gabriel (Hadith Jibril), where the Prophet Muhammad defined faith by listing all six pillars . The author notes that denying even one of these pillars constitutes disbelief, as the faith must be accepted in its entirety .
Relationship Between Iman and Islam
The text addresses the relationship between iman (faith) and islam (submission) according to the doctrine of Ahl al-Sunnah wa-l-Jama'ah :
- When paired together: Islam designates outward bodily actions and compliance (such as the two testimonies, prayer, zakat, fasting, and hajj), while iman specifically refers to inward convictions of the heart .
- When mentioned separately: Either term encompasses the other; islam includes inward conviction, and iman includes outward righteous deeds .
Ibn Baz explains that faith comprises more than sixty or seventy branches, the highest being the declaration that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah ( لا إله إلا الله ) and the lowest being the removal of harm from the road . He discusses the hypocrisy of those who profess Islam outwardly while denying its inward reality, warning of their severe status in the lowest depths of the Hellfire . He also notes the juristic debate surrounding the abandonment of obligatory duties, affirming that abandoning prayer is considered apostasy according to the sounder scholarly view .
The Divine Attributes
In expounding belief in Allah, Ibn Baz emphasizes affirming God's names and attributes as reported in the Quran and authentic Sunnah, following the method of the early generations (al-Salaf al-Salih) without distortion (tahrif), denial (ta'til), inquiring into the modality (takyif), or likening them to creation (tamthil) .
He addresses attributes such as God's rising over the Throne (istiwa'), descent (nuzul), Face, Hand, Mercy, and Knowledge . He refutes the Jahmi theological interpretation of istiwa' as istawla (forcible conquest), citing the statement attributed to Malik ibn Anas and his teacher Rabi'ah that istiwa' is known, its modality is unknown, believing in it is obligatory, and asking about its modality is an innovation . He distinguishes between two aspects of God's presence (ma'iyyah): a general presence encompassing all creation through His comprehensive knowledge, sight, and awareness, and a specific presence of divine aid, support, and protection for His righteous servants .
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