“Faith” (al-iman or ثِقَة إخلاص) in the Arabic language means to affirm something and to comply with it. If you have faith in someone or something, you feel confident about their ability or goodness, or you belief in the matters you do know about that person or something. When people think about “faith” they mostly think about a particular religion, for example, Christianity, Buddhism, or Islam and a strong religious or unshakeable belief in something or in a particular god. That faith is mostly fed by a conviction of the truth of certain doctrines of religion, esp when this is not based on reason.
For most people their faith has to do with an unquestioning belief that does not require proof or evidence.
Ibn Taymiyyah writes:
وَمَعْلُومٌ أَنَّ الْإِيمَانَ هُوَ الْإِقْرَارُ لَا مُجَرَّدُ التَّصْدِيقِ وَالْإِقْرَارُ ضِمْنَ قَوْلِ الْقَلْبِ الَّذِي هُوَ التَّصْدِيقُ وَعَمَلِ الْقَلْبِ الَّذِي هُوَ الِانْقِيَادُ
It is well known that faith is affirmation, not mere belief and affirmation within the saying of the heart that is true. {Majmu’ Al-Fatawa 7/638}
We should know that for us it is understood that faith is affirmation and not merely belief. Affirmation or the act of affirming or the state of being affirmed, includes the words of the heart, which bring forth a statement of the existence or truth of something, and for us in particular of the existence of Allah. In our faith there should be the assertion that The Divine Creator exists and that His Words are true.
When having faith, for God this entails believing in Him, His Word, and His messengers, the angels and prophets.
Allah said:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا آمِنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَالْكِتَابِ الَّذِي نَزَّلَ عَلَىٰ رَسُولِهِ وَالْكِتَابِ الَّذِي أَنزَلَ مِن قَبْلُ ۚ وَمَن يَكْفُرْ بِاللَّهِ وَمَلَائِكَتِهِ وَكُتُبِهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ ضَلَالًا بَعِيدًا
O you who believe, have faith in Allah and His messenger and the book that He revealed to His messenger and the scripture which He revealed before. Whoever disbelieves in Allah, His angels, His books, His messengers, and the Last Day has certainly gone far astray.
Surat An-Nisa 4:136
أَنْ تُؤْمِنَ بِاللَّهِ وَمَلَائِكَتِهِ وَكُتُبِهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ وَتُؤْمِنَ بِالْقَدَرِ خَيْرِهِ وَشَرِّهِ
Faith is to believe in Allah, His angels, His books, His messengers, the Last Day, and to believe in providence both its good and its bad.
Source: Sahih Muslim 8, Grade: Sahih
Allah, when He founded everything with His Words (His Speaking) brought forwards His Voice by His Breath. And by His Breath, He gave the Spirit of life into a piece of clay, forming man. Though man did not remain faithful to his Creator, this Divine Maker did remain faithful to His creation and delivered His Word so that they could gain further guidance, counsel and wisdom to build up their future lives.
We can hear multifold of words in the world, lots of people presenting their wisdom about certain matters. But none of those writers has so much wisdom as the Al-Waahid, Al-Haadi Who offers His Words of Guidance to all who want to hear. He invites everyone to come close to Him and to be safeguarded by Him.
He invites everyone to come to Him in and by faith. We should know that faith is not simply to believe in the existence of Allah. There are also people who believe in God but also have other gods in whom thy believe and who they worship. In the same manner there are the adversaries of God (Iblees, or Satan) who believe in the existence of Allah, them knowing Allah exists, yet not having faith in Him.
Allah said:
فَسَجَدَ الْمَلَائِكَةُ كُلُّهُمْ أَجْمَعُونَ إِلَّا إِبْلِيسَ اسْتَكْبَرَ وَكَانَ مِنَ الْكَافِرِينَ
So the angels prostrated, all of them entirely, except Iblees for he was arrogant and was among the unbelievers.
Surat Sad 38:73
For lots of people, it is difficult to believe in the Unseen. Neither is faith to believe in Allah and the Unseen without reason or rational proof.
“وقال لا تقدر ان ترى وجهي.لان الانسان لا يراني ويعيش.” (خر 33:20 Arabic)
“And he said, You can not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.” (Ex 33:20 KJBPNV)
Having such God that can not be seen by man, makes several people choose another god, like Christ, or make them decide it is impossible that there would be such a creature able to form everything without it can be seen. Because He cannot be perceived directly, does not mean He is not there around us. The inability to directly observe something is not proof of its non-existence. There are numerous natural phenomena in the universe, such as dark matter and dark energy, that we know exist because we observe their signs, even though no one has ever directly seen them.
Others who want a god that can be seen, say Jesus is God, and about him there is enough historical proof he existed, so God exist. they claim Jesus can not be a mere man because he did such incredible things and because he gave his life to safe mankind; By using that as an argument they make a joke of Jesus sacrificial offering, because God can not die, which means that in case Jesus is God, he faked his death at the stake.
For some, the question arises:
If the biblical God wants everyone to believe in him and potentially come into a saving relationship with him, then why does he seem—at least for some people—to be absent or hidden? {Divine Hiddenness: A Sender or Receiver Problem?}
People are mistaken, god is not hiding at all. He is all around us and in nature we can see His works. Allah has unmistakably proven to be with His People and has sent His messages by various means. He gave His Words to several prophets, who warned people about matters to come and who spoke about the Wishes of the Elohim. It is true that regularly man has to reminded about their God and need a word from Him that reminds them they are not forsaken, nor forgotten. Mankind has to know that they are not alone. God speaks life to them with the words written down in His Sacred Books, but also in our mind. If we are willing to listen to Him His Voice shall be heard by us. We just have to ask!
“7 اسألوا تعطوا.اطلبوا تجدوا.اقرعوا يفتح لكم. 8 لان كل من يسأل يأخذ.ومن يطلب يجد.ومن يقرع يفتح له.” (مت 7:7-8 Arabic)
“7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: 8 For every one that asks receives; and he that seeks finds; and to him that knocks it shall be opened.” (Mt 7:7-8 KJBPNV)
Also Isaiah tells us to seek the Elohim, because He can be found.
“اطلبوا الرب ما دام يوجد ادعوه وهو قريب.” (اش 55:6 Arabic)
“Seek you Yahweh while he may be found, call you upon him while he is near:” (Isa 55:6 KJBPNV)
When we are willing to search for Him He will be there to be found but even more, He shall be willing to defend us, being a shield for those who come to Him to be protected.
“(91:5) لا تخشى من خوف الليل ولا من سهم يطير في النهار .” (مز 91:4 Arabic)
“He shall cover you with his feathers, and under his wings shall you trust: his truth shall be your shield and buckler.” (Ps 91:4 KJBPNV)
“(37:10) بعد قليل لا يكون الشرير.تطلع في مكانه فلا يكون .” (مز 37:9 Arabic)
“For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon Yahweh, they shall inherit the earth.” (Ps 37:9 KJBPNV)
Allah is nearer to us than we might think.
“ألعلي اله من قريب يقول الرب ولست الها من بعيد.” (ار 23:23 Arabic)
“Am I a God at hand, says Yahweh, and not a God afar off?” (Jer 23:23 KJBPNV)
And when one finds God there shall be the gift of life when one believes in Him.
“لانه من يجدني يجد الحياة وينال رضى من الرب.” (ام 8:35 Arabic)
“For whoever finds me finds life, and shall obtain favor of Yahweh.” (Pr 8:35 KJBPNV)
Allah is not playing hide and seek with us. He is not hiding, waiting for us to come around the corner. He is not crouched behind something waiting to come out and shout boo. God is always ‘here’, around us, with us, and prepared to give us His Hand. Allah is even going so far that He is prepared to use people to help to do His work here on earth. That way He has send several prophets, like Isaiah, Jeremiah, Hosea, a.o who like God’s prophet Jeshua (Isa / Jesus Christ) had to tell people about the Wishes of God and about what was going to happen in the future. Prophets like Micah the Morasthite, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai and Zechariah were there to prepare people for the coming of that long-awaited prophet who would bring salvation to mankind.
Pure faith does not have to see proofs for everything. Faith is not wanting to see a grand display of power, but is the willingness to see and observe the various signs (ayat) in nature, like the alternation of night and day, dry and wet days, changing colours of the plants, that demonstrate His power and design. This is sometimes called the teleological argument.
Allah said:
إِنَّ فِي اخْتِلَافِ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ وَمَا خَلَقَ اللَّهُ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ لَآيَاتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يَتَّقُونَ
Verily, in the alternation of the night and the day and in what Allah has created in the heavens and the earth are signs for a people who would be righteous.
Surah Yunus 10:6
أَلَمْ يَرَوْا أَنَّا جَعَلْنَا اللَّيْلَ لِيَسْكُنُوا فِيهِ وَالنَّهَارَ مُبْصِرًا ۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَآيَاتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يُؤْمِنُونَ
Do they not see that We made the night for resting therein and the day giving sight? Verily, in that are signs for a people who believe.
Surah An-Naml 27:86
أَلَمْ تَرَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ أَنزَلَ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مَاءً فَأَخْرَجْنَا بِهِ ثَمَرَاتٍ مُّخْتَلِفًا أَلْوَانُهَا ۚ وَمِنَ الْجِبَالِ جُدَدٌ بِيضٌ وَحُمْرٌ مُّخْتَلِفٌ أَلْوَانُهَا وَغَرَابِيبُ سُودٌ وَمِنَ النَّاسِ وَالدَّوَابِّ وَالْأَنْعَامِ مُخْتَلِفٌ أَلْوَانُهُ كَذَٰلِكَ
Do you not see that Allah sends down rain from the sky, and We produce thereby fruits of varying colors? And in the mountains are tracts, white and red of varying shades and black, and among people and moving creatures and grazing livestock are various colors similarly.
Surah Fatir 35:27-28
There are so many miraculous or marvellous things going on in nature, to which many are blind for. Deep in our heart we have that inbreath feeling of our Creator, Who said:
وَلَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الْإِنسَانَ مِن سُلَالَةٍ مِّن طِينٍ ثُمَّ جَعَلْنَاهُ نُطْفَةً فِي قَرَارٍ مَّكِينٍ ثُمَّ خَلَقْنَا النُّطْفَةَ عَلَقَةً فَخَلَقْنَا الْعَلَقَةَ مُضْغَةً فَخَلَقْنَا الْمُضْغَةَ عِظَامًا فَكَسَوْنَا الْعِظَامَ لَحْمًا ثُمَّ أَنشَأْنَاهُ خَلْقًا آخَرَ ۚ فَتَبَارَكَ اللَّهُ أَحْسَنُ الْخَالِقِينَ
Certainly did We create man from an extract of clay. Then We placed him as a sperm-drop in a firm lodging. Then We made the sperm-drop into a clinging clot, and We made the clot into a lump of flesh, and We made bones from the lump, and We covered the bones with flesh; then We developed him into another creation. So blessed is Allah, the best of creators.
Surah Al-Muminun 23:12-14
Thus, from the sun and the moon in the heavens, to the creatures on the earth, to the innermost parts of the human being – all of these point to the power and deliberate design of the Creator. It is human instinct (fitrah) to recognize these signs as evidence of the Creator’s purpose. It is up to us to come to see and to understand the signs.
Allah said:
سَنُرِيهِمْ آيَاتِنَا فِي الْآفَاقِ وَفِي أَنفُسِهِمْ حَتَّىٰ يَتَبَيَّنَ لَهُمْ أَنَّهُ الْحَقُّ ۗ أَوَلَمْ يَكْفِ بِرَبِّكَ أَنَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ شَهِيدٌ
We will show them Our signs in the horizons and within themselves until it becomes clear to them that it is the truth. But is it not sufficient concerning your Lord that He is, over all things, a witness?
Surah Fussilat 41:53
A classical formulation of this argument is mentioned by Ibn Kathir. Once a desert Arab was asked about the evidence of Allah’s existence, so he responded:
يَا سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ الْبَعْرَةَ لَتَدُلُّ عَلَى الْبَعِيرِ وَإِنَّ أَثَرَ الْأَقْدَامِ لَتَدُلُّ عَلَى الْمَسِيرِ فَسَمَاءٌ ذَاتُ أَبْرَاجٍ وَأَرْضٌ ذَاتُ فِجَاجٍ وَبِحَارٌ ذَاتُ أَمْوَاجٍ أَلَا يَدُلُّ ذَلِكَ عَلَى وُجُودِ اللَّطِيفِ الْخَبِيرِ
Glory be to Allah! The camel’s dung testifies to the existence of the camel, and the track testifies to the fact that someone was walking. A sky that holds the stars, a land that has fairways and a sea that has waves? Does not all of this testify to the existence of the Most Kind, Most Knowledgeable?
Source: Tafseer Ibn Kathir, verse 2:21
Ibn Kathir further comments:
وَكَذَلِكَ هَذِهِ الْأَنْهَارُ السَّارِحَةُ مِنْ قُطْرٍ إِلَى قُطْرٍ لِمَنَافِعِ الْعِبَادِ وَمَا ذَرَأَ فِي الْأَرْضِ مِنَ الْحَيَوَانَاتِ الْمُتَنَوِّعَةِ وَالنَّبَاتِ الْمُخْتَلِفِ الطُّعُومِ وَالْأَرَايِيحِ وَالْأَشْكَالِ وَالْأَلْوَانِ مَعَ اتِّحَادِ طَبِيعَةِ التُّرْبَةِ وَالْمَاءِ عَلِمَ وُجُودَ الصَّانِعِ وَقُدْرَتَهُ الْعَظِيمَةَ وَحِكْمَتَهُ وَرَحْمَتَهُ بِخَلْقِهِ وَلُطْفَهُ بِهِمْ وَإِحْسَانَهُ إِلَيْهِمْ وَبِرَّهُ بِهِمْ لَا إِلَهَ غَيْرُهُ وَلَا رَبَّ سِوَاهُ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَإِلَيْهِ أُنِيبُ وَالْآيَاتُ فِي الْقُرْآنِ الدَّالَّةُ عَلَى هَذَا الْمَقَامِ كَثِيرَةٌ جِدًّا
Whoever thinks about the running rivers that travel from area to area bringing benefit, whoever ponders over what Allah has created on earth; various animals and plants of different tastes, scents, shapes and colors that are a result of unity between land and water. Whoever thinks about all of this then he will realise that these facts testify to the existence of the Creator, His perfect ability, wisdom, mercy, kindness, generosity and His overall compassion for His creation. There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah, nor is there a Lord besides Him, upon Him we rely and to Him we turn in repentance. There are numerous verses in the Quran on this subject.
These are also the rivers that flow from Qatar to the benefits of worship and the various animals and plants that have been scattered across the earth — the baits, the wind, the figures and the colors — with the combination of the nature of the soil and the water. He knows the existence of the maker and his great ability, and his wisdom, and his mercy in his creation, his kindness and kindness to them, and his righteousness to them. There is no god other than Him, and no Lord but Him I trust. To Him is the Repentant, and the Verses in the Quran — the proof of this denomination is very abundant
Every individual has the possibility to shape the inner thoughts and form the mind to come to divine understanding. Every human being can react positively or negatively to those inner feelings that make one feel the connection with the Creator. Depending on one’s reaction to this, one may or may not choose to better honour the Godhead who created everything.
Each person will have to decide if he or she wants to believe in a Higher Being who has foreseen everything. In doing so, they will also have to choose what kind of god they will or will not choose. Will one go for a triple deity where each personality has different characteristics? (Such as a God who is immortal and all-knowing versus a deity Jesus who is mortal and does not know everything). Or does one choose to follow the God of the Bible who is an Invisible Spirit who has no beginning and no end in His immeasurable immortality?
But to come to faith there must first be a right attitude, where one cherishes God’s Creation fully and loves one’s neighbour.
Anas ibn Malik reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
لَا يُؤْمِنُ أَحَدُكُمْ حَتَّى يُحِبَّ لِأَخِيهِ أَوْ قَالَ لِجَارِهِ مَا يُحِبُّ لِنَفْسِهِ
None of you has faith until he loves for his brother or his neighbor what he loves for himself.
None of you believes until he loves his brother, or he tells his neighbor what he loves for himselfSource: Sahih Muslim 45, Grade: Sahih
In order to approach the One True God, we first need love for our neighbour and God’s masterpiece, creation. Without respect for God’s creation, no approach to Him is possible. Faith in Him also requires faith in His works.
Allah Al-Aliyy, The Most High clearly desires that one make a conscious choice in life before it is too late. This means that one cannot compromise between one faith and another and eat from both sides. There is no in-between for God. He desires pure worship of Him alone.
“4 لا تصنع لك تمثالا منحوتا ولا صورة ما مّما في السماء من فوق وما في الارض من تحت وما في الماء من تحت الارض. 5 لا تسجد لهنّ ولا تعبدهنّ .لاني انا الرب الهك اله غيور افتقد ذنوب الآباء في الابناء في الجيل الثالث والرابع من مبغضيّ .” (خر 20:4-5 Arabic)
“4. You must not make to yourself a carved image or any image of things in the heavens above and in the earth below and in the waters under the earth.” 5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, which will visit the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, in the third and fourth generation, which hate me.
Faith in God also requires faith in His Word, the Holy Scriptures, the Book of Books, in which is also mentioned that separately placed Name of that God.
مزمور ٨٣:١٨ترجمة العالم الجديد للكتاب المقدس18 That people may know that you, whose name is Jehovah,You alone are the Most High over all the earth.
18 They know that you are your name Jehovah, Up alone on all the earth. (Ps 83:18 NW ArTr)
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Dutch version / Nederlandstalige versie: Geloof in één of meer goden
Preceding
Looking for answers on the question Is there a God #1 Many gods
Looking for answers on the question Is there a God #3 Transcendence or Surpassing other gods and man
Looking for answers on the question Is there a God #4
Do you want to be considered near to God?
In which God will one believe?
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Additional reading
- Words in the world
- Faith Requires a Basis
- Faith is the belief that God will do what is right
- Faith is knowing there is an ocean because you have seen a brook.
- Background of Faith
- Faith is a pipeline
- A Living Faith #1 Substance of things hoped for
- A living faith #2 State of your faith
A Living Faith #3 Faith put into action - Elohim, Mar-Yah showing His wonders
- See God’s wonderworks and hear His Voice
- Glory of only One God Who gives His Word
- Pure Words and Testimonies full of Breath of the Most High
- Bible, helmet of health, salvation and sword of the spirit
- Written down in God’s Name for righteousness
- A voice and a Word given for wisdom
- God spoke to our forefathers and speaks to us
- A living Word giving confidence
- God Statements recorded in a book
- Challenging claim 1 Whose word
- Challenging claim 3 Inspired by God 2 Inerrant Word of God
- Revealing books
- True God giving His Word for getting wisdom
- A Book to trust #8 Father of the universe wanting His creatures to know Him
- A Book to trust #29 God His Book, God-breathed profitable for doctrine, for reproof and for correction
- Coming to understanding from sayings written long ago
- Necessity of a revelation of creation 10 Instructions for insight and wisdom
- The habitual misreading of John 1 and the ‘Word being God’ #1
- The habitual misreading of John 1 and the ‘Word being God’ #2
- No good thing will he withhold
- God receives us on the basis of our faith
- Solving all the problems that come to us
- Belief of the things that God has promised
- Raise a standard to which the wise and honest can repair
- Believe that moves stones
- God works faith
- Sharing your faith
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Questiontime - Vragenuurtje 
3 thoughts on “Faith in one or more gods”