Preface
The increasing of Imaan which Allah has commanded us with, and which His believing servants uphold, is recognised through a number of aspects that make clear the various levels of people in terms of Imaan, depending on that which is established in the heart, on the tongue, and on the limbs. [88] “Ziyaadatul-Imaan wa Nuqsaanihi” – ‘Abd ar-Razzaaq al-Badr (p.136) | “Majmoo’ al-Fataawa” (7/232, 562) All this can be summarised in two aspects:

(1) Level of Imaan varies with respect to the Lord’s command.
(2)  Level of Imaan is subject to the person’s deeds.

Ibn Taymiyyah said: “As for the first aspect, the Imaan that an individual from the believers has been commanded with is not the same Imaan that every individual has been commanded with. In the initial stage of Islam, the Muslims were commanded to uphold certain beliefs but afterwards they were commanded to uphold different beliefs, and they were commanded to leave that with which they were previously commanded to do, like changing the Qiblah. For the order of Imaan in the beginning of Islam was to believe in the obligation of facing the Ka’bah in prayer, thus Imaan was of several types under one legislation. Also, whomever is obligated with pilgrimage, zakat, or jihad fighting in the cause of Allah, then they are obliged by Imaan to know what they have been obligated with, and to believe that Allah has obligated upon them that which He has not obligated upon other than him except by general terms, and this obligates upon them a particular Imaan. Likewise, a person when they first become Muslim, what is obligated upon them is general confirmation of their belief, then if the time for prayer comes, it is upon them to believe in its obligation and to carry it out. With that said, people are not of the same level in what they have been commanded with from Imaan.

The second aspect is about how the level of Imaan differs from one person to another because of their difference in how they fulfilled it although they are being equal in what is obligated upon them… and in this they are also of different levels, for the Imaan of the thief, the fornicator, and the one who drinks alcohol, is not like the Imaan of other than them, nor is the Imaan of the one who carries out the obligations like the Imaan of the one fails to uphold some of them. Not to mention, the piety and religiosity of this one and their obedience and consciousness of Allah, is not the same as the piety and religiosity, obedience, and consciousness of Allah of that one. Rather those who fulfil the obligations are better in terms of religiosity, obedience and consciousness of Allah thus they are also better in Imaan.” [89] “Majmoo’ al-Fataawa” (13/51, 55)

The aspects of the increasing and decreasing of Imaan:

1.   The general and the specific commands that Allah has commanded
Ibn Taymiyyah said, “The Imaan that was obligated upon people prior to the revelation of the entire Quran is not the same as the Imaan that is obligated after the revelation of the entire Quran. And the Imaan that is obligated upon the one who knows what the Messenger ? stated in its specifics is not the same as the Imaan that is obligated upon the one who knows what he ? stated in a general sense. It is vital in Imaan to believe in everything that the Messenger ? reported. However, whoever believed in the Messenger ? and died right after that, then they are not obligated with other than that from Imaan.” [90] “Majmoo’ al-Fataawa” (7/196)


2.   The general and the specific actions of the people
People - even if they are all equally obliged to have Imaan – are of various levels in their fulfilment of Imaan. Ibn Taymiyyah said, “Those who seek knowledge and its specifics and acts upon it, then their Imaan is more complete.  Those who are aware of that which is obligated upon them, and accept and confirm it, however they do not act upon all of it all the while they confirm that which the Messenger came with, recognise their sins, and fear the punishment of their Lord over their abandoning of their obligations, are more complete in Imaan than those who do not endeavour to know what the Messenger commanded, nor do they act upon it, nor do they fear being punished, rather they are heedless of the specifics of what the Messenger ? came with, despite them confirming his Prophethood inwardly and outwardly. Every time the heart knows what the Messenger reported and affirmed it, and followed that which he commanded, that is an increase in their Imaan over the one who does not attain all that, even if they adhered and confirmed it in a general sense. Likewise, the one who knows the Names of Allah and their meanings, then believed in them, their Imaan is more complete than the one who does not know these Names and sufficed with believing in them in a general sense, or they know some of them. The more a person increases in their knowledge of the Names of Allah and His Attributes and His signs, their Imaan through that becomes more complete.” [91] “Majmoo’ al-Fataawa” (7/233)

3.   knowledge and affirmation per se can be stronger in some than in others, and more established and further away from doubt and uncertainty

An-Nawawi said, “And the people are of distinctions in the affirmation of the heart depending upon their knowledge and their observations. One example on its increasing through knowledge is the statement of Allah, the Exalted, Which of you has been increased by this in Imaan?, and one example on observation is the statement of Allah, the Exalted, Then you will see it with the eye of certainty.; thus, it was distinguished over certain knowledge, and Allah knows best.” [92] “Sharh al-Bukhaaree” (2/711)

Ibn Taymiyyah said, “Every individual does notice this in themselves. The level of sensing of an object differs from one person to other like sighting the crescent Moon, which many people may see it, but some of them would have a clearer view of it than others. The same applies to the hearing of a particular sound, the smelling of a particular scent, and the tasting of a particular food. Like so, the cognisance of the heart and its affirmation are distinguished in greater degrees than that from different angles, and the distinction between people in their knowledge of the meanings that are to be believed in from the meanings of the Names of the Lord and His speech, is greater than the distinction between them in their knowledge of other than it.” [93] “Majmoo’ al-Fataawa” (7/234) | “al-Minhaj fi Shu’ab al-Imaan” – al-Halimi (1/55)

4.   The distinguishing between people in their cognisance of the heart
The cognisance of the heart differs from the angles of the general and the specific, strength and weakness, and continual mindfulness and heedlessness. The cognisance that is profound and present, whose possessor Allah preserves and keeps firm, is not like the condensed one whose possessor is ignorant of, and if they should encounter something doubtful in it then they fall into doubt.

Ibn Taymiyyah said, “The correct view according to the people of the Sunnah is that the cognisance that is in the hearts can be distinguished by degree.” [94] “Majmoo’ al-Fataawa” (7/407), (10/722) | “Sharh al-Kawkab al-Munir” – Ibn an-Najjar (1/63) And he stated that it is known that people are distinguished in their knowledge of the angels and their attributes, and are distinguished in their knowledge of the soul and its attributes, in their knowledge of the Jinn and their attributes, and in their knowledge of the afterlife and what is in it from blessing and punishment.  They are also distinguished in their knowledge of their own bodies and its attributes, its health, what ails it, and that which is related to it. If they are distinguished in their cognisance of all that, then the distinction between them in their cognisance of Allah is greater.” [95] “Majmoo’ al-Fataawa” (7/569)

As-Subkee said, “People are of various levels in terms of cognisance… and the highest among creation in terms of cognisance is the Prophet ? then the Prophets and angels according to their stations, and the lowest level is the obligatory cognisance that is necessary to salvation from the hellfire, and protection of blood. And between them are many levels, some of them obligatory, and others not, and all of that falls under the category of Imaan.” [96] “Ithaf as-Sadah al-Muttaqin” – az-Zabidi (2/280)

5.   People are distinguished in a massive way through the actions of the heart
The actions of the heart – such as love and awe, reverence and humility, conferral and trust, having modesty, yearning and fearful respect, fear and hope, and other than them – are all from the actions of Imaan, as has been indicated by the Quran and Sunnah and the agreement of the righteous predecessors of the nation. [97] “Majmoo’ al-Fataawa” (7/235)
Ibn Taymiyyah said, “What the righteous predecessors of the nation and its Imams maintained, was that Imaan of the heart itself is of distinctions.” [98] “Majmoo’ al-Fataawa” (6/479)

An example of this is love for people are of different levels regarding it; between the best of creation Muhammad ? and Ibraaheem (peace be upon him), and they are both friends of Allah, and the greatest of people in love for Him, through to the lowest of people in Imaan, such as the one who has in their heart an atom’s worth of Imaan, and whatever is between these two limits from levels. The distinction in love is something that is known to every person, through the love that is established in their heart for whatever they love, whether it is love for their child or their wife or their authority or their friend, or other than that. Their love for these things is of levels, furthermore they could even love a single thing at various levels, such that they would love it more in some times than in others. So, if this is the distinction of people in their love for these things, then their distinction in their love for Allah is greater. [99] “Majmoo’ al-Fataawa” (7/563)

Evidence from the Quran:
Allah, Most High, says: And yet from the people are those who have taken others as equals to Allah, loving them as they should love Allah. But the believers are stronger in their love for Allah al-Baqarah :165 The part (are stronger in their love) is the clearest indication of the distinction of people in their love, due to the usage of the superlative adjective in it.

Evidence from the Sunnah:
Narrated Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him): “The Messenger of Allah ? said, “None of you truly believe until I am more beloved to him than their parents, their children and all people.” [100] Reported by al-Bukhaaree (15) and the text is from him, and by Muslim (44) from the hadeeth of Anas, may Allah be pleased with him. The part “more beloved” clearly indicates a distinction i.e., whoever rejects that and says other than it, then they have gone against the Quran and the Sunnah, and has gone against language, rationality, and the physical senses.


6.   People are distinguished through outward actions by way of increase and decrease
The distinction between people in their increasing in actions and their decreasing, encompasses actions of the tongue, such as glorification, magnification, seeking forgiveness, remembrance, reciting the Quran, and other than them. It also encompasses the actions of the limbs, such as the prayer, pilgrimage, Jihad, charity, and other than them. These outward actions are from Imaan and included in its categorisation. And the distinction in them occurs as it occurs with the inward actions. Ibn Taymiyyah said regarding outward actions, “Indeed the people are of varying distinctions in them as they increase and decrease. And this is from what the people have agreed regarding its increase and decrease.” [101] “Majmoo’ al-Fataawa” (7/562) However, the speech of the tongue that is the Two Testimonies of Islam, has no element of increase and decrease. [102] “Majmoo’ al-Fataawa” (7/259)

Evidence from the Quran:
The Statement of Allah the Exalted: Indeed the believers are successful. Those who are humble in prayer. Those who avoid idle talk. Those who give the prescribed alms. Those who guard their private regions, except from their wives or what their right hand possesses of servants, for in them they are not blamed; thus, whoever desires beyond than that then they the transgressors. Those who fulfil their trusts and pledges. Those who preserve their prayers. They are the ones who will inherit reward, those who will inherit paradise wherein they shall reside eternally. al-Mu’minoon :1-11

Evidence from the Sunnah:
Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet ? said, “Imaan has sixty odd – or seventy odd – branches, and the most virtuous of them is the saying “There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah” and the least of them is removing harm from the road, and modesty is a branch of faith.” [103] Reported by al-Bukhaaree (9) in summary, and by Muslim (35) and the text is his.

These textual proofs mention a number of the actions that make part of Imaan that are done by the limbs, and people are of levels and distinctions in the conducting, preservation, and establishment of them.

7.   Imaan increases and decreases and variation between people in terms of Imaan depends on the presence of the heart regarding the matters of Imaan, their remembrance of them, their persistence and firmness upon them, and the absence of being heedless towards them
The one who knows something and is at the time heedless of it. is lesser than the one who knows something and is aware of it. And knowledge is prevented from being realised by heedlessness even if it is in the heart.
‘Umayr ibn Habeeb al-Khatmi (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “If we remember Allah Almighty and are in awe of him, then that is increasing it. And if we are heedless, wasteful, and oblivious, then that is decreasing it.” [104] Reported by ‘Abdullah ibn Ahmad in “as-Sunnah” (624), Ibn Abi Shaybah (30963), and al-Khallaal in “as-Sunnah” (1582)
Allah has pointed out in numerous places in His book the importance of remembrance and the danger of heedlessness, from them:
-      The Statement of Allah the Exalted: And remind, for indeed the reminder benefits the believers al-Thaariyaat :55
-      The Statement of Allah the Exalted: And do not obey those whose hearts we have made heedless of our remembrance, who followed their desires, and whose state is in loss. al-Kahf :28

Ibn Battah said, “He made the believers of distinctions in Imaan, and He raised some over others by degrees, then He made it for them that it increases and strengthens through cognisance and obedience and decreases and weakens through heedlessness and disobedience. And it is with this that the Book has been revealed, what the Sunnah maintained, and what the people of intellect from the Imams of this nation agreed upon.” [105] “al-Ibaanah al-Kubra” (2/832)

Ibn Taymiyyah said, “These ayaat that are recited contain insights and reminders; insights that prevent blindness and reminders that prevent heedlessness. They show the one who did not understand until they understand, and they remind the one who understood but forgot. And a person may read a Surah (chapter) many times, even Surah al-Fatihah, and something from its meanings becomes apparent to them in that state that did not occur to them before that, as if it was only revealed then, thus they believe in those meanings, and their actions and knowledge increase, and this is what happens with everyone who reads the Quran with contemplation, in contrast to the one who reads it while heedless of its meanings. Then every time they do something that they have been commanded to do, they were conscious of being commanded with it, thus they affirmed the command, so at that point they attained in their heart and affirmation of what they were previously heedless, otherwise they would be denying and rejecting it.” [106] “Majmoo’ al-Fataawa” (7/236)

8.   A person may reject and deny certain matters that they do not know are actually from Imaan, but once it is made clear to them that they are from Imaan, then they affirm that which they were previously in denial of. This is a new affirmation, and a new Imaan, by which they have increased their Imaan. And they were not before that a disbeliever, rather they were ignorant.

Anyone who innovates a mistaken opinion in the religion, or did a mistaken action, and they believe in the Messenger ? and they affirm that which he came with, then they come to know what he said and believe in it, and forsake the error they were upon, then they have increased in Imaan, as whoever learns what the Messenger came with and acts upon it, is more complete than the one who errs in that. And the one who learns that which is correct after their mistake, and acts upon it, is more complete than the one who does not. [107] “Majmoo’ al-Fataawa” (7/237)

The difference between this aspect and the first aspect, is that in the first one the person’s heart is void of denial or affirmation of anything from the specifics, thus they did not know nor reject anything of them. As for this eighth aspect then the person denied something from the specifics due to ignorance of it being from Imaan, then they believe it, thus they are increased in affirmation and Imaan.

9.   The distinction occurs due to the required reasons for it
The one who is reliant, in their affirmation and love, upon evidence necessitating certainty and leaving no room for opposing doubts - rather such evidences refute those doubts and expose their corruption – is not like the one whose affirmation is dependent on reasons other than that, such as blind followers, for their affirmation could waver and be tested with doubt and uncertainty due to the weakness of the reasons for their affirmation. Likewise, the one who possesses knowledge that has entrenched itself in them, such that they cannot dismiss or overlook, is not like the one who is confronted with doubts, so that they are in need of observation and research to remove them, and they may be unable to protect themselves from them, and unable to attain certainty in their beliefs. Every time the reasons for something are strengthened and increased in number, and the preventative factors have been removed and effaced; it further necessitates its perfection, strength and completeness, and the opposite is true. [108] “Majmoo’ al-Fataawa” (7/565)

Ibn ‘‘Uthaymeen said, “Belief increases and decreases with no doubt, and the evidence for that is rational and legislative. As for the rational evidence, then it is because beliefs are based upon knowledge, and knowledge is based on the means of attaining it, and those means differ, thus what that necessitates is that beliefs increase and decrease by way of the means of attaining it. That is a rational proof that beliefs increase and decrease. We can give a tangible example of this; if a trustworthy person were to tell you something you would believe what he said, then if a second one came with the same information your belief would increase. If a third and a fourth informed you, it further increases. Then if you were to witness that thing yourself then your belief would increase further and further.” [109] “Sharh al- ‘Aqeedah as-Safareeniyyah” (1/403-406)