Is Imaan created?


Our Imaan is created, due to it being a belief of our hearts, a saying of our tongues, and an action of our limbs. As for what we believe in, then some of it is created, and some of it is not; for Allah, Glorified be He, is not created, nor is His Speech, likewise neither are His Attributes or Actions created. As for His angels, His Messengers, and the Last Day, then they are all created. Ahmad ibn Hanbal was asked about Imaan: whether it is created or not, so he said, “As for what was from the heard then that is not created, and as for what was from the actions of the limbs then that is created.” [323] “Tabaqaat al-Hanaabilah” (1/94) Ibn Qutaybah said, “Imaan is created, due to it being pronouncement of the tongue, belief of the heart, and action of the limbs. And all these are actions of the servants, then these distinct characteristics are combined by Allah within His servants, and the Messenger, ?, named them Imaan.” [324] “al-Ikhtilaf fi al-Lafdhi wa ar-Raddi ‘ala al-Jahmiyyah” (p.66)

Ibn Taymiyyah said, “If it is asked, “Is Imaan created or not?” then it is said to them, “What do you mean by Imaan? Do you mean something from the Attributes of Allah and His Speech, such as the saying “There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah” and “His Imaan” which indicates His name of al-Mu’min (The Infuser of Faith)? For that is not created. Or do you mean something from the actions of the servants and their attributes, for all servants are created, and all their actions and attributes are created. And it is not for the created slave who came into existence after not existing to have an attribute which existed from eternity and is not created, and no one who is aware of what they say could say this. Once such an enquiry is made and the answer is elaborated guidance becomes clear, and the path is shown. It has been said that most of the disagreements between rational thinkers is due to the commonality between Names and their like, which led to excessive debates among people regarding negating and affirming what these common names constitute, if, however, the discourse is elaborated and detailed what is erroneous becomes clearer distinguishable from what is correct. What is obligatory upon creation is that whatever has been affirmed by the Quran and the Sunnah, they are to affirm it, and whatever the Book and Sunnah negate they are to negate it, and whatever the Book and Sunnah do neither affirm nor negate, they are to clarify and elaborate upon what is the intent of the speaker.” [325] “Majmoo’ al-Fataawa” (7/664)

Ibn ‘Uthaymeen said, “As for Imaan: is it created or not? That is a recent question, which came after the occurrence of the issue regarding the Creation of the Quran, after which the people of Kal?m began discussing and asking: whether the Imaan of the slave is created or not? … What is correct is that we say that our entire Imaan is created, and the Quran is not Imaan. However, the recitation of the Quran is from Imaan, due to Imaan being according to us – the people of Sunnah – speech of the tongue, action of the limbs, and firm belief in the heart.

Based on this, if someone said that their Imaan is created, then they have told the truth. As for what they believe in specifically then elaboration would be needed. Some of it is created and some of it is not. The Messenger of Allah ? is created and I am a believer in him, while the Quran is not created, and I am a believer in it. Likewise, with Imaan in Allah and His angels, His books, His Messengers, and the Last Day; for the angels are created, while the books of God are not. The Imaan in the Messengers is to have Imaan in a created thing, and similarly the Last Day is created. Thus, some of what is believed in is created and some of it is not. As for simply the Imaan of the slave then that is created, due to it being something which came into existence, for the slave himself was nothing, then they came into being and his Imaan came into existence as well. And it is by this that the correct position is that it is permissible for a person to say that their Imaan is created due to them being created.” [326] “Sharh al- ‘Aqeedah as-Safareeniyyah” (1/415-417)