The Hadith of Jibril and the Six Pillars of Iman

Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, said:

"بَيْنَمَا نَحْنُ جُلُوسٌ عِنْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ذَاتَ يَوْمٍ، إِذْ طَلَعَ عَلَيْنَا رَجُلٌ شَدِيدُ بَيَاضِ الثِّيَابِ، شَدِيدُ سَوَادِ الشَّعَرِ، لَا يُرَى عَلَيْهِ أَثَرُ السَّفَرِ، وَلَا يَعْرِفُهُ مِنَّا أَحَدٌ، حَتَّى جَلَسَ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَأَسْنَدَ رُكْبَتَيْهِ إِلَى رُكْبَتَيْهِ، وَوَضَعَ كَفَّيْهِ عَلَى فَخِذَيْهِ، وَقَالَ: يَا مُحَمَّدُ، أَخْبِرْنِي عَنِ الإِسْلَامِ. فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: الإِسْلَامُ أَنْ تَشْهَدَ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ، وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ، وَتُقِيمَ الصَّلَاةَ، وَتُؤْتِيَ الزَّكَاةَ، وَتَصُومَ رَمَضَانَ، وَتَحُجَّ البَيْتَ إِنِ اسْتَطَعْتَ إِلَيْهِ سَبِيلًا. قَالَ: صَدَقْتَ. فَعَجِبْنَا لَهُ يَسْأَلُهُ وَيُصَدِّقُهُ. قَالَ: فَأَخْبِرْنِي عَنِ الإِيمَانِ. قَالَ: أَنْ تُؤْمِنَ بِاللَّهِ، وَمَلَائِكَتِهِ، وَكُتُبِهِ، وَرُسُلِهِ، وَاليَوْمِ الآخِرِ، وَتُؤْمِنَ بِالقَدَرِ خَيْرِهِ وَشَرِّهِ. قَالَ: صَدَقْتَ. قَالَ: فَأَخْبِرْنِي عَنِ الإِحْسَانِ. قَالَ: أَنْ تَعْبُدَ اللَّهَ كَأَنَّكَ تَرَاهُ، فَإِنْ لَمْ تَكُنْ تَرَاهُ فَإِنَّهُ يَرَاكَ. قَالَ: فَأَخْبِرْنِي عَنِ السَّاعَةِ. قَالَ: مَا المَسْؤُولُ عَنْهَا بِأَعْلَمَ مِنَ السَّائِلِ. قَالَ: فَأَخْبِرْنِي عَنْ أَمَارَتِهَا. قَالَ: أَنْ تَلِدَ الأَمَةُ رَبَّتَهَا، وَأَنْ تَرَى الحُفَاةَ العُرَاةَ العَالَةَ رِعَاءَ الشَّاءِ يَتَطَاوَلُونَ فِي البُنْيَانِ. قَالَ: ثُمَّ انْطَلَقَ، فَلَبِثْتُ مَلِيًّا، ثُمَّ قَالَ لِي: يَا عُمَرُ، أَتَدْرِي مَنِ السَّائِلُ؟ قُلْتُ: اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَعْلَمُ. قَالَ: فَإِنَّهُ جِبْرِيلُ أَتَاكُمْ يُعَلِّمُكُمْ دِينَكُمْ".

“While we were sitting with the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, one day, a man appeared before us whose clothes were exceedingly white and whose hair was exceedingly black. No signs of travel could be seen upon him, and none of us knew him. He sat before the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, placed his knees against his knees, put his palms on his thighs, and said, ‘O Muhammad, tell me about Islam.’ The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, ‘Islam is that you testify that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, establish the prayer, give zakah, fast Ramadan, and perform pilgrimage to the House if you are able to find a way to it.’ He said, ‘You have spoken the truth.’ We were amazed that he asked him and then confirmed his answer. He said, ‘Tell me about iman.’ He said, ‘It is that you believe in Allah, His angels, His Books, His messengers, the Last Day, and divine decree, both its good and its evil.’ He said, ‘You have spoken the truth.’ He said, ‘Tell me about ihsan.’ He said, ‘It is that you worship Allah as though you see Him, and if you do not see Him, then indeed He sees you.’ He said, ‘Tell me about the Hour.’ He said, ‘The one questioned about it knows no more than the questioner.’ He said, ‘Then tell me about its signs.’ He said, ‘That the slave woman will give birth to her mistress, and that you will see barefoot, naked, destitute shepherds competing in constructing tall buildings.’ Then he departed. I remained for some time, and then he said to me, ‘O Umar, do you know who the questioner was?’ I said, ‘Allah and His Messenger know best.’ He said, ‘That was Jibril. He came to teach you your religion.’”

Narrated by Muslim.

This hadith brings together the three levels of the religion: Islam, iman, and ihsan. It also explains that iman has six pillars.

What Does Iman Mean According to Ahl al-Sunnah?

According to Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama‘ah, iman consists of words and deeds: the words of the heart and tongue, and the deeds of the heart and limbs. It increases through obedience and decreases through sin. It is not merely intellectual knowledge or a verbal claim with no effect on a person's actions.

Allah, the Exalted, says:

{إِنَّمَا المُؤْمِنُونَ الَّذِينَ إِذَا ذُكِرَ اللَّهُ وَجِلَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ، وَإِذَا تُلِيَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ آيَاتُهُ زَادَتْهُمْ إِيمَانًا، وَعَلَى رَبِّهِمْ يَتَوَكَّلُونَ}

“The believers are only those whose hearts tremble when Allah is mentioned, whose faith increases when His verses are recited to them, and who put their trust in their Lord.” [Al-Anfal 8:2]

The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

"الإِيمَانُ بِضْعٌ وَسَبْعُونَ، أَوْ بِضْعٌ وَسِتُّونَ شُعْبَةً، فَأَفْضَلُهَا قَوْلُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ، وَأَدْنَاهَا إِمَاطَةُ الأَذَى عَنِ الطَّرِيقِ، وَالحَيَاءُ شُعْبَةٌ مِنَ الإِيمَانِ".

“Iman has more than seventy, or more than sixty, branches. The best of them is the statement, ‘There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah,’ the least of them is removing something harmful from the road, and modesty is a branch of iman.”

Narrated by Muslim.

The hadith therefore brings together the belief of the heart, the words of the tongue, and the deeds of the limbs.

The First Pillar: Belief in Allah

Belief in Allah is the foundation of all foundations. It includes:

1. Believing in the existence of Allah, Glorified and Exalted.
2. Believing that He alone is the Lord, Creator, Owner, Controller, and Provider.
3. Directing every form of worship to Him alone. No one besides Allah is to be invoked or called upon for help in matters that only Allah can accomplish, and no sacrifice or devotional vow is to be offered to anyone but Him.
4. Believing in His Most Beautiful Names and sublime attributes as they have come in the Quran and Sunnah, without distortion, denial, asking how, or likening them to creation.

Allah, the Exalted, says:

{قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ * اللَّهُ الصَّمَدُ * لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ * وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ}

“Say: He is Allah, One. Allah, the Self-Sufficient. He neither begets nor is born, and there is none comparable to Him.” [Al-Ikhlas 112:1-4]

And He says:

{لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْءٌ، وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ البَصِيرُ}

“There is nothing like Him, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.” [Ash-Shura 42:11]

Allah, Glorified and Exalted, is described with attributes of perfection, and nothing in His creation resembles Him. Belief in His Lordship requires worshipping Him alone. It is not enough for a person to affirm that Allah is the Creator and then direct supplication, sacrifice, or vows to someone else.

For more detail, see Meaning of Tawheed and Its Three Categories.

The Second Pillar: Belief in the Angels

The angels are real beings from the unseen world. Allah created them from light. They are honored servants who do not disobey Allah in what He commands them and who do what they are commanded. They are not gods, children of Allah, symbolic forces, or imaginary beings.

Allah, the Exalted, says:

{يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا قُوا أَنْفُسَكُمْ وَأَهْلِيكُمْ نَارًا وَقُودُهَا النَّاسُ وَالحِجَارَةُ، عَلَيْهَا مَلَائِكَةٌ غِلَاظٌ شِدَادٌ لَا يَعْصُونَ اللَّهَ مَا أَمَرَهُمْ وَيَفْعَلُونَ مَا يُؤْمَرُونَ}

“O you who believe, protect yourselves and your families from a Fire whose fuel is people and stones, overseen by stern and severe angels who never disobey whatever Allah commands them and who do what they are commanded.” [At-Tahrim 66:6]

Aishah, may Allah be pleased with her, reported that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

"خُلِقَتِ المَلَائِكَةُ مِنْ نُورٍ، وَخُلِقَ الجَانُّ مِنْ مَارِجٍ مِنْ نَارٍ، وَخُلِقَ آدَمُ مِمَّا وُصِفَ لَكُمْ".

“The angels were created from light, the jinn were created from a smokeless flame of fire, and Adam was created from what has been described to you.”

Narrated by Muslim.

We believe in those whom Allah and His Messenger have named, such as Jibril and Mika’il, and in the duties authentically established for them. Among them are those entrusted with revelation, those entrusted with blowing the Trumpet, those who record people's deeds, and the keepers of Paradise and Hell. We do not name an angel or assign a particular duty to one without evidence.

It is not permissible to invoke angels or call upon them for help. They are servants of Allah and possess none of the exclusive qualities of Lordship or any right to worship.

The Third Pillar: Belief in the Books

Belief in the Books means affirming that Allah sent down Books containing His speech to His messengers as guidance for His servants, and that those Books were true when revealed. We believe in those Allah has named: the Quran, the Tawrah, the Injil, the Zabur, and the Scriptures of Ibrahim and Musa. We believe generally in those He has not named for us.

The Quran is the final revealed Book. It is the uncreated speech of Allah, revealed to Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him. Allah has preserved it from alteration and made it an authority over the Books that came before it and a judge over them.

Allah, the Exalted, says:

{وَأَنْزَلْنَا إِلَيْكَ الكِتَابَ بِالحَقِّ مُصَدِّقًا لِمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ مِنَ الكِتَابِ وَمُهَيْمِنًا عَلَيْهِ، فَاحْكُمْ بَيْنَهُمْ بِمَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ، وَلَا تَتَّبِعْ أَهْوَاءَهُمْ عَمَّا جَاءَكَ مِنَ الحَقِّ، لِكُلٍّ جَعَلْنَا مِنْكُمْ شِرْعَةً وَمِنْهَاجًا، وَلَوْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ لَجَعَلَكُمْ أُمَّةً وَاحِدَةً وَلَكِنْ لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ فِي مَا آتَاكُمْ، فَاسْتَبِقُوا الخَيْرَاتِ، إِلَى اللَّهِ مَرْجِعُكُمْ جَمِيعًا فَيُنَبِّئُكُمْ بِمَا كُنْتُمْ فِيهِ تَخْتَلِفُونَ}

“We have revealed to you the Book in truth, confirming the Scriptures that came before it and as an authority over them. So judge between them by what Allah has revealed, and do not follow their desires away from the truth that has come to you. To each of you We prescribed a law and a way. Had Allah willed, He could have made you one community, but He intended to test you in what He has given you. So compete in good deeds. To Allah you will all return, and He will inform you concerning that over which you used to differ.” [Al-Ma’idah 5:48]

And He says:

{إِنَّا نَحْنُ نَزَّلْنَا الذِّكْرَ وَإِنَّا لَهُ لَحَافِظُونَ}

“Indeed, We have sent down the Reminder, and indeed, We will surely preserve it.” [Al-Hijr 15:9]

We believe in the earlier Books as Allah originally revealed them, but we do not believe that every copy in existence today has remained entirely in its original form without alteration. After Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, was sent, all people were required to follow him. His law is the final law and supersedes those before it, so no earlier law may be followed independently as an act of worship. We follow whatever rulings from earlier communities his law has affirmed because the law of Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, affirmed them.

The Fourth Pillar: Belief in the Messengers

Belief in the messengers means affirming that Allah selected messengers from among human beings, gave them revelation, and sent them to His servants as bearers of good news and warners. All of them called people to worship Allah alone and avoid shirk.

Allah, the Exalted, says:

{وَلَقَدْ بَعَثْنَا فِي كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ رَسُولًا أَنِ اعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ وَاجْتَنِبُوا الطَّاغُوتَ، فَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ هَدَى اللَّهُ، وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ حَقَّتْ عَلَيْهِ الضَّلَالَةُ، فَسِيرُوا فِي الأَرْضِ فَانْظُرُوا كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ المُكَذِّبِينَ}

“We certainly sent into every nation a messenger, saying, ‘Worship Allah and avoid false gods.’ Some of them Allah guided, while others were destined to stray. So travel through the land and see what was the end of the deniers.” [An-Nahl 16:36]

We believe in every prophet and messenger whom Allah has named, and we believe generally in those He has not named. We do not deny or belittle any of them. They were created human beings and servants of Allah who possessed none of the exclusive qualities of divinity, and they conveyed the messages of their Lord.

Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, is the final prophet. Allah sent him to all people. There is no prophet after him, and after his mission began no one may follow a religion other than the Islam that he brought.

Allah, the Exalted, says:

{مَا كَانَ مُحَمَّدٌ أَبَا أَحَدٍ مِنْ رِجَالِكُمْ وَلَكِنْ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَخَاتَمَ النَّبِيِّينَ، وَكَانَ اللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمًا}

“Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but he is the Messenger of Allah and the seal of the prophets. Allah has perfect knowledge of all things.” [Al-Ahzab 33:40]

Allah's statement, {لَا نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِنْ رُسُلِهِ}, “We make no distinction between any of His messengers,” means that we do not believe in some and disbelieve in others. It does not mean that they are equal in rank, for Allah favored some prophets over others.

The Fifth Pillar: Belief in the Last Day

Belief in the Last Day means firmly affirming everything Allah and His Messenger have informed us will occur after death. This includes the trial, bliss, and punishment of the grave; resurrection; gathering; judgment; the records of deeds; the Scale; the Prophet's Hawd; the Sirat; intercession; Paradise and Hell; and the believers seeing their Lord in the Hereafter.

Allah, the Exalted, says:

{وَأَنَّ السَّاعَةَ آتِيَةٌ لَا رَيْبَ فِيهَا، وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ يَبْعَثُ مَنْ فِي القُبُورِ}

“And the Hour is certainly coming, there is no doubt about it, and Allah will surely resurrect those in the graves.” [Al-Hajj 22:7]

And He says:

{كُلُّ نَفْسٍ ذَائِقَةُ المَوْتِ، وَإِنَّمَا تُوَفَّوْنَ أُجُورَكُمْ يَوْمَ القِيَامَةِ، فَمَنْ زُحْزِحَ عَنِ النَّارِ وَأُدْخِلَ الجَنَّةَ فَقَدْ فَازَ، وَمَا الحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا إِلَّا مَتَاعُ الغُرُورِ}

“Every soul will taste death, and you will only be paid in full on the Day of Resurrection. Whoever is kept away from the Fire and admitted into Paradise has truly succeeded. The life of this world is nothing but the enjoyment of delusion.” [Ali ‘Imran 3:185]

Among the greatest delights of the people of Paradise is that the believers will truly see their Lord with their eyes in a manner befitting His majesty, without encompassing Him or asking how. Allah, Glorified and Exalted, says:

{وُجُوهٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ نَاضِرَةٌ * إِلَى رَبِّهَا نَاظِرَةٌ}

“On that Day some faces will be radiant, looking at their Lord.” [Al-Qiyamah 75:22-23]

Intercession on the Day of Resurrection belongs to Allah. No one intercedes except with His permission, and intercession will not save anyone from the Fire except those whose Tawheed Allah is pleased with. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, has a particular intercession for his uncle Abu Talib by which his punishment is reduced, though he is not removed from the Fire. It is therefore not permissible to ask the dead for intercession or invoke them besides Allah.

Allah, the Exalted, says:

{وَكَمْ مِنْ مَلَكٍ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ لَا تُغْنِي شَفَاعَتُهُمْ شَيْئًا إِلَّا مِنْ بَعْدِ أَنْ يَأْذَنَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُ وَيَرْضَى}

“How many angels are in the heavens whose intercession is of no benefit whatsoever except after Allah gives permission to whomever He wills and approves.” [An-Najm 53:26]

Paradise and Hell have been created and already exist. Allah has prepared Paradise for the righteous and Hell for the disbelievers, and neither will come to an end. Whoever dies upon Tawheed while carrying sins that did not remove him from Islam remains under Allah's will: if He wills, He forgives him, and if He wills, He punishes him. Any sinful monotheist who enters the Fire will not remain there forever.

Allah, the Exalted, says:

{إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَغْفِرُ أَنْ يُشْرَكَ بِهِ، وَيَغْفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَلِكَ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُ، وَمَنْ يُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ فَقَدِ افْتَرَى إِثْمًا عَظِيمًا}

“Indeed, Allah does not forgive associating partners with Him, but He forgives anything less than that for whomever He wills. Whoever associates partners with Allah has certainly fabricated a tremendous sin.” [An-Nisa 4:48]

Belief in the Last Day leads a Muslim to prepare through righteous deeds, restore people's rights, fear the reckoning, and hope in Allah's mercy.

The Sixth Pillar: Belief in Divine Decree, Its Good and Its Evil

Belief in divine decree means affirming that Allah knows everything, has written the decrees of creation, that whatever He wills occurs and whatever He does not will does not occur, and that He is the Creator of everything. Ahl al-Sunnah explain divine decree through four levels:

1. Knowledge: Allah has always known everything and will always know everything. Nothing is hidden from Him.
2. Writing: Allah wrote the decrees of creation in the Preserved Tablet.
3. Will: Whatever Allah wills occurs, and whatever He does not will does not occur.
4. Creation: Allah is the Creator of everything, including people, their abilities, and their deeds.

Allah, the Exalted, says:

{إِنَّا كُلَّ شَيْءٍ خَلَقْنَاهُ بِقَدَرٍ}

“Indeed, We have created everything according to a precise decree.” [Al-Qamar 54:49]

And He says:

{أَلَمْ تَعْلَمْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ مَا فِي السَّمَاءِ وَالأَرْضِ، إِنَّ ذَلِكَ فِي كِتَابٍ، إِنَّ ذَلِكَ عَلَى اللَّهِ يَسِيرٌ}

“Do you not know that Allah knows whatever is in the heaven and the earth? Indeed, it is all in a Record. That is certainly easy for Allah.” [Al-Hajj 22:70]

A person has a real will and ability through which he acts, refrains, and is held accountable, but these remain under Allah's will. Ahl al-Sunnah do not say that a person is compelled and has no choice, nor do they say that his deeds fall outside Allah's knowledge, will, and creation.

Allah, the Exalted, says:

{لِمَنْ شَاءَ مِنْكُمْ أَنْ يَسْتَقِيمَ * وَمَا تَشَاءُونَ إِلَّا أَنْ يَشَاءَ اللَّهُ رَبُّ العَالَمِينَ}

“For whoever among you wills to take the Straight Way. But you cannot will unless Allah, the Lord of all worlds, wills.” [At-Takwir 81:28-29]

Believing in divine decree, its good and its evil, means that everything that occurs, whether pleasant or painful, falls within Allah's knowledge, writing, will, and creation. All of Allah's actions are founded upon wisdom and justice, so pure evil is not attributed to Him. Some decreed matters may involve pain or evil relative to the servant, while Allah has profound wisdom in them.

It is not permissible to use divine decree as an excuse for sin. Allah gave a person will and ability, commanded and prohibited him, and did not show him what had been decreed for him before he acted. Rather, he believes in divine decree, seeks Allah's help in obeying Him, repents when he sins, and remains patient when calamity strikes.

How Do the Pillars of Iman Affect a Muslim's Life?

Sound belief in these pillars produces:

1. Sincere worship of Allah, confidence in Him, and reliance upon Him.
2. Awareness that Allah is watching, because the angels record a person's deeds.
3. Reverence for the Quran and seeking guidance through it.
4. Love for the messengers and following the last of them, Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him.
5. Preparing to meet Allah and not being deceived by worldly life.
6. Patience during calamity, gratitude during blessings, and avoidance of helplessness and passive dependence.
7. Increased obedience and distance from shirk, superstition, and speaking about Allah without knowledge.