Questions of An American Muslim/4

Question 4

It is said that if a person recites Kalima Shahadat (formula of faith) that is Ash hadu an laa ilaaha illalLaah wa Ash hadu anna Muhammad-ar-rasululLah. He becomes a Muslim. If this is the only condition of becoming a Muslim, can this be a standard of Muslim? For example how can we consider a person Muslims Who can neither prays nor fasts or gives Zakat. He doesn’t even refrains from the things made haraam by Allah. Aren’t such people Muslims only in name?

Answer: There are many grades of being Muslim. The first is faith in the oneness of Allah and the Prophet hood of the Holy Prophet (S) which the two sentences of Kalima Shahadatain states. The next stages are related to the Islamic rules and regulations and the things which are the cause of everlasting happiness are the good deeds related to the faith.

Therefore if one has the faith in the above-mentioned two principles, that is Tawhidand Nubuwwat but his actions are not in conformity with Islam he will have the rights in the society that are fixed for a Muslim but he cannot be a true Muslim eligible for salvation and the goodness of hereafter.

Philosophy of Islamic Laws:Ayatullah Naser Makarem Shirazi, Ayatullah Jafar Subhani