Iman is proven by truth and action
“To express that belief verbally, that is mandatory.”
True iman is proven by both verbal testimony (qawl) and lived action (amal), and its real measure is akhlaq, a believer must purge the four signs of hypocrisy: lying, cursing in anger, breaking promises, and betraying trusts.
The khutbah in 8 steps
- Opening question: what is iman and what is its sign?
- Imam Bukhari's answer: iman is qawl wa amal, verbal testimony plus action
- Why verbal testimony is mandatory: the dying person's last words and the shahadah example
- Digression on nikah and talaq as cases where words, not intentions, count; talaq as bitter medicine
- Warning against quoting a single hadith without knowing its exceptions
- Iman requires tongue and heart together; words without belief make a munafiq
- Exegesis of 'Ya ayyuhal-lazeena amanu... waqulu qawlan sadida': how Allah addresses different audiences, and the command to speak firmly and truthfully
- The four signs of a hypocrite (lying, cursing, breaking promises, betraying trust) with punctuality anecdotes; conclusion: akhlaq is the heaviest deed on the scale
In the khateeb's words
“So, I guess you'll say that Iman means to believe in Allah, Rasul, and the rest, which is fine.”
“Amal is, our actions in life, actions in life, should show that this person believes in la ilaha illallah muhammad rasulullah.”
“At least once in your lifetime, you have to say, la ilaha illallah muhammad rasulullah.”
“But to express that belief verbally, that is mandatory.”
For the dinner table
Today Imam Tariq Rasheed taught us that real Iman has two parts: saying la ilaha illallah muhammad rasulullah with our tongue, and living in a way that shows we mean it. He warned us that bad character, lying, cursing, breaking promises, and betraying trust, can hide behind prayers and fasting, and those habits are signs of hypocrisy. The good news is that good character is the heaviest thing on our scale on the Day of Judgment, even more than salah, sadaqah, or fasting. So let's be people who keep our word, speak kindly even when angry, and treat others with honesty and trust, because that is what makes a true believer.
- When was the last time you had to choose between saying something mean and keeping quiet?
- What is one promise you can keep better this week?
- How can you show you believe in Allah by the way you treat a classmate?
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