The Components of Iman
The classical consensus (Ash’ari and Maturidi schools):
- Tasdiq bi’l-qalb (assent of the heart) — genuine inner conviction of the truth of Islam’s core commitments
- Iqrar bi’l-lisan (declaration with the tongue) — the shahada and verbal profession (required for the legal effects of being Muslim, unless physically prevented)
- The Murji’a school added: ‘amal bi’l-arkan (action with the limbs) — ritual performance; the Ash’ari school rejected this as a component of iman itself, holding that iman can be complete even in a person who sins (though the sinner may face punishment)
The Mu’tazila held that a grave sinner occupies a “station between two stations” (manzila bayna manzilatayn) — neither fully believer nor fully disbeliever.
The Nullifiers of Iman
Classical jurists identified specific statements and actions that nullify iman — the nawaqid al-iman:
- Explicit rejection of a known necessity of the religion
- Mockery of the Prophet or core religious obligations
- Association (shirk) — affirming that something shares in God’s divinity
These are distinct from major sins (kaba’ir), which do not nullify iman in the Ash’ari/Maturidi view.
Legal Consequences
Marriage: A nikah between a Muslim and a kafir is invalid. If a spouse commits an act of kufr, the marriage may be affected (the classical schools differ on whether it is automatically dissolved or requires formal dissolution).
Inheritance: A kafir does not inherit from a Muslim and vice versa — the classic ruling.
Burial: A person who died in a state of kufr is not given Islamic burial rites.
The Caution About Takfir
Classical scholars (particularly Hanafi scholars) were extremely cautious about making a determination of kufr about any individual Muslim: “if there are 99 paths to kufr and one path to iman, take the path of iman”. The modern misuse of takfir (declaring Muslims to be kuffar) violates this classical caution.
See also: Ilm Al Kalam Al Ashari, Ilm Al Usul, Tawil Esoteric Interpretation, Understanding Walayah, Fiqh Al Iqrar