The Wisdom Behind the Arrangement of the Pillars of Eemaan

By Shaykh Saalih Ibn Fawzaan al-Fawzaan

A look into the arrangement of the Pillars of Eemaan and the hikmah, wisdom, that exist
within their ordering.
Then comes the mention of belief in the Angels and Messengers because they are the
mediators between Allaah and His creation regarding the conveyance of His messages.
Thus, the Angels descend with the revelation (from Allaah) and bring it to the Messengers
and the Messengers convey it to the people.

There is wisdom behind - and Allaah knows best- the arrangement of the pillars of Eemaan in the
verses of the Qur’aan and the ahaadeeth, although the waaw (‫ )و‬doesn't exactly necessitate
arrangement:

The pillars of Eemaan have begun with belief in Allaah because it is absolutely the foundation and
(all) the other pillars aside from it come in succession to it.

Then comes the mention of belief in the Angels and Messengers because they are the mediators
between Allaah and His creation regarding the conveyance of His messages. Thus, the Angels
descend with the revelation (from Allaah) and bring it to the Messengers and the Messengers
convey it to the people. The Most High says,

ّ ‫ل ِإَل ٰـَه ِإ‬

‫ل‬ َ ‫ن َأنِذُروا َأّنُه‬
ْ ‫عَباِدِه َأ‬
ِ ‫ن‬
ْ ‫شاُء ِم‬
َ ‫عَل ٰى َمن َي‬َ ‫ن َأْمِرِه‬
ْ ‫ح ِم‬
ِ ‫لِئَكَة ِبالّرو‬
َ ‫ل اْلَم‬
ُ ‫ُيَنّز‬
ِ ‫َأَنا َفاّتُقو‬
‫ن‬

“He sends down the Angels with inspiration of His Command to whom of His slaves He
pleases (saying): ‘Warn mankind that none has the right to be worshipped in truth except I,
so fear Me.”

[Sooratun-Nahl 16:2]
Thereafter is mention of belief in the books because they are the criterion and returning point that
which the Prophets and Messengers, 'alayhim as-salaatu was-salaam, came with by way of the
Angels from Allaah the Most High, in order to judge between the people in that which they differ.
The Most High says,

َ ‫حُكمَ َبْي‬
‫ن‬ ْ ‫ق ِلَي‬
ّ‫ح‬َ ‫ب ِباْل‬
َ ‫ل َمعَُهُم اْلِكَتا‬
َ ‫ن َوَأنَز‬
َ ‫ن َوُمنِذِري‬
َ ‫شِري‬
ّ ‫ن ُمَب‬
َ ‫ث الّلـُه الّنِبّيي‬
َ ‫َفَبَع‬
ِ ‫الّنا‬
‫س‬

‫خَتَلُفوا ِفيِه‬
ْ ‫ِفيَما ا‬

“… Allaah sent Prophets with glad tidings and warnings, and with them He sent the
Scripture in truth to judge between people in matters wherein they differ.”

[Sooratul-Baqarah 2:213]

Afterwards is mention of belief in the Last Day as it is the appointment of recompense for (all of)
the actions which is the outcome and fruits behind belief in Allah, His Angels, His books and His
Messengers or the denial of them. For that reason, from the adequacy of the Divine Justice (of
Allah) is the establishment of this Day to judge between the oppressor and the oppressed and the
establishment of 'adl (equity) between the people.

Lastly is the mention of belief in the Qadaa' and Qadr due to its extreme importance in driving the
believer towards the performance of righteous actions and adopting the proper and beneficial
means (i.e. in obtaining provisions, etc.) together with reliance upon Allaah, the One free from all
imperfections. In order to make evident that there isn't any contradiction between the legislation of
Allaah that He sent His Messengers with and revealed His books based upon and between His
judgement and pre-decree. Contrary to those who erroneously believe that from the innovators
and polytheists who say,

‫حّرْمَنا ِمن ُدوِنِه ِمن‬

َ ‫ل‬
َ ‫ل آَباُؤَنا َو‬
َ ‫ن َو‬
ُ‫ح‬ْ ‫يٍء ّن‬
ْ ‫ش‬
َ ‫عَبْدَنا ِمن ُدوِنِه ِمن‬
َ ‫شاَء الّلـُه َما‬
َ ْ‫َلو‬
 ‫يٍء‬
ْ ‫ش‬
َ

“…If Allah had willed neither we nor our fathers would have worshipped aught but Him, nor
would we have forbidden anything without (a command from) Him.”
[Sooratun-Nahl 16:35]

They (tried) to justify that which they were upon from disbelief (claiming) that Allaah decreed it for
them. So if He decreed it for them then He must have been pleased with it from them - as they
claim. So Allaah rebutted them with the fact that if He was - so called - pleased with it then He
would not have sent His Messengers with the disavowal of it, as He says,

ُ ‫غ اْلُمِبي‬
‫ن‬ ُ‫ل‬َ ‫ل اْلَب‬
ّ ‫ل ِإ‬
ِ‫س‬ُ ‫عَلى الّر‬
َ ‫ل‬
ْ ‫َفَه‬

“…Then! Are the Messengers charged with anything but to convey clearly the Message?”
[Sooratun-Nahl 16:35]

Translator: Abu Fouzaan Qaasim

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