Faith (IMAN

when all human beings of the past and the future will be gathered and called to account, then the sum of these inner states is what we call faith. The true spirit of faith is trust. This trust relates to a Being whom we cannot see with our eyes, and this is why the idea of certainty comes into it. In the same way, believing in God along with all His attributes necessarily means fearing His displeasure and being concerned about saving oneself from His punishment; this is why piety and fear must accompany faith. Thus, if we bring together three words to explain the Quranic concept of faith—certainty, trust, and fear—we come very close to its true essence. In its true essence, iman is total trust in God and His Messenger, arising from complete conviction. And fear of God is that inner awareness which compels a person to make obedience to Him binding upon himself, even without any external force such as police or military authority. Certainty, which is the first component of faith, is not something imported from outside; rather, it is a living awareness of a truth hidden within human