Hadith #1275

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. May peace and blessings be upon our beloved Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ), his pure progeny, and his noble companions.

The Hadith of Imam Ali (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) states,

Faith without piety is of no benefit.

Let us delve into the connotation of this statement in light of the Quran.

Firstly, let us understand the key words in this Hadith. "Iman" refers to faith or belief in Islam, while "taqwa" signifies piety, righteousness, and consciousness of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ). The word "la yanfa'u" emphasizes the futility and lack of benefit in having faith without piety.

The Quran repeatedly emphasizes the importance of both faith and piety. In Surah Al-Hujurat (49:14), Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ) says,

The Bedouins say, 'We have believed.' Say, 'You have not [yet] believed; but say [instead], 'We have submitted,' for faith has not yet entered your hearts. And if you obey Allah and His Messenger, He will not deprive you from your deeds of anything. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.

This verse highlights that mere verbal profession of faith is not sufficient. True faith must penetrate the depths of the heart and manifest in righteous actions. It is through obedience to Allah and His Messenger (ﷺ) that faith becomes genuine and beneficial.

Furthermore, in Surah Al-Baqarah (2:197), Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ) says,

Hajj is [during] well-known months, so whoever has made Hajj obligatory upon himself therein [by entering the state of ihram], there is [to be for him] no sexual relations and no disobedience and no disputing during Hajj. And whatever good you do - Allah knows it. And take provisions, but indeed, the best provision is taqwa. So fear Me, O you of understanding.

This verse emphasizes that the best provision for the journey of life, including the pilgrimage of Hajj, is taqwa. It is through piety and consciousness of Allah that our actions become meaningful and beneficial.

The Hadith of Imam Ali (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) reminds us that faith without piety is empty and devoid of benefit. It serves as a wake-up call to Muslims, urging us to reflect on the state of our hearts and the sincerity of our actions.

When faith is not accompanied by piety, it becomes superficial and lacks substance. It may be reduced to mere rituals and empty words, devoid of any transformative power. Such faith does not bring about positive change in an individual's character or society as a whole.

Piety, on the other hand, is the driving force behind righteous actions. It is the conscious effort to align our thoughts, words, and deeds with the pleasure of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ). Piety motivates us to fulfill our obligations, avoid sins, and strive for excellence in all aspects of our lives.

Faith without piety can lead to hypocrisy, as mentioned in Surah Al-Munafiqun (63:1-2), where Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ) says,

When the hypocrites come to you, [O Muhammad], they say, 'We testify that you are the Messenger of Allah.' And Allah knows that you are His Messenger, and Allah testifies that the hypocrites are liars. They have taken their oaths as a cover, so they averted [people] from the way of Allah. Indeed, it was evil that they were doing.

This verse highlights the danger of having faith without piety. Hypocrites may outwardly profess faith, but their actions contradict their words. They use their faith as a facade to deceive others and divert them from the path of Allah.

In conclusion, the Hadith of Imam Ali (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) serves as a reminder to Muslims that faith without piety is of no benefit. It calls us to introspect and evaluate the sincerity of our faith and the righteousness of our actions. True faith is one that is accompanied by piety, as emphasized by the Quranic verses we have explored. May Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ) grant us the ability to cultivate genuine faith and piety in our lives.