26.5 AL ISTITHNAA - TO SAY "I AM A BELIEVER
[MU-MIN] IF ALLAAH HAS WILLED".
The people have three different rulings concerning this:
26.5.1 THAT AL ISTITHNAA IS PROHIBITED.
This is what the Muji-ah, Jahmeeyah and others say. The source for this is explained in 25.4.
26.5.2 THAT AL ISTITHNAA IS OBLIGATORY.
26.5.2.1 Some explain this by saying that Eemaan is
what one dies upon, and no one knows this except Allaah, so al Istithnaa is
obligatory. This false reason is given by the Kullaabeeyah and others, but it's
not known that the Salaf used this reason.
26.5.2.2 Others explain this by saying that complete
Eemaan comprises of acting upon all the ordered deeds and abondoning every
prohibited deed, and no one can be certain of this. And if some was certain of
this he'd be basically claiming to be a person of Paradise - and that is not
correct. And some of the Salaf did give this as a reason for making al Istithnaa
obligatory.
26.5.3 THAT DETAIL IS FIRST NEEDED.
26.5.3.1 If the Phrase is Said Due to Having Doubt in
the Very Presence of the Basis of Eemaan, then this prohibited, and indeed is
Kufr, for Eemaan is something to be certain about.
26.5.3.2 If the Phrase is Said from Fear that One's
Heart is Not Pure and that one's testification has not reached the reality of
complete Eemaan in terms of speech, action and beleief, then this is correct and
obligatory.
26.5.3.3 If the Phrase is Said to Seek Blessings by
Mentioning Allaah's Will and that it's a way of entertaining hope in being a
Mu-min and that it's a way of saying that whatever exists of Eemaan is dependant
on Allaah's Will, then this is permitted.
26.5.3.4 And Connecting Allaah's Will is this Way is
Not Wrong - it does not contradict the certainty of what one is hoping for -
e.g. (48):27.