mumin and muslim

[munir rana]

Dear brother Joseph,

Salamun Alaikum.

I have read your article on the difference between mumin and muslim. It is pretty convincing. But after reading a verse a question arises in my mind. That is  3:102.

`O you who believe! Fear Allah as He should be feared, and die not except as muslims.' (3:102)

As i understood from your article, believer is a better position. you said, `For example, one may be a Muslim but may not yet be a 'Mu'min' (believer) as true faith has not yet entered their hearts.' This is also supported by Quran.

My question is, why Allah asks believers to `die not except as muslims.'

Take Care.

Best Wishes for your here and hereafter.

Munir Rana

[munir rana]

Brother Joseph

Salam.

Extremely sorry for the wrong wording in my last post, brother. I addressed you by saying borother. Believe me, it was just a slip of key. I am ashamed. Sorry again.
I dont know how to edit it. If anyone from moderators do it, i would be grateful.

Thanks.

Munir Rana

[Donald Hysa]

Maybe Allah says that cause all non muslims will go to hell

[Seraphina]

Salam,
Firstly, we should keep in mind that when the Quran was being revealed, the primary audience consisted of Arab pagans (idol worshipers), and the jews and/or christians. First of them are called 'disbelievers', and the second 'people of the book', which means people to whom the previous divine books were sent to, and/or people who believe the veracity of previous divine books. Among the category of 'people of the book' were some who had forsaken the laws of God contained in their books and were deceived, And there were also among the people of the book who still believed in God and were submitted to him, and tried their best to uphold the laws of their scriptures. They needed time to examine the facts that Muhammad was indeed sent from the same God they believed, who had previously spoken to Noah, Abraham, Moses, Samuel, Joshua, David, Solomon, Jesus, and so on.
So, a muslim is one who submits to God and his beliefs and lifestyle are based in the laws given by Him through prophets in His scriptures. Noah's followers were muslims, Abraham's followers were muslims, Moses's followers were muslims, Jesus's followers were muslims, and so on. A follower of prophet Muhammad is also a muslim, but he is also named 'mumin'. A 'mumin' is a muslim who lived from the time of Muhammad and on. He is a muslim because he accepts and follows previous messengers, but he is a mumin because he has known and accepted the final divine message in its perfected, universal form, (which was not reached from a follower of Jesus for example). Note also the way the Quran addresses the Muhammad's followers in this verse: "The Prophet is closer to the believers (bil-mu'minīna) than their own selves, and his wives are their mothers."(Al-Ahzab, 6)(Yusuf Ali translation). Muhammad's wives are 'mothers of mumins', not mothers of every muslim since Noah's time, but only of the muslims from Muhammad's time and on.
Secondly, one may be a muslim but not yet a mumin. In what sense? well, one may have submitted to God and may show obedience with practice and purpose, but true 'imaan' (deep belief) has still not enetered deep in their hearts. For instance, he might have submitted to God, and his practices and purposes are towards God's pleasure, but yet when he is affected by a disgrace he's despaired and feels himself far away from God. Or he's still afraid from his enemies and he can't put his trust completely to God. You get the idea. It is ilustrated best in this verse: "The desert Arabs say, "We believe." Say, "Ye have no faith; but ye (only)say, 'We have submitted our wills to Allah,' For not yet has Faith entered your hearts. But if ye obey Allah and His Messenger, He will not belittle aught of your deeds: for Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."(Al-Hujurat, 14)(Yusuf Ali translation).
Planting the imaan deep in our hearts, developing a steadfast belief and rely on God is not something easy, it requires patience, work with self-improvement, and studying the scriptures which help us know God better how he's like, what has he done for humanity in the past and what will he do in the future, because knowing these things about God is the basis of everything else - we can't love and serve a God we don't know. And this can't be achieved overnight. There are people who take these steps easier and in less time, and there are others who need more time and more effort. God knows us best (as he is the one who knows how he has created us). What grade of 'mumin' you reach and what depth has imaan entered your heart is something you need to work on. But the minimum He expects from us is that if we can't be steadfast mumin, at least be muslims (that is, to submit ourselves to him and practice as best as we can). This is why in this verse He uses the word 'muslim', not 'mumin':"O you who believe! Fear Allah as He should be feared, and die not except as muslims(muslimoon)" (Ali'Imran, 102). He expects from us that which is within our possibilities. Reaching the highest rank of 'mumin' can't be easy for everyone, but becoming a muslim is. Thank God He made obligatory for me only that which I can surely acheieve, and if I can achieve more, that's even better! I am a muslim but I try my best everyday to become a mumin as well, so may God help me, and you brothers and sisters too.
I tried my best to be as correct as possible, and I hope I was of help,
Your sister Seraphina.

*Reference: "Muslim and Mu'min (believer) - The difference" by Joseph Islam

[munir rana]

Dear sister Seraphina

Salam.

Thanks for your explanation. But I am afraid I have failed to make my point clear.
 
As you said, `Reaching the highest rank of 'mumin' can't be easy for everyone, but becoming a muslim is.' So addressing higher ranking people (O you who believe!) why Allah would ask them to die as lower ranking stage (Muslim)? They have already achieved a higher stage. If the addressee were Mankind then it was understandable.

Or is it the reason that Allah wants mumins to be careful so that they might not slip from their higher rank to a position that they even loose their identity as muslims?

As Allah said it, there must have reason. I'm just looking for it.

Munir Rana

[Seraphina]

Brother, you're right, I couldn't make my point clear. A muslim fights and struggles to be a mumin throughout his life. But even if for whatever reason he cannot plant the imaan in his heart as deep as he wishes, at least he can submit himself to God and practice his faith at his best.  It's similar like the charity: Allah loves those who give charity as much as they can, who spend in the way of God, to help the kinship and the poor, etc., but at the same time warns us not to give to the point we harm ourselves: "And give the relative his right, and [also] the poor and the traveler, and do not spend wastefully. Indeed, the wasteful are brothers of the devils, and ever has Satan been to his Lord ungrateful. And if you [must] turn away from the needy awaiting mercy from your Lord which you expect, then speak to them a gentle word. And do not make your hand [as] chained to your neck or extend it completely and [thereby] become blamed and insolvent."(Al-Isra, 26-29).
The point I'm trying to make is that Allah wants us to do our best within our possibilities. The more we can be steadfast in faith, the better. But th minimum he expects of us is to be submitted to him and practice faith as possible as we can. Whatever he has made us obligatory is within our possibilities and reach. If we can't become the strongest in belief, at least submit ourselves to Him and do what He commands us at our best. To me, it's one more verse showing us how merciful He is towards us - He knows that not everyone will be able to build the strongest imaan possible, but anyone can be a good muslim with a little effort. So by using the name 'muslim' not 'mumin' in this verse He gives us hope.
Perhaps I'm wrong but in the end, only He knows best
Selam

[Truth Seeker]

Salaam Munir Rana,

I have edited your post and it now reads 'brother'. No need to apologise as these typing errors are common

[Truth Seeker]

Salaam all,

I think that the verse is saying to the mumin that they should die having submitted themselves to the will of God.

As the verse is addressing those around the prophet (mumin) it is reminding them that they should be God fearing live their lives always surrendering themselves to Him (muslim)

It may be used to stress the submission element that belivers should always have.

[Seraphina]

Thank you brother Truthseeker, that's what I was trying to say but couldn't find the right words, something is wrong with my expressions lately, sometimes I can't seem to express my views exactly how I mean. And, yes, no matter how much of a believer you are, if you can't submit yourself to His will and be obedient, then I don't think anything else matters.
Selam:)

[munir rana]

Seraphina and Truthseeker

Salam.

Thanks for your responses.

Munir Rana

[QM Moderators Team]

Maybe Allah says that cause all non muslims will go to hell

Dear Donald,

Please can you refrain from such flippant, one liners on this forum in the future which have no support from the Quran. This is a place for serious learning and sharing. Please provide evidenced material on this forum and may we advise you of the forum policy and its observance.

Thank you!