ثُمَّThenاحْتَجَّarguedالإِمَامُthe ImamأَحْمَدُAhmadعَلَىthatأَنْtheالْأَعْمَالَactionsمِنَare ofالإِيمَانِfaithبِحُجَجٍwith proofsكَثِيرَةٍmanyفَقَالَhe saidوَقَدْand indeedسَأَلَaskedوَفْدُthe delegationعَبْدِof AbdulالْقَيْسِQaysرَسُولُthe Messengerاللَّهِof Allahوَعَنْaboutالإِيمَانِfaithفَقَالَhe saidشَهَادَةُthe testimonyأَنْthatلَاthere is noإِلَٰهَdeityإِلَّاexceptاللَّهَAllahوَأَنَّand thatمُحَمَّدًاMuhammadرَسُولُthe Messengerاللَّهِof Allahوَإِقَامِand establishingالصَّلَاةِprayerوَإِيتَاءِand givingالزَّكَاةِthe zakatوَصَوْمِand fastingرَمَضَانَRamadanوَأَنْand thatتُعْطُواyou giveخَمْسًاa fifthمِنَfromالْمَغْنَمِthe gainsفَجَعَلَhe madeذَٰلِكَthatكُلَّهُall of itمِنَfromالإِيمَانِfaithقَالَhe saidوَقَالَand he saidالنَّبِيُّthe Prophet ﷺ(peace be upon him)الْحَيَاءِshynessشُعْبَةٌis a branchمِنَofالإِيمَانِfaithوَقَالَand he saidأَكْمَلُthe most completeالْمُؤْمِنِينَof the believersإِيمَانًاin faithأَحْسَنُهُمْthe best of themخُلُقًاin characterوَقَالَand he saidإِنَّindeedالْبَذَاذَةَhumilityمِنَis fromالإِيمَانِfaithوَقَالَand he saidالإِيمَانُfaithبِضْعٌis a fewوَسَبْعُونَand seventyشُعْبَةًbranchesفَأَدْنَاهَاthe least of themإِمَاطَةُremovingالْأَذًىharmعَنْfromالطَّرِيقِthe pathوَأَرْفَعُهَاand the highest of themقَوْلٌsayingلَاthere is noإِلَٰهَdeityإِلَّاexceptاللَّهَAllahمَعَwithأَشْيَاءَthingsكثِيرَةٍmanyمِنْهَاamong themأَخْرِجُواbring outمِنَfromالنَّارِthe fireمِمَّنْwhoeverكَانَwasفِيinقَلْبِهِhis heartمِثْقَالَthe weightذَرَّةٍof a grainمِنَofإِيمَانٍfaithوَمَاand whatرُوِيَwas reportedعَنْaboutالنَّبِيِّthe Prophetفِيinصِفَةِdescriptionالْمُنَافِقِthe hypocriteثَلاثٌthreeمِنْwhoeverكُنَّisفِيهin himفَهُوَhe isمُنَافِقٌa hypocriteمَعَwithحُجَجٍproofsكَثِيرَةٍmanyوَمَاand whatرُوِيَwas reportedعَنْaboutالنَّبِيِّthe Prophet ﷺ(peace be upon him)فِيinتَارِكِleavingالصَّلَاةِthe prayerوَعَنْand aboutأَصْحَابِهِhis companionsمِنْfromبَعْدِهِafter himثُمَّthenمَاwhatوَصَفَdescribedاللَّهُAllahتَعَالَىthe Exaltedفِيinكِتَابِهِhis bookمِنَfromزِيَادَةِincreaseالإِيمَانِfaithفِيinغَيْرِotherمَوْضِعٍplaceمَثَلَlikeقَوْلِهِhis sayingهُوَHe isالَّذِيwhoأَنْزَلَsent downالسَّكِينَةَthe tranquilityفِيinقُلُوبِthe heartsالْمُؤْمِنِينَof the believersلِيَزْدَادُواto increaseإِيمَانًاin faithمَّعَwithإِيمَانِهِمْtheir faithوَقَالَand he saidلِيَسْتَيْقِنَto ensure certaintyالَّذِينَthose whoأُوتُواwere givenالْكِتَابَthe scripturesوَيَزْدَادَand to increaseالَّذِينَthose whoآمَنُواbelievedإِيمَانَناin our faithوَقَالَand he saidوَإِذَاand whenتُلِيَتْthey are recitedعَلَيْهِمْto themءَايَتُهُhis versesزَادَتْهُمْthey increased themإِيمَانًاin faithوَقَالَand he saidفَمِنْهُمْso among themمَّنwhoيَقُولُsayأَيُّكُمْwhich of youزَادَتْهُincreased himهَذِهِthisإِيمَانًاfaithفَأَمَّاso as forالَّذِينَthose whoآمَنُواbelievedفَزَادَتْهُمْthen it increased themإِيمَانًاin faithوَهُمْand theyيَسْتَبْشِرُونَrejoiceوَقَالَand he saidإِنَّمَاindeedالْمُؤْمِنُونَthe believersالَّذِينَwhoآمَنُواbelieveبِاللَّهِin Allahوَرَسُولِهِand His Messengerثُمَّthenلَمْdid notيَرْتَابُواdoubtوَجَهَدُواand stroveبِأَمْوَالِهِمْwith their wealthوَأَنفُسِهِمْand their soulsفِيin
Then Imam Ahmad argued that actions are part of faith with many proofs, saying: Indeed, the delegation of Abdul Qays asked the Messenger of Allah about faith, and he said: The testimony that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, establishing prayer, giving zakat, fasting in Ramadan, and that you give a fifth of the gains. So he made all of that from faith. He said: And the Prophet ﷺ said: 'Shyness is part of faith.' He said: 'The most complete believers in faith are the best in character.' He said: Indeed, humility is part of faith.' He said: 'Faith is seventy-something branches, the least of them is removing harm from the way, and the highest of them is saying there is no god but Allah' with many things among them: 'Bring out from the fire whoever has in his heart the weight of a grain of faith.' And what was reported about the Prophet in the description of the hypocrite: 'There are three signs, whoever has them is a hypocrite' with many proofs. And what was reported about the Prophet ﷺ regarding the one who leaves prayer, and about his companions after him. Then what Allah the Exalted described in His Book about the increase in faith in various places, like His saying: 'He is the One who sent down serenity into the hearts of the believers, that they might increase in faith along with their faith.' And He said: 'That they may surely obtain certainty, and those who believed may increase in faith.' And He said: 'When His verses are recited to them, it increases them in faith.' And He said: 'Among them are those who say: Which of you has been increased by this faith? So those who believed, it increased them in faith, and they rejoice.' And He said: 'Indeed, the believers are those who believe in Allah and His Messenger, then do not doubt and strive with their wealth and their souls in His way.'