“FAITH AND STEADFASTNESS (ISTIQAMAH)”
Honorable Muslims!
One of the Companions came to our Prophet (saw) and said, “O Messenger of Allah! Tell me something of Islam which I will not ask anyone else.” The Messenger of Allah (saw) said, قُلْ آمَنْتُ بِاللّٰهِ ثُمَّ اسْتَقِمْ “Say, ‘I believe in Allah’ and then be steadfast.”1
Dear Muslims!
Steadfastness (istiqamah) is a concept that encompasses faith, worship, morality, and social and commercial relations. In other words, it covers every moment and area of life. In faith, it means not attributing any partners to Allah (SWT). It means believing wholeheartedly in the existence and oneness of Allah, in the Prophet Muhammad Mustafa (saw) as the last prophet, in angels, prophets, divine books, the Hereafter, and in qadar and qada.
In worship, it means worshiping only Allah (SWT) as required by the verse “O our Lord! You alone we worship and You alone we ask for help.”2 It means staying away from the evils that will keep us away from the consent of our Lord (SWT).
Dear Believers!
Allah the Almighty (SWT) states in the Holy Qur’an: “Alif-Lam-Mim. Do people think once they say, ‘We believe,’ that they will be left without being put to the test? We certainly tested those before them. And ˹in this way˺ Allah will clearly distinguish between those who are truthful and those who are liars.”3
These verses teach us that faith is not something that can be taken at face value. Faith is the effort to live steadfastly on the straight path with our essence, our words, and our whole existence.
It is about being faithful to the promise we make through faith. It means being aware of the responsibilities that faith imposes on us. It is to live a life in accordance with our Lord’s (SWT) commandment “So be steadfast as you are commanded.”4
It is the strict observance of the halal and haram rules established by Allah (SWT).
How happy are those who adorn their lives with faith, worship, and morality! How happy are those who bless their lives with good deeds! How happy are those who live in line with the pleasure of Allah (SWT) and do not deviate from being steadfast on the straight path.
[1] Ibn Hanbal, III, 413.
[2] Fatihah, 1/5.
[3] Ankabut, 29/1-3.
[4] Hud, 11/112.
FRIDAY KHUTBA OF TOKYO CAMII “FAITH AND STEADFASTNESS (ISTIQAMAH)”(PDF)