77 Branches of Iman/Branches of faith in Islam

By Ustadha Fahmina

77 Branches of Iman

It is narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira that the prophet (ﷺ) said: Iman has over seventy branches, and modesty is a branch of Iman. (sahih Muslim)

حَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، وَعَبْدُ بْنُ حُمَيْدٍ، قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَامِرٍ الْعَقَدِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ بِلاَلٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ دِينَارٍ، عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ “‏ الإِيمَانُ بِضْعٌ وَسَبْعُونَ شُعْبَةً وَالْحَيَاءُ شُعْبَةٌ مِنَ الإِيمَانِ ‏”

There is another hadith,

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him):The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Iman has over seventy branches – or over sixty branches – the uppermost of which is the declaration: ‘None has the right to be worshipped but Allah’; and the least of which is the removal of harmful object from the road, and modesty is a branch of Iman.”(Riyadh as saliheen)[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال‏:‏ ‏ “‏ الإيمان بضع وسبعون، أو بضع وستون شعبة‏:‏ فأفضلها قول لا إله إلا الله، وأدناها إماطة الأذى عن الطريق، والحياء شعبة من الإيمان‏”‏ ‏(‏‏(‏متفق عليه‏)‏‏)‏‏.‏

Rasulullah ( sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said: ” There are over 70 things which are connected with imaan, the highest of which is the Kalimah ” la ilaha illallahu muhammadur Rasulullah” and the lowest is the removal of a harmful object from the road. Modesty and hayaa is also a major part of imaan.” Let us read what the branches of Imaan.

Just as tree which has one root and its branches are many :- this is how is the iman. Hafiz ibn hazar asqalani has mentioned 77 branches : ex- slaah, zakat, sawm, hajj, respecting parents, being generous etc. As for the شعبة , it is a piece of something, so the meaning of the hadith is: seventy-few.

Maulana Ashraf Ali thanwi writes that there are 30 qualities connected to heart, 7 connected to tongue and 40 connected to entire body.

What are the 77 branches of faith?

77 branches of Iman can be categorised into:

30 QUALITIES ARE CONNECTED TO THE HEART

1. Belief in ALLAH
2. To believe that everything other than ALLAH was non-existent. Thereafter, ALLAH Ta’ala created these things and subsequently they came into existence.
3. To believe in the existence of angels.
4. To believe that all the heavenly books that were sent to the different prophets are true. However, apart from the Quran, all other books are not valid anymore.
5. To believe that all the prophets are true. However, we are commanded to follow Muhammad ( sallallahu alayhi wasallam ) alone.
6. To believe that ALLAH Ta’ala has knowledge of everything from before-hand and that only that which He sanctions or wishes will occur.
7. To believe that Qiyaamah will definitely occur.
8. To believe in the existence of jannah.
9. To believe in the existence of jahannam.
10. To have love for ALLAH Ta’ala.
11. To have love for Rasulullah ( sallallahu alayhi wasallam )
12. To love or hate someone solely because of ALLAH.
13. To execute all actions with the intention of deen alone.
14. To regret and express remorse when a sin is committed.
15. To fear ALLAH Ta’ala.
16. To hope for the mercy of ALLAH Ta’ala.
17. To be modest.
18. 18 . To express gratitude over a bounty or favour.
19. To fulfil promises.
20. To exercise patience.
21. To consider yourself lower than others
22. To have mercy on the creation.
23. To be pleased with whatever you experience from ALLAH Ta’ala.
24. To place your trust in ALLAH Ta’ala.
25. Not to boast or brag over any quality that you posses.
26. Not to have malice or hatred towards anybody.
27. Not to be envious of anyone.
28. Not to become angry.
29. Not to wish harm for anyone
30. Not to have love for the world.

7 QUALITIES ARE CONNECTED TO THE TONGUE

31. To recite the Kalimah with the tongue
32. To recite the quran.
33. To acquire knowledge
34. To pass on Knowledge.
35. To make dua.
36. To make the zikr of ALLAH Ta’ala.
37. To abstain from the following : lies, gheebah, vulgar words, cursing, singing that is contrary to the shariah.

40 QUALITIES ARE CONNECTED TO THE ENTIRE BODY

38. To make wudu, ghusl, and keep one’s clothing clean.
39. To be steadfast in offering salaat.
40. To pay zakaat and sadaqatul fitr.
41. To fast.
42. To perform the Hajj.
43. To make i’tikaaf.
44. To move away or migrate from that place which is harmful for one’s deen.
45. To fulfil the vows that have been made to ALLAH.
46. To fulfil the oaths that are not sinful.
47. To pay the kaffarah for unfulfilled oaths.
48. To cover those parts of the body that are fard to cover.
49. To make qurbaani.
50. To enshroud and bury the deceased.
51. To fulfil your debts.
52. To abstain from prohibited things when undertaking monetary transactions.
53. Not to conceal something true which you may have witnessed.
54. To get married when the nafs desires to do so.
55. To fulfil the rights of those who are under you.
56. To provide comfort to one’s parents.
57. To rear children in the proper manner.
58. Not to sever relations with one’s friends and relatives.
59. To obey one’s master.
60. To be just,
61. Not to initiate any way that is contrary to that of the generality of the muslims.
62. To obey the ruler, provided what he orders is not contrary to the shariah.
63. To make peace between two warring groups or individuals.
64. To assist in noble tasks.
65. To command the good and prohibit the evil.
66. If it is the government. it should mete out punishments according to the shariah.
67. To fight the enemies of deen whenever such an occasion presents itself.
68. To fulfil one’s trusts ( amaanah )
69. To give loans to those who are in need.
70. To see to the needs of one’s neighbour.
71. To ensure that one’s income is pure.
72. To spend according to the shariah.
73. To reply to one who has greeted you.
74. To say Yarhamukallah when anyone say alhamdolillah after sneezing.
75. Not to cause harm to anyone unjustly.
76. To abstain from games and amusements that are contrary to the shariah.
77. To remove pebbles, stones, thorns, sticks etc. from the road.

So these were the 77 Branches of Iman.

May Allah remove our shar and bless us with khair in our jahiri and batini amal.

Share the khair if you found it useful.

Written by

Ustadha Fahmina

Founder

Ustadha Fahmina holds a Sanad in Alimiyyah (6-year Dars-e-Nizami) from two recognized Islamic institutes and a Master's degree in Arabic from Indira Gandhi National University. She teaches Qur'an, Tafsir, Hadith, and Fiqh following the Hanafi school within Ahl al-Sunnah wal Jama'ah. She founded Islam Hashtag in 2015 to bring authentic Islamic learning to Muslim families online. She also holds a degree in Optometry and is the founder of Optometryskills.com.

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