The Branches of Iman

The Branches of Īmān is a translation of Mukhtaṣar Shuʿbul Īmān by Imām Qazwīni. It is an abridgement of the Branches of Īmān by Imām Bayhaqi which in reality is a commentary of a single ḥadīth of Rasulullāh ﷺ in which he taught that "Īmān has sixty-odd, or seventy-odd branches, the highest and best of which is to declare that there is no one worthy of worship except Allāh, and the lowest of which is to remove something harmful from the path. And that modesty is a branch of Īmān."Rasulullah ﷺ captured and placed in the heart of his ummah the beauty of Īmān. There are high branches and low branches. He mentioned three in the ḥadīth but indicated that there are many more.Imām Bayhaqi endeavoured to compile all the narrations related to Īmān and its branches. This compilation reached six volumes and out of the grasp of the layman and more suited to the research scholars. Imam Qazwīni abridged the original into the short treatise before you which is accessible to all.When a Muslim strives to become a true and complete Muʾmin, then he must learn and recognise within himself the signs of Īmān or the lack thereof. Allāh Taʿāla and his Messenger ﷺ has told us these signs so we can struggle and pray that he blesses us with a perfect faith before we die.Branches of Īmān is also a presentation of the fundamental beliefs of Islām and can be utilised for teaching Aqīda without resorting to historical polemical debates. Finally, Imām Qazwīni masterfully quotes from the greatest ṣāliḥīn of this ummah where required to show the spiritual significance of these branches.