What is the difference between monotheism, creed, and faith?
Monotheism..
Legal definition of monotheism:
It is the singling out of Allah, glory be to Him, with what is specific to Him of deistic, divinity, names and attributes.
Scholars divided Monotheism into three sections:
1- Monotheism of Godliness.
2- Monotheism of divinity.
3- Monotheism of names and attributes. They are gathered in Allah's saying:
" رَّبُّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا فَاعْبُدْهُ وَاصْطَبِرْ لِعِبَادَتِهِ هَلْ تَعْلَمُ لَهُ سَمِيًّا"
سورة مريم / آية : 65
"Lord of the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them - so worship Him and have patience for His worship. Do you know of any similarity to Him
Some scholars divided Monotheism into two sections:
1- Monotheism of knowledge and proof.
2- Monotheism of intent and demand.
Monotheism of knowledge and proof is that of names and attributes.
Monotheism of intent and demand is that of Godliness.
This is a summary of Monotheism and details will come.
Creed..
Definition of Creed..
Linguistically: Creed is from the contract, which is against the loose, and from it: the knot, because it is not resolved.
From it is:
The contract which is the combination of different things.
Marriage contract which combines between man and woman.
Sale contract: It is a combination of a price, appraiser, seller and buyer.
Second: Idiomatically: It is the firm mental meaning.
Third: Shariah: These are the meanings that are evident in the mind, heart, and conscience for the sake of Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, angels, holy books, messengers, the hereafter, good and evil destiny, mankind and al jinn.
It may be a corrupt Creed, like The Christian belief of the Trinity, and the beliefs of Deviant Sects.
It may be a true Creed, and it is the creed of a Muslim: “Tawhid, i.e Monotheism.
Faith..
Defining Faith:
First: Linguistically: is ratification.
As what Allah said:
"وَمَا أَنتَ بِمُؤْمِنٍ لَّنَا وَلَوْ كُنَّا صَادِقِينَ".سورة يوسف / آية : 17 .
"But you would not believe us, even if we were truthful".
Which means you will not believe us even if we were truthful.
Second: idiomatically: It is the set of beliefs, words and actions by which the slave's religion is upright.
Third: Shariah: It is the confirmation of the Messenger - may Allah bless him and his family and grant them peace - in what he brought from his Lord, the Mighty and Sublime.
The doctrine of monotheism is the fruit of faith.
And to win pure monotheism requires treating hearts with “science” and “love”.
If we treat our hearts with “authentic knowledge” that is based on following and “pure love,” the hearts will do their work without deficiency.
The heart does not work as it should when it is sick.
Heart health focuses on two things:
1- Correct knowledge based on the following:
The cause of the heart disease in this part is “ignorance”, and the cure from ignorance is inquiring.. The prophet said:
"قتلوه قتلهم الله ، ألا سألوا إذ لم يعلموا ، فإنما شفاء العيِّ السؤال " .
" They killed him; may Allah kill them! Is not inquiry the cure of ignorance?". Sahih Sunnan Abi Dawood.
Did people ask about their religion, did they try to get rid of this ignorance, or is there
"Negligence"?
There are symptoms to be negligent of the Hereafter.
2- loving:
Allah, the Exalted, the Majestic, is the first Beloved, for absolute love should be for Allah, for He is Glorified and beloved for Himself, and the rest of this world is the pleasures of vanity.
This love makes man use all things in the world to please Allah, and not to offend him..As a result of this love, all loves are united in the direction of Allah.
For example: you love “money”, your love for money is the legitimate love, that you do not love money for its own sake, but love it because it is a means that enables you to obey Allah, and that is by spending it in obedience and support of Allah ’s religion….
Children's love for Allah's Sake, wives love for Allah's sake, every quest is in the way of Allah.
And the love of Allah is followed by the love of his words, which is the “Holy Quraan”, so you read it with the eagerness of everything in it, while being careful to contemplate it, understand it and do its orders.
The meaning of the two certificates:
“I bear witness that there is no god but Allah ” (the word of monotheism).
Meaning: There is no true deity but Allah.
“I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.”
That is: following him only, may Allah ’s prayers and peace be upon him and his family.