Branches of Iman

Abu Hurairah (radi Allahu anhu) reported that the Prophet (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “Iman has some sixty or seventy branches, the best of which is the declaration that, ‘None has the right to be worshipped but Allah’, and the least of which is the removal of harmful objects from the road, and modesty is a branch of Iman.” [Sahih Bukhari]

If you ever planted a tree you would know that first the trunk is a very thin stick and there are just four or five twig like branches. But as the tree matures it grows not only taller but the trunk thickens, branches increase in number and in size, and the tree begins to look more and more like the image we have of a tree.

Iman is also like a tree. As it grows and matures it grows more branches and the tree itself becomes sturdier and strong. The stronger the Iman of the Muslim the more practice of Islam will be seen in him. He will exhibit the branch of the Kalima (la ilaha il-Allah) and the branch of Haya (modesty) and the branch of caring about the safety of others, while looking only for Allah’s reward. There are many more branches of faith. When all the branches grow and the tree attains its natural shape it is a beautiful and imposing work of art.