THE MEANING OF TASDEEQ (ACCEPTANCE)

Tasdeeq literally means firm acceptance and belief with the heart. A person who believes in the existence of a Creator without accepting the specific injunctions, e.g. Aakhirah , Malaa-ikah , Qur'aan, etc., will be devoid of Shar'i Tasdeeq or what is called, Imaan-e-Istilaahi (the technical Imaan envisaged by the Shari'ah ). Such general and undefined acceptance is mere Tasdeeq-e-lughwi (literal acceptance) which does not qualify one to be a Mu'min or Muslim, neither in terms of the Shari'ah as applicable to man on this earth, nor in relation to Allah .

Shar'i Meaning Of Tasdeeq

The Shar'i meaning of the Tasdeeq which is the primary fundamental of Imaan is stated in Sharhul Aqaa-id as follows:

“The acceptance of all that which Muhammad (SAW) brought from Allah .”

Thus Tasdeeq in the Shari'ah is to accept with the heart all and everything conclusively proven to have been delivered to the Ummah by Muhammad (SAW) from Allah .

When this is the meaning of Shar'i Tasdeeq , it will be readily understood that the conception of Istillaahi (technical) Imaan or Shar'i Imaan is not confined to the acceptance of a few beliefs, tenets, laws or injunctions or the acceptance of a part of what has been brought by Muhammad (SAW). Such partial acceptance is not the full Tasdeeq demanded by Shar'i Imaan . Man will discharge his obligation of Shar'i Tasdeeq by acceptance, in a concise (Ijmaali) form, of whatever Rasoolullah (SAW) brought from Allah . A concise acceptance qualifies man to be a Shar'i Mu'min or Muslim.

“Concise” in the context of Imaan 's validity means the acceptance in the heart of all and everything in a single statement without the necessity of outlining or enumerating the multitude of details brought by Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam). In other words, to affirm and believe with the heart:

I accept all and everything brought by Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam),

is sufficient to obtain discharge from the obligation of Imaan . This single sentence of affirmation by the heart is then the meaning of concise. It has no other meaning –no other construction or interpretation. It does not at all mean partial acceptance or acceptance of the beliefs, commands and prohibitions in general minus their details. Thus, if someone proclaims the concise formula of Imaan , declaring his Tasdeeeq while at the same time refuting any detail which is conclusively established to be the teaching of Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam), such “concise” Imaan and Tasdeeq are not valid and the proclaimer of such partial Tasdeeq , will not be a Mu'min nor a Muslim. An example of such incomplete and invalid Tasdeeq or Imaan is of a person rejecting the finality of Rasoolullah 's (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) Risaalat (office of Rasool or Nabi ) while affirming the truth of his Risaalat . Such an acceptance or Tasdeeq does not make one a Muslim or a Mu'min. Similarly, a person who accepts the decree of Salaat , but denies, for example, the posture of Sajdah , will not be a Muslim or a Mu'min.

From this explanation it shall be clear that the concise affirmation and assertion of Imaan are the essence of Imaan , which comprehends each and every detail taught by Rasoolullah (SAW). Another way of putting it is that concise Tasdeeq is in relation to words, the conception of which is comprehensive.