Islam Branches of Faith

“Islam branches of faith” are the qualities and actions that complete a Muslim’s faith. They come from the authentic Prophet hadith:

“Faith has seventy branches: the highest of them is saying La ilaha illa Allah, and the lowest of them is removing harm from the road, and modesty (ḥayā’) is a branch of faith.”

Imam Al-Bayhaqi detailed these branches in his book Shuʿab al-Īmān (The brances of Faith), listing 77 branches, divided into three categories:

1. Branches Related to the Heart (24 branches)

Beliefs and internal spiritual qualities, such as:

• Belief in God

• Belief in the angels

• Belief in the scriptures

• Belief in the prophets

• Belief in the Last Day

• Belief in destiny (qadar)

• Love of God

• Love of the Prophet

• Fear of God

• Hope in God

• Trust in God (tawakkul)

• Sincerity

• Patience

• Gratitude

• Contentment with God’s decree

• Repentance

• Awareness of God (muraqabah)

• Modesty (ḥayā’)

• Reverence for God’s signs

• Reverence for the Qur’an

• Reflection on God’s creation

• Kindness to creation

• Steadfastness in faith

• Dislike of sin

2. Branches Related to the Tongue (7 branches)

Such as:

• Uttering the two testimonies of faith

• Reciting the Qur’an

• Seeking religious knowledge

• Teaching knowledge

• Supplication

• Remembrance of God (dhikr)

• Asking forgiveness

3. Branches Related to Actions and Limbs (46 branches)

Such as:

• Purification

• Prayer

• Almsgiving (zakah)

• Fasting

• Pilgrimage (Hajj)

• Freeing slaves

• Fulfilling promises

• Kindness to parents

• Maintaining family ties

• Keeping trusts

• Good neighborliness

• Honoring guests

• Commanding good

• Forbidding wrongdoing

• Struggling for God’s sake

• Controlling anger

• Returning greetings

• Saying “Yarḥamuk Allah” to a sneezer

• Removing harm from the road

• And many other forms of good character and behavior

Summary

The branches of faith include belief, speech, and action.Faith is not only a belief in the heart, nor only worship, nor only good manners, it is a complete system that elevates a person internally and externally, with God and with people.