Saying, "I'm a Muslim, insha'Allah"
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Question
I am taking the class "THE BOOK OF KNOWLEDGE - PART 2: Imam Ghazali on Praiseworthy & Objectionable Branches of Knowledge" at the SunniPath Academy and I just finished lesson 2. I am also reading Ihya on my own and I came across where Imam Ghazali mentions that in his days and the days of the sahabi, when they were asked if they were muslim they would respond "I am muslim inshallah". The explanation and reasoning provided made much sense and was excellent. My only question is that is there a reason we as muslims don't say this now? Have the scholars said this is not necessary, since it would confuse some?
Answer
Bismillah al-Rahman al-Rahim
wa `alaykum as salam wa rahmatullah wa barakatuh Sidi
I pray you are well. I presume you're reading the second book of the Ihya, where Imam Ghazali discusses tenets of faith.
Many of the discussions found in works of `aqida are there not because they are vital points of creed, but because there was a historical disagreement between scholars of `aqida that threw that particular point into "high relief". The point you mention is one of them.
Scholars of `aqida did, at one point, disagree furiously over whether it was permissible for a Muslim to say, "I am Muslim, in-sha'Allah," or not. Later scholars ruled that the disagreement was merely semantic, because each party interpreted the statement in different ways.
Those who held that it was permissible to make such a statement (like Imam Ghazali), interpreted the statement to mean, "I will in-sha'Allah die as a Muslim." None of us know how we will end our lives and this statement is therefore correct.
Those who held that it was not permissible to make such a statement interpreted it to mean, "I am in-sha'Allah a Muslim right now," which would not be permissible because it means that one doubts whether or not one is a Muslim at the present moment. Belief is only valid if it is free of hesitation, and making this statement would mean that one is unsure whether or not one beliefs, and one's belief would therefore not be valid.
So, at the end of the day, what matters is what one intends when making this statement. If one intends the former meaning, it is permissible to say, otherwise not.
I hope this answers your question.
Hamza.
This answer was published by SunniPath and is preserved as written. Rulings can depend on circumstances; for your own situation, consult a qualified scholar.
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