What Is Iman? Faith in Islam

Iman (Arabic: إيمان) is pronounced ee-MAAN. A person who has iman is called a mu’min, a believer.

Meaning

Iman comes from a root meaning safety and trust: to believe in something is to rely on it and feel secure in it. In Islam, iman is faith in the unseen truths that God has revealed. The Qur’an describes the faith shared by the Prophet ﷺ and the believers:

ءَامَنَ ٱلرَّسُولُ بِمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْهِ مِن رَّبِّهِۦ وَٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ ۚ كُلٌّ ءَامَنَ بِٱللَّهِ وَمَلَٰٓئِكَتِهِۦ وَكُتُبِهِۦ وَرُسُلِهِۦ لَا نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍۢ مِّن رُّسُلِهِۦ ۚ وَقَالُوا۟ سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا ۖ غُفْرَانَكَ رَبَّنَا وَإِلَيْكَ ٱلْمَصِيرُ ﴿٢٨٥﴾

The Messenger has believed in what was revealed to him from his Lord, and [so have] the believers. All of them have believed in Allah and His angels and His books and His messengers, [saying], "We make no distinction between any of His messengers." And they say, "We hear and we obey. [We seek] Your forgiveness, our Lord, and to You is the [final] destination."

Together with belief in divine decree (qadar), these make up what Muslims call the six articles of faith.

Faith in the heart and in life

For Muslims, iman is not only an idea in the mind. It is belief in the heart, declared with the tongue and shown in actions such as prayer, honesty and kindness. Muslims also speak of faith rising and falling: it grows through worship, reflection and good company, and it can weaken through neglect and sin. A believer is therefore encouraged to look after their faith like a garden that needs regular care.

Iman is closely related to islam (submission to God) and ihsan (excellence in worship); together they describe the whole of the religion.

Example

“Ramadan always gives my iman a boost.”

To explore each part of Muslim belief, read The Six Articles of Faith and What Every Muslim Believes.