The Influence of the Faith and its Foundations on the Perfection of the Soul

The Faith (iman) is a belief and hearty submission with certude accompanied by an aachment to its object(s) based on foundaons such as certainty, jusce, paence, and jihad (struggle). The firm faith (al-iman al-rasikh) which amounts to certude, firmly rooted in one’s soul, is one of the most influenal factors in the perfecon of the soul, in both its theorecal faculty—in cognizing wisdom and the realies of the existence—and its praccal faculty—in complying with its dues. Without faith the soul cannot gain real perfecon; on the contrary, it might degrade into an animal status, since on the one hand, faith is crucial for making right choices, having commitments and resolve in virtue of its doxasc component, and on the other, it is crucial for the soul being steadfast on the right path in virtue of its foundaons, and this is all the soul needs for its perfecon. A study of the Quranic verses and the tradion and the biography of people who were prominent in the perfecon of their soul and their faith also confirms the role of the faith in the perfecon of the soul.