Semantic Analysis of Quranic Concept of Faith with an Emphasis on Views of Muslim Theologians

“Faith” is one the fundamental and frequently used concept in Islamic sources in such a way that the earliest theological disputes in the history of Islamic thought broke out on the nature of faith. Among the practical consequences of these disputes was the rise of different doctrinal sects that sometimes gave rise to takfir (excommunication) of other groups of believers. However, it remains as a point of different and even contradictory views among Muslim thinkers. Therefore, it is essential to explore the concept so that one can apply it consistently with without any practical difficulty.
The present article is intended to properly explain the concept of faith from the perspective of holy Quran with reference to views of Muslim theologians. The article is organized in three parts. Using the method of paradigmation the first part tries to give a consistent semantic analysis of faith in Quran. The second part is to review the most prominent positions taken by Muslim theologians and explore the views expressed on the nature of faith such as affirmation by heart, action by bodily limbs, confession by tongue and the role of knowledge in faith. The last part is devoted to final explanation and conclusion.