Kitab Al Iman - Book of Faith

Taqiuddin Ibn Taymiyyah, Salman Hassan Al-Ani, Shadia Ahmad Tel

• Publisher: Qadeem Press
• Year: 2025
• Print ISBN: 9788119946600
• eBook ISBN: 9789366088327
• Edition: 2
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Comparative Religion

A Foundational Text on Islamic Faith

Kitāb al-Īmān (Book of Faith) by Ibn Taymiyyah is widely regarded as one of the most important works on Islamic doctrine and spirituality, and this volume presents the first complete English translation of the text. For over seven centuries, it has served as a reference point in debates about the nature of faith, the boundaries of Muslim identity, and the relationship between belief and practice.

The concept of Īmān (faith) has been central to Islamic theology from the earliest period, yet major schools developed sharply different definitions of what faith entails. Is it purely an inner conviction? Does it necessarily include righteous actions? Can faith increase and decrease? What is the status of Muslims who commit serious sins? Ibn Taymiyyah wrote Kitāb al-Īmān to clarify the authentic Islamic position, grounding his analysis in the Qur’an, Hadith, and the methodology of the Salaf (pious predecessors).

Across twenty-three chapters, Ibn Taymiyyah demonstrates his mastery of Qur’anic interpretation, Hadith analysis, Arabic linguistics, and systematic reasoning. He engages in depth with theological currents such as the Murji’ites, who separated faith from action, the Ashʿarites, who developed complex theological systems, and the Kharijites, who branded sinning Muslims as unbelievers. His method combines extensive scriptural citation, precise linguistic analysis, and a consistent insistence on continuity with early Muslim understanding.

The significance of Kitāb al-Īmān extends well beyond medieval history. Modern Islamic movements, especially those associated with Salafi thought, draw heavily on Ibn Taymiyyah’s theology of faith, making his positions directly relevant to contemporary Muslim debates on orthodoxy, practice, and reform. His call to return to scriptural sources and critique of later innovations continue to shape Islamic discourse globally.

This scholarly translation by Salman Hassan Al-Ani and Dr. Shadia Ahmad Tel preserves the depth, precision, and intensity of the original Arabic, while rendering the work clear and approachable for English readers. The introduction provides essential biographical and historical context, explaining Ibn Taymiyyah’s life, his theological battles, and the enduring influence of Kitāb al-Īmān through students like Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah and Ibn Kathīr.

Kitāb al-Īmān is essential reading for:

• Students and scholars of Islamic theology and intellectual history
• Graduate programs in Islamic Studies and Religious Studies
• Researchers studying medieval theology, sectarian movements, and Salafi thought
• Academic libraries building serious Islamic Studies collections
• Educated readers seeking authentic, primary-source perspectives on Islamic faith

By making this classic available in full, the translation offers indispensable primary material for understanding both medieval Islamic theology and its living legacy in contemporary Muslim thought.

Table of contents

• Acknowledgments
• Introduction
• Chapter One: The Difference Between Iman, Islam, and Ihsan
• Chapter Two: Adherence to the Words of Allah and His Messenger
• Chapter Three: The Meanings of the Terms Unbelief, Hypocrisy and Polytheism
• Chapter Four: The Meanings of the Terms the Righteous, the Witness and the Sincere
• Chapter Five: The Meanings of the Terms Disobedience, Sin and Unbelief
• Chapter Six: Wrong: Its Kinds and Meaning
• Chapter Seven: The Meanings of the Terms Righteousness and Corruption
• Chapter Eight: Literal Meaning and Figurative Meaning
• Chapter Nine: The Ash’arites’ and Other Sects’ Opinions of Iman and A Refutation by the Author
• Chapter Ten: The Opinion of Al-Baqillani on Iman and Islam
• Chapter Eleven: Absolute Iman Requires Works
• Chapter Twelve: The Meaning of Conditioned Iman When Associated with Other Terms
• Chapter Thirteen: Association of Words and Phrases
• Chapter Fourteen: Connotations of Absolute Iman
• Chapter Fifteen: Attributes and Terms with Specific Connotations
• Chapter Sixteen: The Murji’ites’ Views on Iman, Works, and Religion
• Chapter Seventeen: Iman Either Increases or Diminishes
• Chapter Eighteen: Aspects of Increasing Iman
• Chapter Nineteen: Iman and Islam and the Difference Between Them
• Chapter Twenty: Understanding Iman and Islam: Interpreted by the Messenger as the Ultimate Authority
• Chapter Twenty-One: The Difference Between the Five Pillars of Islam and Other Duties
• Chapter Twenty-Two: The Concept of Iman and Related Issues
• Chapter Twenty-Three: Exception In Iman
• Selected bibliography
• Endnotes