Flawed Faith vs True Faith
In the Quran, there is criticism of several kinds of faith:
1- Seasonal and occasional faith. It is when people only remember God when they face a danger or threat but forget God and turn to polytheism again as soon as the situation improves. The Quran says in Verse 65 of Surah Al-Ankabut:
“When they embark upon ships, they call to Allah making their religion sincerely His; but when He brings them safe to the land, they associate others with Him.”
2- Faith based on imitation. Some people’s faith in God is the result of imitating their forefathers and not proof and reason. Idolaters told divine messengers that they believe in idols because their forefathers did so. The Quran says about them:
“They replied: ‘No, but we found our fathers doing so.’” (Verse 74 of Surah Ash-Shua’ara)
3- Superficial faith. Some people’s faith is only at the surface and has not entered their heart and soul.
The Holy Quran says in Verse 14 of Surah Al-Hujurat: “The bedouin Arabs have said, ‘We are believers.’ Tell them, ‘You are not believers, but you should say that you are Muslims. In fact, belief has not yet entered your hearts. If you obey God and His Messenger, nothing will be reduced from your deeds. God is All-forgiving and All-merciful.”
4- Faith without deeds. There are many verses in the Quran criticizing those who do not act upon their faith. “Do people think that they are left alone by saying: ‘We are believers,’ and will not be tried?” (Verse 2 of Surah Al-Ankabut)
5- Shaky faith. In some people’s faith there is doubt and uncertainty. God says about such people:
“There are among the people such who worship Allah and (yet stand) on the very edge. When goodness comes to him, he is content, but if a trial befalls him he falls upon his face, he loses this world and the Everlasting Life; that is indeed a clear loss.” (Verse 11 of Surah Al-Hajj)
6- Loaned faith. In the book Usul al-Kafi, there is a chapter titled Baab al-Ma’areen, which is about those whose religion do not belong to them. They have a religion in this world but when they die, they die without faith. For example, one who has not taken the Hajj pilgrimage or not paid the required Zakat, will be told at the time of death to die as a Christian or Jew.
7- Selective faith. Some accept from Islam and the Quran only those parts that they see to be in their interest. According to the Quran, “If right was on their side, they would come quickly.” (Verse 49 of Surah An-Noor)
They say, “We believe in some (Prophets Moses and Jesus), and disbelieve in some of them (such as Prophet Muhammad),’ desiring to take between this (and that) a way (between belief and disbelief).” (Verse 150 of Surah An-Nisa)
Some people went to the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and said they will believe in him under the condition that they would not have to say prayers. The Prophet (PBUH) rejected it and said religion without saying prayers would not be true religion.
8- Tactical faith. A number of Jewish leaders in Medina plotted to go to the Prophet (PBUH) and pretend to accept Islam and then reject Islam a few hours later and return to Judaism in order to claim that Islam is useless. This way, they wanted to prevent Jews from becoming Muslim and also spread doubts among Muslims about Islam being a perfect religion.
God informed the Prophet (PBUH) of their plot.
