Difference between the fundamentals of faith (Usul al-Din) and the branches of faith (Furu' al-Din)

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What is the difference between the fundamentals of faith (Usul al-Din) and the branches of faith (Furu' al-Din)?

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The fundamentals of faith (Usul al-Din) pertain to core beliefs, while the branches of faith (Furu' al-Din) relate to actions and practices. Certainty and conviction are essential in the fundamentals of faith, whereas imitation is permissible in the branches. In the fundamentals, one must attain certainty through reason and intellect, while in the branches, logical proof is not a requirement.

Significance

Religious scholars have stated that every religious law includes both fundamentals (Usul) and branches (Furu'). By "fundamentals", they mean the essential foundations of the faith, which one must first commit to before engaging in the branches of the religion, which are based on those fundamentals.[1]

Many Islamic scholars maintain that imitation is not permissible in the fundamentals of faith and that conviction in these matters must be based on reason and evidence. Some even claim there is consensus on this point. Another group of scholars, including Abu Hanifa, Sufyan al-Thawri, al-Awza'i, Malik, al-Shafi'i, Ahmad ibn Hanbal, and the Ahl al-Hadith, believe that while reasoning in theological fundamentals is required, and neglecting it is a sin, faith obtained through imitation is still accepted.[2]

Shi'a scholars regard the fundamentals of faith as consisting of five principles, while the branches encompass eight or ten acts. At times, they even classify all practical rulings, other than the fundamentals, as branches of the religion.[3]

Fundamentals of Faith

Template:نوشتار اصلی Religious scholars define the core beliefs of Islam as faith in the oneness of God (Tawhid), prophethood (Nubuwwah), and the resurrection (Ma'ad). These three principles are regarded as the foundation of the Islamic faith.[4] Shi'a scholars add two more principles—justice ('Adl) and Imamate (Imamah)—making the fundamentals of faith five in total in Shi'a belief.[5]

Branches of Faith

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A significant portion of Islamic acts of worship and conduct is known as the Branches of Faith (Furu' al-Din). In addition to the doctrinal principles of the Fundamentals of Faith, the branches focus on the practical aspects of Islam. In the teachings of Twelver Shi'a Islam, the branches include: prayer (Salat), fasting (Sawm), almsgiving (Zakat), the religious tax (Khums), pilgrimage (Hajj), striving in God’s path (Jihad), enjoining good (Amr bil Ma'ruf), forbidding wrong (Nahy 'an al-Munkar), loyalty (Tawalli), and disassociation (Tabarri).

The Sunni schools place less emphasis on some of these branches.[6]

Differences

  • The fundamentals of faith (Usul al-Din) address matters of belief, where understanding, reflection, and conviction are essential. In contrast, the branches of faith (Furu' al-Din) concern actions, whether performing or abstaining from certain deeds.[7]
  • The doctrinal aspect of religion is called "fundamentals," while practical rulings are referred to as "branches."
  • In the fundamentals of faith, imitation is not permitted, whereas in the branches, one may follow the guidance of experts.[8] In practical matters of religion, one should consult knowledgeable authorities and rely on their guidance, a practice known as imitation (Taqlid).[9] However, in the fundamentals, individuals must reach their beliefs through personal research and study.
  • In the fundamentals of faith, one must attain certainty through reason, while in the branches, rational proof is unnecessary.[10]
  • Worship is a significant part of the actions and conduct categorized under the branches of faith in Islamic culture. Alongside the doctrinal principles, the branches focus on the practical dimensions of Islamic devotion.
  • The fundamentals of faith are linked to one's thinking and beliefs and thus must be based on faith and conviction. The branches relate to actions and behavior. The fundamentals shape a person’s intellectual identity and belief structure, guiding the conduct of believers. They form the foundation of the faith, without which the essence and goals of religion would be lost.[11]
  • The fundamentals convey statements and descriptions, while the branches consist of commands and prohibitions.
  • Abrogation applies to the branches but does not affect the fundamentals in any way.[12]

References

  1. ↑ Sajādī, Jaʿfar, Farhang-e Maʿārif-e Islāmī, Komesh, vol. 1, p. 223.
  2. ↑ A Group of Researchers, "Uṣūl al-Dīn," Dāneshnāmeh-ye Kalām-e Islāmī, p. 51.
  3. ↑ Khaṭībī Kūshkak, Muḥammad and Colleagues, Farhang-e Shīʿah, Qom, Zamzam-e Hidāyat, 1386 SH, p. 360.
  4. ↑ A Group of Authors, "Islām," Dāʾirat al-Maʿārif-e Bozorg-e Islāmī, Tehran, Markaz-e Dāʾirat al-Maʿārif-e Bozorg-e Islāmī, vol. 8, under the entry.
  5. ↑ A Group of Researchers, "Uṣūl al-Dīn," Dāneshnāmeh-ye Kalām-e Islāmī, p. 51.
  6. ↑ A Group of Authors, "Islām," Dāʾirat al-Maʿārif-e Bozorg-e Islāmī, Tehran, Markaz-e Dāʾirat al-Maʿārif-e Bozorg-e Islāmī, vol. 8, under the entry.
  7. ↑ A Group of Researchers, "Uṣūl al-Dīn," Dāneshnāmeh-ye Kalām-e Islāmī, p. 51.
  8. ↑ Khaṭībī Kūshkak, Muḥammad and Colleagues, Farhang-e Shīʿah, Qom, Zamzam-e Hidāyat, 1386 SH, p. 359.
  9. ↑ Kāshifī, Muḥammad Riḍā, Kalām-e Shīʿah, Qom, Pizhūheshgāh-e ʿUlūm va Farhang-e Islāmī, 1386 SH, p. 257.
  10. ↑ A Group of Authors, "Islām," Dāʾirat al-Maʿārif-e Bozorg-e Islāmī, Tehran, Markaz-e Dāʾirat al-Maʿārif-e Bozorg-e Islāmī, vol. 8, under the entry.
  11. ↑ Nashriyeh-ye Ḥawzah, Mokhleṣī, ʿAbbās, "Sīrī dar Andīsheh-hā-ye Kalāmī," vol. 81, p. 89.
  12. ↑ Khaṭībī Kūshkak, Muḥammad and Colleagues, Farhang-e Shīʿah, Qom, Zamzam-e Hidāyat, 1386 SH, p. 359.

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