Khabbab ibn al-Aratt (radhiyallahu 'anhu) was one of the earliest converts to Islam during the lifetime of the Prophet (ﷺ). He was a slave at the time and belonged to a society that violently opposed the new message of Islam. Because he believed in the Oneness of Allah and his rejection of idol worship, his pagan master subjected him to brutal torture.
One day, Khabbab was dragged over burning coals until the flesh on his back melted and stuck to the rocks. Despite this agonising torment, he never renounced his faith. His belief in Allah remained firm, even as his body was nearly destroyed.
Later, during the time of the Caliphate, his status changed dramatically. He was no longer a slave, but a respected Companion and a veteran of many battles. Yet, he remained humble and would often say:
“Those who came before us endured more than we. They were sawn in half and combed with iron combs, yet they did not renounce their faith. But we have become impatient.”
This shows that faith (īmān) is not just belief in the mind—it's commitment in the heart and resilience in action, especially when tested. Khabbab’s story is a living example of what it means to believe in something so strongly that no external force can shake it. The strength of faith doesn't always show in comfort—often, it's proven in hardship. Belief gives meaning to suffering, and it gives courage where logic fails. People like Khabbab (radhiyallahu 'anhu) believed not just in an idea, but in a reality greater than the world around them.
Another deeply touching and powerful anecdote about faith and belief, this time from the life of Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham, alayhissalam)—a timeless example found in both the Qur'an and Islamic tradition.
Prophet Ibrahim (alayhissalam) lived in a society that worshipped idols, and he stood alone in challenging their false beliefs. He reasoned with his people and exposed the futility of idol worship. Eventually, in an act of defiance, he destroyed the idols in the temple — all except one. When the people asked who had done it, he pointed to the remaining idol and said, “Ask him if he can speak!”
Furious, the leaders, including the tyrant King Nimrod, decided to make an example of Ibrahim. They built a massive fire—so hot that birds couldn’t fly over it—and prepared to throw him into it.
Now imagine: Ibrahim was alone. No one came to his aid. No army. No crowd. No miracle yet. Just fire. And faith.
As he was being thrown in, the angel Jibrīl (Gabriel) came to him and said, “Do you need help?”
Ibrahim replied calmly and beautifully:
Prophet Ibrahim (alayhissalam) lived in a society that worshipped idols, and he stood alone in challenging their false beliefs. He reasoned with his people and exposed the futility of idol worship. Eventually, in an act of defiance, he destroyed the idols in the temple — all except one. When the people asked who had done it, he pointed to the remaining idol and said, “Ask him if he can speak!”
Furious, the leaders, including the tyrant King Nimrod, decided to make an example of Ibrahim. They built a massive fire—so hot that birds couldn’t fly over it—and prepared to throw him into it.
Now imagine: Ibrahim was alone. No one came to his aid. No army. No crowd. No miracle yet. Just fire. And faith.
As he was being thrown in, the angel Jibrīl (Gabriel) came to him and said, “Do you need help?”
Ibrahim replied calmly and beautifully:
حَسْبُنَا اللّٰهُ وَنِعْمَ الْوَكِيْلُ
[... Hasbiyallāh wa niʿma al-wakīl ...]
“... Allah is sufficient for me, and He is the best Disposer of affairs ....” (QS Surah Āli ʿImrān (3):173]
At that moment, Allah gave a command to the fire itself:
يٰنَارُ كُوْنِيْ بَرْدًا وَّسَلٰمًا عَلٰٓى اِبْرٰهِيْمَ ۙ
“ ... O fire, be cool and safe for Ibrahim.” (QS Al-Anbiya' 21:69)
And just like that, the blazing fire turned into peace and protection. Ibrahim stepped out — unharmed — not only physically, but spiritually stronger than ever.
This story teaches us that true belief is not just about agreeing with ideas — it's about trusting in Allah even when everything around you seems against you. Ibrahim (AS) was thrown into what should have been certain death, but his heart didn’t waver. His calm reliance shows us that when faith is firm, the impossible becomes possible.
Now, let me share with you a modern-day true story—simple but powerful—that shows how faith and belief can uplift a person even in our era. This story is often shared in Islamic circles to show how Allah answers sincere hearts.
A young Muslim woman living alone in a Western country once fell into serious financial hardship. She was working part-time to support herself while studying, and things suddenly became difficult when she lost her job. She had very little money left and just a few days until her rent was due. She tried everything — applied for jobs, asked friends for help, even spoke with her landlord — but nothing worked. As the rent deadline approached, fear and anxiety began to overwhelm her.
But instead of giving in to despair, she turned to her faith. On the night before rent was due, she performed tahajjud (the voluntary late-night prayer) and cried out to Allah in sujūd (prostration), sincerely saying:
“Ya Allah, You are Ar-Razzāq, the Provider. I have no one else. I believe You can open a way for me from where I cannot imagine. Please help me.”
She went to sleep with peace in her heart, still unsure what would happen—but with complete tawakkul (reliance on Allah). The next morning, she received an unexpected email: she had been selected for a scholarship she had applied for months ago and forgotten about. Not only did it cover her tuition, but it also gave her a monthly living allowance—enough to pay the rent and live with ease.
She later shared her story in a gathering, saying: “That night, I didn’t just ask Allah with my words. I gave Him my heart.”
In today’s world of logic, contracts, and data, faith often feels like it doesn’t belong — but stories like this remind us that belief is a power that connects the seen with the unseen. While we must do our part, it’s faith that gives us calm in chaos, hope in the impossible, and trust in the unseen mercy of Allah.
From a scientific perspective, faith is often seen not in the same theological sense as in religion, but rather as a form of conviction or psychological confidence in something that may not yet be proven or visible. In psychology and cognitive science, faith can be understood as a cognitive process that helps humans cope with uncertainty, especially in situations where logic or evidence cannot provide full clarity. Researchers sometimes describe it as a form of trust—a mental state that allows individuals to function in the face of unknown outcomes. For example, when people have faith that a medical treatment will work, even if there’s uncertainty, that belief can contribute to better emotional resilience, and sometimes even recovery—a phenomenon explored in studies of the placebo effect.
However, from a philosophical perspective, faith takes on deeper and more layered meanings. Philosophers across traditions—both Western and Islamic—have explored faith as a kind of epistemic stance, meaning it relates to how we come to know or believe something. For instance, some philosophers argue that faith is not irrational, but trans-rational—it goes beyond reason without necessarily going against it. Thinkers like Søren Kierkegaard viewed faith as a leap—an existential commitment that requires courage, especially when evidence is incomplete or when reason reaches its limits. In Islamic philosophy, thinkers like Al-Ghazali wrestled with the idea of yaqīn (certainty) and īmān (faith), concluding that true faith is born when the heart affirms what the intellect accepts—a harmony between knowledge and spiritual experience.
Interestingly, both scientific and philosophical perspectives agree that faith is not just a passive state. It involves commitment, emotional resilience, and often, action. In both realms, faith is seen as something deeply human—something that allows people to hope, to love, to persist, and to find meaning, even in suffering or uncertainty. While science and philosophy may approach faith differently than religion, they still recognise it as a powerful inner force, capable of shaping human thought, behaviour, and endurance.
In Islam, faith (īmān) is far more than just belief—it is belief with the heart, affirmation with the tongue, and action with the limbs. It’s not blind or baseless; rather, it is deeply rooted in knowledge (‘ilm), reflection (tafakkur), and experience (ma‘rifah). The Qur’an itself repeatedly calls on believers to observe, think, reason, and reflect on the signs of Allah in the universe. So, contrary to the misconception that faith opposes reason, Islam considers sound intellect to be a faith pathway, not a barrier. Now, linking this with the scientific perspective: Science sees faith as a cognitive mechanism—a kind of psychological trust that helps humans manage uncertainty or lack of control. While Islam doesn't reduce faith to a mental mechanism, it acknowledges that humans do experience trials of the unseen (al-ghayb), and that faith enables people to remain spiritually stable even when the outcomes are unknown. That’s why belief in the unseen (al-īmān bi al-ghayb) is central in Islam—it encourages trust in Allah even when His wisdom is hidden.
From a philosophical perspective, especially in existentialism or epistemology, faith is often about the tension between reason and meaning. In Islam, scholars like Al-Ghazali, Ibn Taymiyyah, and Ibn Sina have all explored the nature of belief, certainty (yaqīn), and doubt. Al-Ghazali, after experiencing a spiritual and intellectual crisis, concluded that true certainty comes not just through rational proofs, but through divine illumination (nur)—something that reason begins, but the heart completes.
So, Islam embraces the rational search for truth, but it also teaches that spiritual certainty is a divine gift, not just the result of logical deduction. In that way, Islam harmonizes the intellectual pursuit of philosophy and the trust-based resilience described in science, with the spiritual dimensions of revelation and worship.
In essence: Science sees faith as cognitive trust in uncertainty; Philosophy sees faith as a leap or conviction when reason reaches its edge; Islam sees faith as a fusion of knowledge, trust, love, and submission to the One who knows all things.
From a scientific perspective, belief is generally studied as a cognitive function of the brain. Scientists—particularly in the fields of neuroscience and psychology—view belief as a mental representation or judgment that a person holds to be true, whether or not it can be proven objectively. Beliefs help people interpret reality, make decisions, and form expectations about the world around them. In this sense, beliefs are not limited to religion—they can include beliefs about health, success, other people, or even ourselves.
Neuroscience has shown that beliefs are stored and processed in specific areas of the brain, such as the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for higher-order thinking and decision-making. Interestingly, research has also shown that emotions play a major role in shaping and reinforcing beliefs—which is why two people can see the same evidence and come to very different conclusions. Belief, in this way, is not just about logic; it involves memory, emotion, personal experience, and social context.
Meanwhile, from a philosophical perspective, belief has been a central topic of debate for centuries. Philosophers ask: What does it mean to believe something? How is belief different from knowledge or opinion? One of the most famous definitions comes from Plato, who described knowledge as “justified true belief.” That is, to truly know something, a person must not only believe it and it must be true, but they must also have a justification for it. This definition, while debated and revised over time, laid the foundation for much of epistemology (the study of knowledge and belief).
Philosophers have also examined the moral and existential dimensions of belief. For example, William James argued that belief plays a vital role in human motivation and decision-making, especially when evidence is incomplete. Kierkegaard, on the other hand, emphasized belief as a deeply personal commitment, particularly in religious faith, calling it a “leap” that reason alone cannot explain.
So, both science and philosophy recognize belief as something fundamental to human experience—not just as a passive thought, but as an active mental and emotional state that shapes how we live, choose, and interact with the world. In both perspectives, belief is not always about having proof—it’s often about how we make sense of the unknown and what we choose to hold onto in the face of uncertainty.
Faith and belief are fundamental aspects of human experience because they provide direction, meaning, and resilience in life. These concepts help individuals navigate uncertainty, offering hope in times of difficulty and fostering confidence in their own abilities. Without them, life can feel aimless or disconnected.
Faith allows people to find purpose and meaning, whether through spirituality, personal principles, or a connection to something greater than themselves. Belief, on the other hand, strengthens their ability to overcome challenges and persist in the face of adversity. When people believe in themselves or in a higher purpose, they are often more motivated to take action, strive for progress, and make positive changes in the world.
Moreover, faith and belief foster a sense of peace and emotional stability. Believing in something beyond one's immediate struggles can provide comfort and assurance, reducing anxiety and fear. These concepts also play a crucial role in building connections between individuals and communities, encouraging unity and shared values.
Faith and belief are irreplaceable because they shape how people approach life, make decisions, and interact with the world around them. They are not just abstract ideas but essential guiding forces that influence personal growth and societal progress.
