Divine Wisdom, Human Agency and the fiṭra in Ibn Taymiyya’s Thought 55
love of God and the human need for it, he argues, since they mostly
focus on theoretical concepts and logical arguments about religion.
The Prophets, he says, while conveying messages of God to their
communities and calling upon their people to follow the principles
of religion, never taught them theoretical and philosophical proofs to
strengthen their faith. Instead, they recommended people to adopt a
devotional attitude in their life by praying to and worshipping God
in order to gain spiritual benefits. The bottom level of the hearts of
believers, according to Ibn Taymiyya, always contains the love of God
and displays its manifestations quite often.^62
Ibn Taymiyya also points out the close relationship between belief
and action, which provides a connection between the physical and
metaphysical worlds. The mutakallimūn, who discuss faith in abstract
terms, in his view, miss the practical elements, which form a part of reli-
gion. Therefore, he argues, it is not a coincidence that religions empha-
size worship and obedience to God rather than focusing on theoretical
proofs. The roots of religious belief, in Ibn Taymiyya’s approach, are
acceptance of fundamental principles as well as a strong internal com-
mitment to act according to these principles in daily life. Technical and
abstract definitions of faith will not satisfy the expectations of commit-
ted believers.^63
In Ibn Taymiyya’s interpretation, believing in God has two ele-
ments: confirmation of belief and love of God. The first part is ver-
bal belief and the second is practical belief. Real love motivates the
body and creates a unity between it and the soul. Binding belief in
God exclusively to confirmation, therefore, would not be satisfactory
in terms of its definition; it also needs to include knowledge and love
of Him. Believing without love would not reach its perfection; in other
words, it needs to refer to inner spiritual words and practices of the
heart, as well as reflection in spoken languages and physical practices.
In his own words:
The essence of strength is the strength of the heart that brings love of good
and disdain of evil. The believer’s strength lies in his heart, while weak-
ness is in his body. The hypocrite, on the other hand, while his strength
lies in his body, weakness remains in his heart. Consequently, faith must62 Ibn Taymiyya, Majmūʿat Tafsīr, pp. 269, 277. For Ibn Taymiyya’s approach in
general Ḥanbalī context, see also Bell, Joseph Norment: Love Theory in Later
Ḥanbalite Islam, New York 1979.
63 Ibn Taymiyya, Majmūʿ Fatāwā, vol. 2, pp. 39–40; Ibn Taymiyya: Kitāb al-Īmān,
edited by Muḥammad Zabīdī, Beirut 1414/1993, pp. 126–127, 370–371.
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