For increasing and decreasing faith

Once we know that faith increases and decreases, then the familiar causes increasing and decreasing benefits and faith has become very important. It is appropriate that a Muslim to know then apply and practice it in everyday life, in order to perfect and grow strong in the faith. Also to keep away from his opponent to the decreasing faith so as to keep themselves and survive in the world and the hereafter.

Sheikh Abdurrahman as-Sa'di rahimahullah explained that a slave who get guidance from Allah Almighty always tried to do two things:

1. Realizing faith and its branches and apply both science and charity together.

2. Trying to reject all that oppose and remove or reduce the faith of slanders are visible and hidden, treat deficiencies of early and treat so with repentance and to know the case before it is lost. [1]

Brought faith and fortified them done by knowing the causes of the increase in faith and carry it out. While trying to reject and oppose all that removes done by knowing the causes reduction in faith and be careful of falling in it.

Causes of Increasing Faith

First: Learn useful knowledge derived from al-Qur`aan and Sunnah. This becomes important because the increase of faith and science be useful as a means of worship to Allaah and realize Tawheed and fit properly. Added faith gained from science can occur from diverse sides, among them:

1. Side discharge of scientists in search of knowledge

2. She sat them in Halaqah science

3. Mudzakarah (discussions) between them in matters of science

4. Addition of knowledge of God and His Shari'ah

5. Application of knowledge they have learned

6. Additional reward of those who learn from them

Second: Reflecting verses kauniyah. Contemplate and analyze the situation and the existence of the creatures of Allah Almighty's diverse and amazing is a very strong motivating factor for the faith and strengthen faith.

Sheikh Abdurrahman as-Sa'di rahimahullah stated, "Among the causes and factors driving belief is reflective to the universe in the form of the creation of the heavens and the earth and its inhabitants and creatures makhuk man examine itself and its properties owned. These are all strong motivating factor for the increase of faith ". [2]

Third: Trying to earnestly implement the righteous deeds with sincerity, propagate and mensinambungkannya. This is because all the deeds performed with sincerity Shari'a will add to the faith. By faith increases with increasing number of deeds of obedience and worship.

Shaykh Muhammad ibn al Uthaymeen rahimahullah once said, "Among the causes accretion of faith is doing obedience. Because faith will increase with good implementation, the type and amount of practice. The better practice, the greater the addition of faith and good implements selected because there is with sincere and mutaba'ah (as examples of the Prophet sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam). While this type of practice, then that must be greater than the Sunnah and part charity and obedience is more emphasized than the other major. The more major the obedience, the greater the addition of faith. As much (quantity) practice, it will add to the faith, because the practice of including a part of faith. So that faith definitely increases with practice. "[3]

Causes of Reduced Faith

The causes of reduced faith there that comes from the man himself (internal factors) and none from the outside (external factors).

Internal factors reduced the faith

First: Ignorance. It is the biggest cause reduction in the faith, as science is the biggest cause increased faith.

Second: Negligence, attitude and forgot to turn away from the truth. Three cases this is one of the important causes reduction in faith.

Third: The act of immorality and sin. Obviously disobedience and sin are very harmful and have a bad effect on the faith. As the implementation of the orders of Allah Ta'ala add to the faith, as well as violations of the prohibition Allaah reduce faith. But of course, sin and wickedness terraced degrees, damage and loss caused, as stated by Ibn al-Qayyim rahimahullah in his phrase, "It is certain disbelief, wickedness and disobedience stratified as faith and good deeds were stratified". [4 ]

Fourth: Lust are invited to evil (an-lust ammaratu bissu '). Here's appetite in humans and reprehensible. Lust is invited to the ugliness and misery, as Allaah described the wife tells al-Aziz,

وما أبرئ نفسي إن النفس لأمارة بالسوء إلا ما رحم ربي إن ربي غفور رحيم

"And I do not absolve myself (of error), because lust Indeed it is always sent to the crime, except for those my Lord has mercy. Surely my Lord is Forgiving, infinite care. "(Surah Yusuf: 53)

Lust is dragging people to disobedience and destruction of faith, so that we are obliged to seek refuge in Allaah from him and tried to bermuhasabah before charity and thereafter.

External factors reduced the faith

First: Satan eternal enemy of man which is an important cause of external influence and reduce strong faith.

Second: The World and slander (temptation) it. Busied themselves with the world and jewels including the causes that can reduce faith. Because humans have more spirit world and increasingly want it, the more incriminating himself doing obedience and seek happiness hereafter, Imam Ibn al-Qayyim sebagaiman spoken.

Third: Friends hanging out the ugly. Friends are ugly and evil into something very dangerous to faith, morals and religion. Because the Prophet sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam has warned us of this in his word,

الرجل على دين خليله فلينظر أحدكم من يخالل

"A religion that is above her lover (close friend), then it should be one you see who becomes her lover." [5]

Such cases must be considered in the faith, hopefully this can move us to further strengthen and refine faith.