The first Shia Imam, Ali ibn Abitaleb (AS) was asked: What is belief? Imam Ali (AS) replied: Belief (Imaan) is recognition by the heart and confession by the tongue and act with all the parts of the body [1]. A belief is the recognition and action of the heart, then it is the turn of the tongue, because the tongue is the interpreter of the heart and testifies whatever has passed in the heart. Meaning acts according to itself.
And then says: ‘Act with all the parts of the body’ which relates to other parts of the human being where deeds and worshipping such as Salaat/Salaah, fasting, Hajj and Jihad are carried out by parts of the body. Meaning a belief is exuded from inside to outside [2].
[1] Nahjul Balaghah, Wisdom 227.
[2] Soluke Ashuraie, Manzil Chaharrum, Ayatollah Sheikh Mojtaba Tehrani (RA), Page 48.
