Levels of faith:

There are levels of faith that every believer should be aware of. And once you understand the various of faith, the next step is to identify your level and works towards the next level until you reached the highest level of faith.

Generally faith and belief are used as synonyms but there is a difference between two. Belief is a strong bound, while faith is our certitude and the highest level of conviction and trust in something. A belief can be based on logical reasoning, sense-perception, circumstances, context, or may be what other have told you. It can be either empowering or limiting. This is not true with faith. Faith is always empowering based on personal profound experience and deep intuitive feeling. Faith is stronger than belief. Belief is more traditional, empirical, or rational while faith is more psychological, intuitive and spiritual.

For a better understanding of the difference between faith and belief we can use the example of the chair. Find chair, look at it closely, and examine its design. Is it sufficiently engineered? Will the material chosen by the manufacturer support your weight? Most likely, you will pick a chair that you think is suitable. That is a belief! You applied sense and logic to make an informed intellectual decision. Now sit in the chair and feel the experience. That is the faith! True living requires us to put our beliefs into practice and reflect. Intellectual belief without actionable faith is hollow and meaningless. When we declare our thoughts about something we our believers; and when we live according to those thoughts we are faithful.

In the light of some verse of Quran we came to know about three levels of faith. The first of three is LLm-ul-yaqin. It is the lowest level of faith which rests on knowledge and information alone. It is belief in a statement or a fact which is supported by such proofs and evidence that lead to inner conviction. In other words, a belief of the heart but which has its base of support in the mind.

The second level of faith is Ayn-ul-uaqin, a state of credence or belief which is based on personal witness in a state of awakening,; that one witnessed with one or more of this sense. This level of faith is higher or deeper than the Ilm-ul-yaqin in certitude and confidence.

The highest state of credence and faith Haqq-ul-yaqin is obtained through one’s personal involvement, direct and physical contact with something. Here, it is not so much the mind which is active, but rather, the heart and the soul.

                   “Verily, this! Is an absolute Truth with certainty.” (56:95 )

To put it yet differently: Every truth is itself certain, but certainty has degrees. First there is the certainty of reasoning or inference, known as Ilm-ul-yaqin. Next there is a certainty of sense-perception, known as Ayn-ul-yaqin. There is a certainty, the highest degree of it, the absolute certainty, with no possibility of error, either of judgment or perception and this is the term as haq-ul-aqin. A simple example may be cited. a person hears the existence of Kaaba. He believes it exists.  That is Ilm-ul-yaqin.

Then he happens to go to the Makkah and sees it with his own eyes. He ascends to the higher  Ayn-ul-uaqin. His belief about the existence of Makkah is now stronger, because he witnessed it. But if he happens to have been involved in the construction receiving Divine instruction and inspiration, then his belief in the existence of Kabah is of the level of Haqq-ul-yaqin. Someone who build the Kabah, will not deny its exisitence. He will not led to believe it eas a dream or hallucination, because those whp receive Divine instructions or inspiration, never suffer lose of his memory of this particular kind, nor undergoes hallucination touching upon, or damaging there spiritual experiences.