ILTIZÂM – الالتزام
A being or becoming inseparable from. A taking upon one's self. A being solicitous about; a sedulously looking after the interests or advancement of.
A holding to a thing so as never to quit it; constant attendance; persistency. To cling to a thing never to leave it; to be constant, persistent or assiduous.
Supporting something by considering it to be a necessity.
The meaning of the non-mu’min Muslim and the non-Muslim mu’min is this: In the early period of the Freedom1, I saw irreligious individuals who infiltrated the members of the Party of Union and Progress2. They acknowledged that Islam and the Sharî’ah of Ahmad (asm) contain profoundly beneficial and valuable sublime principles for the social life of mankind and particularly for the politics of the Ottoman; thereby, they were supporters of the Sharî’ah of Ahmad (asm) with all their strength. At that point, they were Muslims; that is, they were supporters of haqq and had iltizâm for haqq, yet they were not mu’mins. It means that they deserved to be categorised as non-mu’min Muslims. But now, even though he supports the Western methods and principles and the currents of bid’ah that destroy Sharî’ah under the name of civilisation, he carries îmân in Allah, in the âkhirah and the Prophet and considers himself a mu’min. Since he does not truly support and have iltizâm for the laws of the Sharî’ah of Ahmad (asm) that are haqq and haqiqah, he becomes a non-Muslim mu’min. As Islam without îmân cannot be the means of salvation, neither can îmân withstand without Islam knowingly. It can be said that it cannot provide salvation.
Barla Addendum-349
Amongst the ‘Ulamâ of Islam, the differences between Islam and îmân have been discussed much. One group has said: “They are the same”, while another has said: “They are not the same, but one cannot be without the other.” They have declared various ideas like these. I understood the following difference:
Islam is iltizâm; îmân is idh'ân, in other words, Islam is supporting the haqq and submission and obedience; while îmân is accepting the haqq and affirming it. In the past, I saw certain irreligious people that they were fervently displaying support for the laws of the Qur'an. It means that in one respect, due to having the iltizâm of haqq, that irreligious man possessed Islam in one aspect; he was called “An irreligious Muslim.” Then later, I saw certain mu’mins who did not display support for the laws of the Qur'an and did not have iltizâm. They were worthy of the term "A non-Muslim mu’min."
Can îmân without Islam be the means of salvation?
The Answer: Just as Islam without îmân is not the cause of salvation, so îmân without Islam cannot be the means of salvation. Falillahilhamdu wal-minnatu3, through the faydh of the Qur'an's ma’nawî miraculousness, the comparisons in the Risale-i Nur have demonstrated the fruits and results of the religion of Islam and the haqiqahs of the Qur'an in such a way that even if an irreligious man understands them, not supporting them will not be possible for him. Also, they demonstrated the evidence and proofs of îmân and Islam such powerfully that if even a non-Muslim understands them, he will certainly affirm them. Even if he remains non-Muslim, he will believe.
Yes, The Words have demonstrated the fruits of îmân and Islam, which are sweet and beautiful like the fruits of the Tûbâ tree of Jannah, and demonstrated such pleasant and agreeable results of them as the beauties of happiness in both worlds that they give to those who see and know them an infinite feeling of support, iltizâm and submission. And they have demonstrated proofs of îmân and Islam as powerful as the chains of beings and as numerous as particles that they give an endless idh‘ân and strength of îmân. To a degree that while reciting the testify to îmân (Shahâdah) in the awrâd of Shah Naqshband, when I say عَلَى ذلِكَ نَحْيَى وَ عَلَيْهِ نَمُوتُ وَ عَلَيْهِ نُبْعَثُ غَدًا4 I feel an endless feeling of support. If the whole world was given to me, I could not sacrifice a single haqiqah of îmân. It is excruciating for me to imagine the opposite of a haqiqah of îmân for a minute. If the whole world was mine, my nafs would submit without hesitation to give it for the existence of a single haqiqah of îmân. When I say وَ آمَنَّا بِمَا اَرْسَلْتَ مِنْ رَسُولٍ وَ آمَنَّا بِمَا اَنْزَلْتَ مِنْ كِتَابٍ وَ صَدَّقْنَا5, I feel the infinite strength of îmân. I consider that the opposite of each of the haqiqahs of îmân is rationally impossible and the people of dhalâlah are extremely foolish and crazy.
The Ninth Letter
What is the reason for this calamity, which arises from the wrongdoings of some individuals, taking the form of a general calamity in the country to a degree?
The Answer: From the point of general calamity being aroused from the wrongdoings of the majority, since most people, in a ma’nawî manner, participate in the actions of those dhâlim individuals by supporting them through their actions, by having iltizâm for the actions of those dhâlim individuals, or by joining them, they cause the general calamity.
The Addendum to the Fourteenth Word