Levels of Certainty (Marātib al-Yaqīn)
Certainty has three levels:
‘Ilm al-Yaqīn (Knowledge of Certainty), then ‘Ayn al-Yaqīn (Seeing with the Eye of Certainty), then Ḥaqq al-Yaqīn (The Reality of Certainty) — and this is the highest of them.
The evidences have come with all three levels.
① — Allāh the Exalted said regarding the first:
{No! If you only knew with the knowledge of certainty} [al-Takāthur: 5].
{Information is not the same as observation} — Reported by Aḥmad.
② — Allāh the Exalted said regarding the second:
{Then you will surely see it with the eye of certainty} [al-Takāthur: 7].
③ — Allāh the Exalted said regarding the third:
{And indeed, it is the truth of certainty} [al-Ḥāqqah: 51].
“He has tasted the sweetness of faith who is pleased with Allāh as Lord, with Islām as religion, and with Muḥammad as Messenger.” — Reported by Muslim.
Imām Ibn Taymiyyah (رحمه الله) said:
“‘Ilm al-Yaqīn is the knowledge obtained through hearing, reports, analogy, and reflection. ‘Ayn al-Yaqīn is what the person has witnessed and seen with his own eyes. Ḥaqq al-Yaqīn is what he has directly experienced, found, and tasted. The three levels are illustrated by the one who informs you that he has honey and you do not doubt his truthfulness (this is ‘Ilm al-Yaqīn), then he shows it to you and your certainty increases (this is ‘Ayn al-Yaqīn), then you taste it and experience its flavour and sweetness (this is Ḥaqq al-Yaqīn).”
[Majmū‘ al-Fatāwā (10/645)]
People differ in attaining these levels and realizing this virtue. Some of them are only attained in the Hereafter — such as seeing Paradise and Hell with one’s own eyes, as mentioned in the text of the Qur’ān. Some are specific to the Messengers in this world.
Imām Ibn al-Qayyîm (رحمه الله) said in Madārij al-Sālikīn:
“Know that this level — Ḥaqq al-Yaqīn — is not attained in this world except by the Messengers of Allāh (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon them all). For our Prophet ﷺ saw Paradise and Hell with his own eyes, and Mūsā spoke directly to Allāh. However, we can attain a portion of Ḥaqq al-Yaqīn, which is tasting what the Messenger ﷺ informed us of regarding the realities of faith connected to the heart and its actions. When the heart directly experiences and tastes them, they become for him Ḥaqq al-Yaqīn. As for the matters of the Hereafter, the Return, seeing Allāh openly with the eyes, and hearing His Speech, then the believer’s share of that in this abode is faith and ‘Ilm al-Yaqīn. Ḥaqq al-Yaqīn is delayed until the time of meeting (Allāh).”
Ibn Taymīyyāh (رحمه الله) said:
“So people, with regard to what is present in the hearts and what is present outside them, are upon these three levels.
When faith enters the heart and mixes with its joy, the heart does not dislike it; rather, it loves it and is pleased with it. It possesses in the heart a sweetness, delight, happiness, and joy that cannot be expressed to the one who has not tasted it. And people differ in the degree of this tasting.
{Say: ‘In the bounty of Allāh and in His mercy — in that let them rejoice. It is better than what they accumulate.’} [Yūnus: 58]
And Allāh the Exalted said:
{As for those who believed, it increased them in faith, and they are rejoicing} [al-Tawbah: 124].
Rejoicing is happiness and delight due to what they find in their hearts of sweetness and pleasure.”
[Majmū‘ al-Fatāwā (10/648)]
Book 📚 Explanation of the Conditions of Lā ilāha illallāh 📚 — p. 104by Shaykh Khālid al-Marḍī (may Allāh preserve him)
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