Table of Contents
A Journey, Not a Moment
The path of faith in Islam is a journey that begins with knowing Allah and continues until the last breath. It is not a single emotional experience, a single prayer, or a single Ramadan. It is a lifelong walk to Allah with the heart, the tongue, and the limbs, carried by His mercy and guided by His revelation.
Allah describes believers as people who are always traveling toward Him, never standing still in faith, and never fully content with themselves.
“O mankind, indeed you are laboring toward your Lord with great exertion and will meet Him.”
(Qur’an 84:6)
To “walk the path of faith” means to live every part of life with awareness that one is on the way to meet Allah. It means choosing, again and again, to turn toward Him after every sin, every doubt, every weakness, and every distraction.
The path of faith is a continuous journey of turning back to Allah, not a one-time event or a temporary feeling.
This chapter introduces that journey in general. The following chapters explain key stages and supports on that path, such as entering Islam, renewing one’s life, growing in faith, seeking knowledge, keeping good company, understanding trials, and preparing for the Hereafter.
Here we focus on the overall picture: what it means to walk, how the Qur’an and Sunnah describe this walk, and what attitude a beginner must carry from the very start.
Walking to Allah with Heart and Action
The Qur’an often speaks of human beings as travelers and wayfarers. A person is not fixed. The heart moves, either closer to Allah or further away. There is no neutral state.
“So whoever hopes for the meeting with his Lord, let him do righteous work and not associate in the worship of his Lord anyone.”
(Qur’an 18:110)
This verse connects three things that define the path of faith. The first is hope of meeting Allah. The second is righteous action. The third is pure tawḥīd, worshiping Allah alone.
The Prophet ﷺ described this path as a straight and clear way that Allah has laid down.
The Prophet ﷺ said: “Allah has set forth a parable of a straight path. On the sides of the path there are two walls with open doors in them, and curtains hanging over the doors. At the head of the path there is a caller saying, ‘O people, enter the path all of you and do not deviate.’ And there is another caller calling from above the path. When a person wants to open any of those doors, he says, ‘Woe to you, do not open it, for if you open it, you will enter it.’” Then he explained, “The path is Islam. The two walls are Allah’s limits. The open doors are the things Allah has forbidden. The caller at the head of the path is the Book of Allah, and the caller above it is a warner from Allah in the heart of every believer.”
(Reported by Ahmad and others)
In this parable, Islam is not only a belief, it is a road. The Qur’an calls the traveler, and the conscience of the believer reminds him from within. Walking the path means listening to both, and choosing not to step through forbidden doors, even when the heart is tempted.
Faith is not only what one believes in the heart. Faith shows itself in what one chooses and does while walking through life.
A person on the path of faith therefore learns to see every day as a step either toward Allah or away from Him. Every choice matters.
Between Fear and Hope
The path is neither a road of despair nor a road of false security. Allah describes believers as people who fear His displeasure, yet hope for His mercy, and do not give up on either side.
“They used to hasten to good deeds and supplicate Us in hope and fear, and they were humbly submissive to Us.”
(Qur’an 21:90)
The Prophet ﷺ taught that this balance should remain until the very end of life.
He ﷺ said: “None of you should die except while assuming good expectation of Allah.”
(Muslim)
Fear without hope crushes the heart and may lead to despair. Hope without fear makes a person careless with sins and duties. The walker to Allah needs both, like two wings of a bird. The following chapters on “Strengthening Īmān” and “Preparing for the Hereafter” will explore this balance in more detail. Here, it is enough to understand that a beginner on the path should strive to keep both feelings alive.
A sound path of faith is always walked between fear of displeasing Allah and hope in His mercy.
The Path Is Paved with Struggle
Walking the path of faith is not always easy. Allah informs believers that effort, struggle, and tests are part of His wisdom and His love for His servants.
“Do people think that they will be left to say, ‘We believe’ and they will not be tested?”
(Qur’an 29:2)
“And those who strive for Us, We will surely guide them to Our ways. And indeed, Allah is with the doers of good.”
(Qur’an 29:69)
The Prophet ﷺ explained that the closest servants to Allah often face the greatest tests.
He ﷺ said: “The people most severely tested are the prophets, then the next best, then the next best. A person is tested according to the level of his religious commitment.”
(Tirmidhī)
For a new or returning Muslim, this may appear as difficulties in family relations, inner doubts, loss of old habits, or the challenge of learning a new way of life. These struggles do not mean that Allah has abandoned the person. Rather, they are a sign that the path is real, and that faith is being purified.
Later, the chapter “Trials as Tests” will discuss the wisdom of hardship in detail. At this point, one must simply know that effort is part of faith, not a sign of failure.
Experiencing struggle after turning to Allah is normal and can be a sign that Allah is guiding and purifying the believer.
Small Steps, Constant Direction
The path of faith is not walked by giant leaps, but by many small and repeated steps. Allah praises those who are constant, even if their actions appear simple.
“So remain on a right course as you have been commanded, you and those who have turned back with you to Allah, and do not transgress. Indeed, He is Seeing of what you do.”
(Qur’an 11:112)
The Prophet ﷺ clarified that Allah loves steady, consistent deeds.
He ﷺ said: “The most beloved deeds to Allah are those that are most consistent, even if they are few.”
(Bukhārī and Muslim)
For someone at the beginning of the journey, this means that it is better to establish a few regular acts and maintain them, instead of trying to do everything at once and then giving up. Later chapters will describe how to grow step by step. Here, the rule is simple.
On the path of faith, consistency in small acts is more valuable than brief bursts of great effort without continuity.
A steady walker eventually covers a long distance, while someone who runs and stops repeatedly may not move far at all.
The Inner Direction: Turning Again and Again
The Qur’an presents faith as a repeated turning of the heart back to Allah. The Arabic term tawbah means returning. Even the most righteous people make this inner return repeatedly.
“And turn to Allah in repentance, all of you, O believers, that you might succeed.”
(Qur’an 24:31)
The Prophet ﷺ himself, who was forgiven his past and future shortcomings, used to return to Allah often.
He ﷺ said: “By Allah, I seek Allah’s forgiveness and turn to Him in repentance more than seventy times a day.”
(Bukhārī)
Walking the path of faith therefore does not mean never slipping. It means that whenever one slips, one refuses to remain fallen. The heart turns back, seeking forgiveness, renewing intention, and starting again.
Later, the chapter on “Repentance (Tawbah)” will cover the conditions and fruits of true repentance. In this chapter, it is enough to recognize that the constant habit of turning back is at the center of the journey.
A believer is not defined by never sinning, but by never staying away from Allah after sin. The path is to return again and again.
Companionship with the Qur’an and the Sunnah
Allah did not leave the traveler without a map or without a guide. The Qur’an is the supreme map for the human heart, and the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ is the living explanation of that map.
“Indeed, this Qur’an guides to that which is most upright and gives glad tidings to the believers who do righteous deeds that they will have a great reward.”
(Qur’an 17:9)
“And indeed, you are surely upon an exalted standard of character.”
(Qur’an 68:4)
The Prophet ﷺ stated clearly that whoever holds firmly to both the Book of Allah and his Sunnah will not go astray.
He ﷺ said: “I have left among you two things. You will never go astray as long as you hold fast to them: the Book of Allah and my Sunnah.”
(Reported by Mālik and others)
Walking the path of faith means using revelation as the standard for beliefs, values, and daily choices. It also means looking at the life of the Prophet ﷺ as the best model of how to live, worship, show mercy, and endure hardship.
Later sections in the course have already explained the Qur’an, Sunnah, and love of the Messenger ﷺ. Here, the key point is that no one walks to Allah by personal opinion alone. The path has already been drawn and travelled successfully. The safe way is to follow.
The safe and straight path of faith is to follow the Qur’an and the Sunnah, not to invent a new way to Allah.
Recognizing the Road Signs
While traveling, a person needs signs that show whether he is on the right path or slipping. The Qur’an and Sunnah mention many such signs. For a beginner, some of the most important are as follows.
One sign is increased sensitivity to sin. The believer begins to feel uneasy about disobedience and careless worship.
The Prophet ﷺ said: “Righteousness is good character, and sin is what wavers in your soul and you dislike that people should come to know of it.”
(Muslim)
Another sign is love of good deeds and gatherings of remembrance. Hearts on the path feel drawn toward what pleases Allah, even if their bodies sometimes feel lazy.
“Allah will raise those who have believed among you and those who were given knowledge, by degrees.”
(Qur’an 58:11)
A third sign is increasing humility, not pride. The more a person walks the path of faith, the more he sees his need of Allah and the less he admires himself.
“And the servants of the Most Merciful are those who walk upon the earth humbly…”
(Qur’an 25:63)
The chapters that follow, about seeking knowledge, good companionship, and preparing for the Hereafter, describe more of these signs and how to nurture them. Here, the important understanding is that faith has visible effects. The path of faith leaves footprints in character and behavior.
Avoiding Two Dangers: Despair and Arrogance
A walker to Allah must be careful of two large pits on both sides of the road. One is despair, the belief that one is too sinful or too weak to be forgiven. The other is arrogance, the belief that one is safe and better than others.
Allah shuts the door of despair with a clear call in the Qur’an.
“Say, ‘O My servants who have transgressed against their own souls, do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the Merciful.’”
(Qur’an 39:53)
At the same time, He warns those who feel secure from His plan.
“Then do they feel secure from the plan of Allah? But none feels secure from the plan of Allah except the losing people.”
(Qur’an 7:99)
The Prophet ﷺ explained that no one enters Paradise by his deeds alone, which prevents arrogance.
He ﷺ said: “None of you will enter Paradise because of his deeds alone.” They asked, “Not even you, O Messenger of Allah?” He said: “Not even me, unless Allah grants me mercy from Him.”
(Bukhārī and Muslim)
So the traveler must walk with humility and hope, doing deeds and relying only on Allah’s mercy, never on his own effort.
It is a grave mistake either to despair of Allah’s mercy or to feel secure because of one’s own deeds. The true path lies between these two.
The End of the Path: Meeting Allah
Every step of faith is really a preparation for a single moment, the moment a person meets his Lord. The Qur’an describes that meeting as the greatest success or the greatest loss.
“So whoever is pushed away from the Fire and admitted to Paradise has certainly attained success. And the life of this world is nothing but the enjoyment of delusion.”
(Qur’an 3:185)
The Prophet ﷺ taught that the believer should look forward to that meeting when the time comes.
He ﷺ said: “Whoever loves to meet Allah, Allah loves to meet him. Whoever dislikes to meet Allah, Allah dislikes to meet him.” They said, “O Messenger of Allah, all of us dislike death.” He said, “That is not what I mean. Rather, when the believer is given the glad tidings of the mercy of Allah, His pleasure, and His Paradise, he loves to meet Allah, so Allah loves to meet him…”
(Bukhārī and Muslim)
This course later explains in detail the Hereafter, Paradise, Hellfire, and preparation for that Day. In this chapter, one simple truth is needed. Walking the path of faith means remembering that this life is a journey, not a destination. A believer works for a meeting, not just for moments.
Life in this world is a journey whose real destination is the meeting with Allah on the Last Day.
A Path Open to Everyone
Finally, the path of faith is not reserved for a special race, nation, background, or level of education. Allah opened it to all who are willing to respond.
“And Allah invites to the Home of Peace and guides whom He wills to a straight path.”
(Qur’an 10:25)
“Indeed, those who have believed and those who were Jews and the Christians and the Sabeans, whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day and does righteousness, shall have their reward with their Lord, and no fear will there be concerning them, nor will they grieve.”
(Qur’an 2:62)
The Prophet ﷺ declared that Allah accepts a servant at any point, as long as he turns back sincerely before the end.
He ﷺ said: “Allah accepts the repentance of the servant so long as his soul has not reached his throat.”
(Tirmidhī)
So no one should imagine that it is too late to begin, or that his past cuts him off from walking. The next chapters, such as “Entering Islam,” “A New Beginning,” and “Leaving the Past Behind,” build directly on this hope. The door of the path stands open, and the call of Allah continues until death.
As long as a person is alive, the door to the path of faith is open through sincere turning to Allah.
Walking the path of faith, therefore, is to accept that call, step onto the road of tawḥīd and obedience, keep walking with patience and consistency, and hope to reach the greatest meeting with the Lord of Mercy.