Tradition

اِذا سَرَّتْكَ حَسَنَتُكَ وَ سائَتْكَ سَيِّئَتُكَ فَاَنْتَ مُؤْمِنٌ

The Prophet (S) is narrated to have said: “At the time that your good actions make you happy and your bad actions make you sad, then you are a believing individual.”1

Brief Commentary

Islam has mentioned that everyone is born with a pure inner nature; this includes an intrinsic faith in God and a love of all that is good. As time passes, it is possible for sins to gradually affect the soul and influence it in such a way where it is completely transformed from this original state. In spite of this, as long as someone loves what is good and hates what is bad, it is clear that the spirit of faith and their pure inner nature is still present and healthy within them. It is truly the wretched who do not become sad at their evil actions and a step beyond this is when they actually become happy.

• 1. Nahj al-Fasahah, p. 41.