Ask an Alim

Wa alaykum salaam

Thank you for your question. Belief in the principles of religion stems
from true understanding. We are rational beings and can only sincerely act
on what we comprehend and subscribe to. But as you have mentioned that
journey to understand is full of pitfalls and so it is important to
understand what it means to come to an understanding of religion.

At any moment in time you have a web of beliefs comprised of all of the
understandings that make you who your are. It is the map of your psyche.
There are some fundamental beliefs that are like tenets and others that
are not so fundamental. These beliefs develop when you cannot explain
something or when you face a dilemma. So for example if you were under the
impression that God was a being who lived in a realm overlooking the
corporeal world, this belief may be challenged by the idea that God is
everywhere. Your beliefs develop when you face and solve these dilemmas.
At the point of uncertainty satan may attack, but when you know that your
uncertainty is part of development, you will be able to hold on to what
you are certain of even when you don’t yet have a full answer to your
dilemma. Through education these dilemmas are solved and your faith
increases.

In the same way irrational thinking is solved by education and sincerity
asking those people who will be able to show you the flaws in your thought
in order to increase your certainty and faith. Faith is something that is
linked to the heart so if you find after much research that your faith is
not increasing, ask God to give you the certainty that you need in His own
way and when you receive it, make that one of the foundations of your web
of belief and continue on your journey of understanding.

May Allah increase you and give you certainty after which there is no doubt!

Zoheir Ali