INCREASE IN FAITH
Faith in God is neither fixed nor static, nor is it simply the repetition of certain words. Such words are just an outward sign of faith—they do not constitute faith itself. All higher truths are valued for their deeper meaning, not just their outward appearance. How then can the highest of all truths—faith—be confined to spoken words alone? Faith is the discovery of a higher reality. It marks the beginning of a deeper understanding. Faith means entering the vast ocean of meaning. It is a journey of expanding one’s limitations towards the infinite. Faith is the act of rising from the lowlands of the material world towards the heights of spiritual existence. It is a journey in which each moment brings a new experience. This kind of conscious evolution has no end. The Quran presents faith as a continuously developing reality—a state of the heart that keeps increasing (48:4). Faith is a form of elevated knowledge that grows constantly with God’s guidance.
How does this increase in faith happen? The first way is through reflection and contemplation. A person reads God’s words and reflects on His creation (Quran, 3:191). Through this, new aspects of truth and meaning are revealed. They then engage in discussions with like-minded individuals. As Umar ibn al-Khattab once said, “Come, let us strengthen our faith for an hour—come, let us remember our Lord together.” In this way, intellectual exchange helps everyone enhance their understanding and deepen their insight.
To keep this process of intellectual growth alive, it is essential that Muslim society provide an open environment for the exchange of ideas. People must be free to speak their minds and to listen respectfully to the thoughts of others. The speaker should have the freedom to express themselves honestly, and the listener should have the willingness to hear with an open mind. In this atmosphere of shared thought, the evolving journey of faith continues. The growth of faith does not occur in a vacuum—it happens amidst the storms of ideas.
The Quran teaches us to constantly pray, “My Lord, increase me in knowledge” (20:114). According to one interpretation, this prayer means “My Lord, increase my understanding”. (Tafsir al-Qurtubi, Vol. 11, p. 250).
This shows that religious knowledge and understanding are not static—they are constantly expanding. This growth happens both in terms of information and in terms of insight and awareness.
This increase, without doubt, happens with God’s help. But in this world of tests, the principle is that everything is attained through circumstances and effort. The same applies to the knowledge and understanding of faith.
One of these means is the importance of keeping the mind’s windows open. A person must remain deeply eager to expand their understanding, staying engaged in reading, observing, and exchanging ideas. They must always be ready to learn from others. Whenever they encounter a person of knowledge or depth, they should set aside their ego, listen attentively, and rise above personal pride to gain from them.
The increase in knowledge is directly tied to the increase in one’s desire to learn. Only a person with genuine hunger for learning will grow in knowledge and understanding. And the sign of that hunger is the willingness to accept knowledge from any source—whether it agrees with their views or challenges them.
All knowledge increases through exchange, and divine knowledge is no different. It too grows through dialogue—through discussion, the sharing of insights, the expression of personal discoveries, and receiving thoughtful feedback from people of depth. These are the means through which understanding of faith increases. And all of this is only possible in an environment where ideas and experiences can be freely exchanged.
The prayer for an increase in knowledge is, in essence, an expression of an inner longing—not just a repetition of specific phrases. It reflects a sincere yearning from within the individual.
