Kwa lugha, ‘aqīdah (imani/msimamo wa kiitikadi) maana yake ni

Linguistically, ‘aqīdah (creed) means

Jambo ambalo moyo umelifunga fundo (liliaminiwa kwa uthabiti). Maana ya kufunga fundo ni kuwa na uhakika nalo, yaani kuliamini kwa uamuzi thabiti. Hili ni la jumla, na linajumuisha imani juu ya kila kitu. Hata hivyo, imani juu ya jambo fulani hupimwa kwa kuzingatia jambo ambalo ndani yake imani hiyo imejengeka. Ikiwa lilikuwa jambo la msingi, au jambo linalotokana na jambo la msingi, basi ni sahihi kuliita ‘aqīdah (itikadi), na ni sahihi kulichukua kuwa kigezo cha msingi kwa imani nyingine. Hivyo moyo kufunga fundo juu yake utakuwa na athari dhahiri. Ikiwa jambo ambalo mtu analiamini si la msingi wala halitokani na jambo la msingi, basi halitakuwa sehemu ya ‘aqīdah (itikadi), kwa sababu moyo kufunga fundo juu yake hautakuwa na athari dhahiri. Katika kuliamini, mtu hatapata ndani yake uhalisia wowote wala faida yoyote. Na pale ambapo moyo kufunga fundo juu ya jambo lolote kuna athari, utamsukuma kuamua msimamo wake juu yake kwa kukubali au kukataa, na hapo litakuwa sehemu ya ‘aqīdah (itikadi).

The matter on which the heart has tied a knot (belived in firmly). The meaning of tying a knot is to be sure of, that is, believe in it decisively, this is general, which includes belief in everything. However, the belief in a certain matter is examined in terms of the thing in which the conviction has taken place. If it was a fundamental matter or one that is branching out from a fundamental matter then it is correct to call it an ‘aqīdah (creed) and it is correct for one to take it as a fundamental criterion for other beliefs, so the heart tying a knot on it will have a manifest impact. If the matter in which one has conviction is not a fundamental matter or is branching out from a fundamental matter then it will not be part of the ‘aqīdah (creed), this is because the heart tying a knot on it will not have a manifest impact. In believing in it one will not find in it any reality or any benefit. And when the heart's tying a knot on any subject matter has an effect, it will push him to determine his stance towards it in terms of belief and denial, and then it will be part of the ‘aqīdah (creed).

‘Aqīdah ni fikra pana kuhusu ulimwengu, binadamu na maisha, kuhusu yaliyotangulia maisha haya ya duniani na yatakayofuatia, pamoja na uhusiano wa maisha haya na yale yaliyotangulia na yatakayofuatia. Hii ndiyo ufafanuzi wa kila ‘aqīdah, na inatumika pia kwa ‘aqīdah ya Kiislamu. Ndani yake mna mambo ya ghaibu. Hivyo, kumwamini Allah, malaika Wake, vitabu Vyake, Mitume Yake, Siku ya Mwisho, qadar (kadari) na qadā’ (hukumu ya Mungu), na kwamba jema na baya vinatoka kwa Allah, ndiyo ‘aqīdah ya Kiislamu. Kuamini Pepo (jannah), Moto (nar), malaika, shetani na mengineyo ni sehemu ya ‘aqīdah ya Kiislamu, pamoja na mawazo na chochote kinachohusiana nayo. Pia simulizi na mambo ya ghaibu yasiyoweza kuonekana kwa hisi, yanachukuliwa kuwa sehemu ya ‘aqīdah.

The ‘aqīdah (creed) is a comprehensive thought concerning the universe, man and life, what preceded this wordly life and what is to follow it, and the relationship of this life with what preceded it and what is to follow it. This is the definition of every ‘aqīdah (creed) and it applies to the Islamic ‘aqīdah (creed). Included in it are the unseen matters. So the belief in Allah , His angels, His books, His Messengers, the Last Day, divine fate and destiny (qadā’ wal qadā’r), that good and bad is from Allah  is the Islamic ‘aqīdah (creed). The belief in Paradise (jannah), Hellfire (nar), angels, shaytan’s etc is from the Islamic ‘aqīdah (creed), thoughts and whatever relates to it. Also narrations and the unseen things that cannot be percieved are considered from ‘aqīdah (creed).

Kwa upande wa hukumu za Sharīʿah;

As for the Sharī’ah rules;

Kwa maneno mengine, hizi ni fikra zinazohusu tendo au sifa za binadamu kama sehemu ya matendo yake. Hivyo basi, kukodisha, kuuza, kujihusisha na riba, malezi ya mtoto (hadhana), uwakilishi (wakala), swala, kumteua Khalifah, utekelezaji wa adhabu za Hudud za Allah, kwamba Khalifah lazima awe Mwislamu, shahidi awe mwadilifu, na mtawala awe mwanaume, n.k. Yote haya yanachukuliwa kuwa miongoni mwa hukumu za Shari'ah. Upweke wa Allah (Tawhid), Ujumbe (Risala), ufufuo (ba'th), ukweli wa Mtume ﷺ, kutokuwa na makosa kwa Manabii, ukweli kwamba Qur'ani ni kalamu ya Allah (kalam), hesabu (hisab) na adhabu ('adhaab), n.k., yote haya yanachukuliwa kuwa sehemu ya 'Aqidah (imani). Hivyo basi, 'aqa'id ni fikra zinazoaminiwa. Na hukumu za Shari'ah ni amri inayohusu tendo la binadamu. Kwa hiyo, rakaa mbili za swala ya alfajiri ni hukumu ya Shari'ah kwa kuzisali. Na kuamini kwamba zimetoka kwa Allah ni 'Aqidah. Kwa hiyo, kusali rakaa mbili za Sunnah ya alfajiri ni Sunnah. Mtu asipozisali halaumiwi. Akizisali atapata thawabu kama rakaa mbili za Sunnah ya swala ya Maghrib, ambazo zote mbili ni sawa kwa upande wa hukumu ya Shari'ah. Kwa upande wa 'Aqidah, kuamini rakaa mbili za alfajiri ni jambo la hakika, na kuzikataa ni kufuru (kufr) kwa sababu zimethibitishwa kwa njia ya tawatur (mfululizo wa wapokezi). Kuhusu kuamini rakaa mbili za Maghrib, zinatakiwa, lakini mtu akizikataa haihesabiwi kuwa kufuru kwa sababu zimethibitishwa kwa dhana (zanni).

In other words they are thoughts regarding an action or the attributes of the human being as being part of his actions. Thus, leasing, selling, dealing with usury, custody, representation (wikala), prayer (salah), appointing a Khalifah, implementation of the punishments (Hudud) of Allah , the fact that the Khalifah should be a Muslim and the witness be just and the ruler be a man etc All of these are considered to be from the Sharī’ah rules. Oneness of Allah (Tawheed), The Message (Risalah), resurrection (ba'th), truthfulness of the Messenger, infallibility of the Prophets, that fact that the Qur’ān is Allah's speech (kalam), reckoning (hisab) and torment ('azaab) etc, all of these are considered part of the ‘aqīdah (creed). Thus, the articles of belief (‘aqa’id) are thoughts that are believed. And the Sharī’ah rules are the address which relates to the action of the human being. Thus, the two rakats of fajr is a Sharī’ah rule in terms of praying them. And the belief that they are from Allah  constitutes ‘aqīdah (creed). So praying the two rakats Sunnah of fajr is Sunnah. If one does not pray it he is not blamed. If he prays it he will get the reward like the two rakats (Sunnah) of Maghrib prayer, both of which are the same in terms of the Sharī’ah rule. As for in terms of the ‘aqīdah (creed), belief in the two rakats of fajr is a definite matter, rejecting them is disbelief (kufr) because they have been proven by way of tawatur (recurrent lines of transmission). As for belief in the two rakats of Maghrib, it is requested but if one rejects them it is not considered kufr because they have been proven by speculative (zanni)