He finds the taste of Imān who is pleased with Allah as Lord, with Islam as religion, and with Muhammad as Messenger
Chapter: Evidence that the one who is content with Allah as his Lord, Islam as his religion and Muhammad (saws) as his prophet, then he is a believer, even if he commits major sins
Al-‘Abbās ibn ‘Abdul-Muttalib (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: I heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say:
"He finds the taste of Imān who is pleased with Allah as Lord, with Islam as religion, and with Muhammad as Messenger."
Reported by Muslim (No. 34), At-Tirmidhi (No. 2623) and Ahmad (No. 1682, 1683).
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs that a believer who has true Imān (faith) and whose heart is reassured by it will find and perceive in his heart expansion, spaciousness, joy, sweetness, and pleasure of being close to Allah Almighty - if he is pleased with three things:
First: He is pleased with Allah as Lord. This is when his heart is in relief about what comes to him from Allah in accordance with Lordship, like the division of sustenance and circumstances. So, he finds no discontentment in his heart with any of that and does not seek a lord other than Allah Almighty.
Second: He is pleased with Islam as a religion, by being content with the duties and obligations ordained by Islam and not seeking a path other than Islam.
Third: He is pleased with Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) as a Messenger, by being happy and pleased with everything he brought, without hesitation or doubt. He does not follow any course unless it is consistent with the guidance of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).
Lessons
Imān has a sweetness and taste that is felt by the heart, just as the sweetness of food and drink is tasted by the mouth.
The body does not taste the sweetness of food and drink except when it is healthy, and so is the heart; if it is free from the disease of misleading desires and forbidden lusts, it tastes the sweetness of Imān. But when it becomes sick and ill, it does not find the sweetness of Imān; rather, it may find sweetness in such desires and sins that lead to its destruction.
When a person is pleased with something and approves of it, it becomes easy for him and he finds no difficulty in anything of it. He rejoices in everything that comes with it and his heart is filled with joy. Likewise, when Imān enters the heart of a believer, obedience to his Lord becomes easy for him and his soul becomes pleasant to him and he finds no hardship in its suffering.
Ibn al-Qayyim said: This Hadīth includes contentment with Allah's Lordship and Divinity, contentment with His Messenger and obedience to him, and contentment with His religion and submission to it.
Explanation in Arabic
يُخْبِرُ النبيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أنّ المؤمنَ الصادقَ في إيمانِه المُطمئنّ به قلبه سيجِدُ ويُدرِكُ في قلبِه من الانشراحِ والاتساعِ والفرح والحلاوة ولذة القُرْب من الله تعالى إنْ هو رَضِيَ بثلاثة أمور:
أولًا: رضي بالله ربًّا، وذلك بأن يَنشرحَ صدرُه بما يَرِدُ عليه من الله بمقتضى الربوبية من قسمة الأرزاق والأحوال، فلا يجد في قلبه اعتراضًا على شيء من ذلك، ولم يطلُب ربًّا غير الله تعالى.
ثانيًا: رضي بالإسلام دينًا، وذلك بأن ينشرحَ صدرُه بما يتضمنه الإسلام من التكاليف والواجبات، ولم يَسْعَ في غير طريقِ الإسلام.
ثالثًا: رضي بمحمد صلى الله عليه وسلم رسولًا، وذلك بأن ينشرح صدره ويفرح بجميع ما جاء به من غير تَردُّد ولا شَك، فلم يَسْلُك إلا ما يوافق هَدْيَه صلى الله عليه وسلم.
الإيمان له حلاوةٌ وطعْمٌ يُذاق بالقلوب، كما تُذاق حلاوة الطعام والشراب بالفم.
الجسد لا يجد حلاوة الطعام والشراب إلا عند صحته، فكذلك القلب إذا سَلِم من مرض الأهواء المُضلَّة والشهوات المحرَّمة، وجد حلاوة الإيمان، ومتى مرض وسقم لم يجد حلاوة الإيمان، بل قد يستحلي ما فيه هلاكُه من الأهواء والمعاصي.
الإنسان إذا رضي أمرًا واستحسنه سَهُل عليه أمره، ولم يشق عليه شيء منه، وفرح بكل ما جاء به، وخالط بشاشته قلبه، فكذلك المؤمن إذا دخل قلبه الإيمان، سهلت عليه طاعة ربه ولذَّت له نفسه، ولم يشق عليه معاناتها.
قال ابن القيم: هذا الحديث تضمن الرضا بربوبيته سبحانه وألوهيته، والرضا برسوله والانقياد له، والرضا بدينه والتسليم له.
شرح أصول اعتقاد أهل السنة والجماعة للالكائي (1321)ذَاقَ طَعْمَ الإِيمَانِ مَنْ رَضِيَ بِاللَّهِ رَبًّا ، وَبِالإِسْلامِ دِينًا ، وَبِمُحَمَّدٍ نَبِيًّا
شرح السنة (22)ذَاقَ طَعْمَ الإِيمَانِ مَنْ رَضِيَ بِاللَّهِ رَبًّا ، وَبِالإِسْلامِ دِينًا ، وَبِمُحَمَّدٍ رَسُولا