The Primacy of Faith over Righteous Deeds - Sheikh Khalil Jaffer

Sheikh Khalil Jaffer delivers a lecture on the primacy of faith (Iman) over righteous deeds (Amalus Salih) in Islam, arguing that while good actions are important, they are secondary to and dependent on faith. He challenges the trend of emphasizing good deeds alone, irrespective of faith, and asserts that actions are only valuable if accompanied by the right faith and taqwa (God-consciousness). He explores reasons for the overemphasis on actions, such as the tangibility of actions versus the hidden nature of faith, the need to assimilate in diverse societies, and personal acceptance. Drawing from the Quran, Hadith, and Islamic philosophy, Sheikh Jaffer explains that actions are not independent realities but are elevated by faith, and that the purpose of life is to journey towards a direct experience with Allah by acquiring greater consciousness of Him through His names and attributes, as manifested in Muhammad and Ali Muhammad.