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What are the branches of faith mentioned in the Hadith of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him: "Faith has seventy-odd branches, the highest of which is 'There is no god but Allah,' and the least of which is removing a harmful object from the path"?

2 min readAlso available in العربية

There is a difference of opinion regarding the number of branches of faith mentioned in the Hadith. In Al-Bukhari's narration, it states "sixty-odd," and in Muslim, with doubt, "sixty-odd or seventy-odd," while in the Sunan, it states "seventy-odd." Al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar preferred Al-Bukhari's narration because it is certain.

According to Al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar, the branches of faith are divided into: 1. Actions of the Heart (24 traits): These include faith in Allah, His angels, His books, His messengers, the Last Day, and divine decree (Qadar); love for Allah and the Prophet; sincerity; repentance; fear; hope; gratitude; patience; contentment with divine decree; reliance on Allah; mercy; humility; and abandoning arrogance, envy, malice, and anger. 2. Actions of the Tongue (7 traits): Uttering the declaration of faith (Tawhid); reciting the Quran; seeking and teaching knowledge; supplication (Du'a); remembrance of Allah (Dhikr) and seeking forgiveness; and avoiding idle talk. 3. Actions of the Body (38 traits): Specific to Individuals (15 traits): Purification (Tahara); covering one's nakedness (Satr al-Awrah); prayer (Salat); charity (Zakat); freeing slaves; generosity; fasting (Sawm); Hajj and Umrah; circumambulation (Tawaf); spiritual retreat (I'tikaf); seeking Laylat al-Qadr; fleeing for the sake of religion (Hijra); fulfilling vows; being meticulous in oaths; and performing expiations (Kaffarat). Related to Family (6 traits): Modesty in marriage; rights of dependents; honoring parents; raising children; maintaining kinship ties; and obeying masters and being kind to servants. Related to the Public (17 traits): Just leadership; adhering to the community (Jama'ah); obeying the ruler; reconciling between people; cooperating in righteousness (enjoining good and forbidding evil); establishing legal punishments (Hudud); Jihad (guarding the frontiers); fulfilling trusts (Khums - one-fifth); lending with repayment; honoring neighbors; good dealings (earning money lawfully and spending it rightfully); returning greetings; responding to sneezers; preventing harm; avoiding idle amusements; and removing obstacles from the road.

This brings the total number of branches to 69 traits, which can become 79 if some combined traits are separated.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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