Iman Has Over Seventy Branches: The Highest and the Lowest

Iman, faith, is not one single thing. The Prophet ﷺ described it as having more than seventy branches of iman, from the greatest words a person can say all the way down to moving something harmful off a path. The uppermost form of iman is the testimony La ilaha illallah: there is no god but Allah.

The hadith on the branches of iman

Imam al-Bukhari narrates a shorter version: faith has more than sixty branches, and haya is a part of faith (Sahih al-Bukhari 9). Between the highest and the lowest are all the other deeds of the heart, the tongue and the body.

The highest branch: La ilaha illallah

Reciting La ilaha illallah is a powerful reminder of our faith in Allah and of our purpose in life. Saying it every day renews our iman and strengthens our trust in Him, reminding us that He is in control of everything and always there for us.

It is also the best dhikr, as the Prophet ﷺ said in another hadith; you can read more in The Best Dhikr and the Best Dua.

The lowest branch: removing harm from the road

Even the removal of something dangerous from a path is part of faith. Islam counts even the smallest deeds of a believer. And sometimes a small deed is enough for forgiveness:

Today that might be a broken bottle on the pavement, a cable across a walkway, or litter outside the masjid. Small, quick, and counted as iman.

Haya: modesty is a branch of iman

Haya is often translated as modesty or shyness. It is the feeling that keeps a person from doing what is shameful, out of awareness of Allah and respect for people. Once the Prophet ﷺ passed by a man who was telling his brother off for having too much haya, and he said:

In today’s world, modesty is slowly slipping away from us, but we have to keep it in check and remind each other that it is also a part of what iman is.

Reflection: the highest branch is said with the tongue, the lowest is done with the hands, and haya lives in the heart. Iman touches every part of us.

How to put it into practice

• Say La ilaha illallah often, while walking, driving or waiting.
• Clear one harmful thing from a path this week and count it as iman.
• Guard your haya in what you watch, wear and say, online and offline.
• Remember the branches in between: every good deed is part of your faith.

Key lessons

• Iman has over seventy (or over sixty) branches.
• The highest branch is La ilaha illallah; the lowest is removing harm from the road.
• Haya (modesty) is a branch of iman.
• No good deed is too small to count.

Questions people ask

Iman is a journey that grows with every deed, big and small. May Allah make La ilaha illallah the last words we say, beautify us with haya, and accept even the smallest good we do.

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