What is Iman according to sunni philosophy?

Answer 1

Ahl as-Sunnat scholars convey, word for word, the definition given by our Master the Prophet. Iman is to have belief in the six fundamental principles expressed in the Amantu. The following is the purport of the hadith-i sharif, whch was declared to be the Amantu:

(Iman is to have belief in Allah, in His angels, in His books, in His prophets, in the Last Day [that is, to believe in the Day of Qiyama, Paradise, Hell, Judgement, and Mizan], in qadar and that good and evil are from Allah, and in death and Resurrection. It is to bear witness that there is no god except Allah and that I am a human slave and Messenger of His.) [Bukhari, Muslim, Nasai]

The well-known hadith of Jibril (Archangel Gabriel 'alaihis-salam), too, explains the fundamentals of iman and Islam:

Our beloved superior Hadrat 'Umar narrates:

"One day we were sitting near the Messenger of Allah. Then a man came and asked:

'O the Messenger of Allah! What is Islam?'

'Islam is to say the Kalima-i shahadat, to perform five daily prayers, to fast every day of the month of Ramadan, to give the zakat of one's property, and to perform hajj [major pilgrimage] for an able person once in his life.'

'You told the truth. What is iman?'

[We were astonished that he was asking a question and was confirming that the answer was correct.]

'Iman is to have belief in Allah, in His angels, in His books, in His prophets, in the Last Day, and good and evil occur as the result of Allah's will. '

'You told the truth. What is ihsan?'

"It is that you worship Allah as if you were seeing Him because though you do not see Him, He always sees you.'

'When will Doomsday come?'

'The One who is asked does not know better than the one inquiring about it.'

"He inquired the signs of Doomsday, and the Prophet of Allah communicated them. After that person had gone on his way, the Messenger of Allah stated, 'He who asked all these questions was Jabrail alaihis-salam. He came in order to teach you your religion.'" (Muslim, Nasai, Abu Dawud, Tirmudhî)

Another hadith-i sharif says:

(Some people are keys to good and locks for evil while some others are keys to evil and locks for good. Glad tidings to those whom Allah has given the keys to good, but woe to those whom Allah has given the keys to evil.) [Ibni Maja, Abu Dawud, Tabarani, Ibn Hibban]

The above-mentioned hadith-i sharif points out the fact that good and evil are from Allah.

The following Qur'anic verse, too, states that good and evil are from Allah:

(If Allah hastened to give people evil, the way they hasten to obtain good, all of them would certainly have been ruined. However, We leave those who do not believe in meeting with Us[who do not believe in the next world and Resurrection] wandering in their transgression.) [Surat-u Yunus 11]

Allah, alone, is the Creator of evil and good. If one wants to do a good or a bad deed, if Allah wills, too, one does that deed with one's irada-i juz'iyya (partial free will). If Allah does not permit, a servant cannot do either a good or a bad deed. For this reason, our Master the Prophet declared, "Both good and evil are from Allah." It is not that Allah makes people do good or bad deeds by force. If it were so, a person who performs an evil act would say, "You have made so-and-so perform a good act. Why have You compelled me to do that wicked thing?" The Jabriyyagroup believes that Allah causes evil and good to be done by force. On the other hand, the Mu'tazila says that Allah interferes in neither good nor evil and that both are created by servants. Neither of these two beliefs is correct.

Answer 2

Iman (or faith in English) is to worship God (or Allah) as if you see God and if you don't see God be sure God see you. The Iman or faith principles are:

1. Believe in God
2. Believe in God angels
3. Believe in God holy books
4. Believe in God prophets
5. believe in the second eternal life
6. Believe in the destiny and God will is controlling our lives.