Purification of the Soul

Allah says:

"There is not a single thing except that its depositories and treasures are with Us." [Al-Qur'an 15:21]

This verse comprises a great treasure from the treasures of the Qur'an, this being that nothing is sought except from the One Who possesses its depositories and treasures, the One in Whose Hands lie the keys to these treasures. Seeking things from anyone else is seeking something from one who does not possess them or possess any authority over them.

The saying of Allah:

"And that to your Lord is the final goal." [Al-Qur'an 53:42]

Comprises an immense treasure, this being that every desired objective that is not desired for His sake and is not connected in any form or fashion to Him then it is temporary and soon to disappear for its final goal is not with Him. The final goal lies only with the One to Whom all matters find their conclusion, terminating at His creation, Will, Wisdom and Knowledge. Therefore He is the source of every desired matter.

Everything that is loved - if it is not loved for His Sake then this love is nothing but distress and punishment. Every action that is not performed for His Sake then it is wasted and severed. Every heart that does not reach Him is wretched, veiled from achieving its success and happiness.

Therefore Allah has gathered everything that could be desired from Him in His saying:

"There is not a single thing except that its depositories and treasures are with Us." [Al-Qur'an 15:21]

And He has gathered everything that is done for His Sake in His saying:

"And that to your Lord is the final goal." [Al-Qur'an 53:42]

Therefore there is nothing beyond Allah that deserves to be sought and nothing finds its conclusion with other than Him.

(s) Al-Fawa'id

Muraqabah is knowing that Allah is watching over us. Allah, subhanahu wa ta'ala, says:

"And know that Allah knows what is in your minds, so fear Him." [Al-Qur'an 2:235]

"And Allah is Ever a Watcher over all things." [Al-Qur'an 33:52]

"And He is with you wherever you may be." [Al-Qur'an 57:4]

There are many other similar verses stating the same concept.

In the hadith of Jibril, when he asked the Prophet about ihsan (goodness and excellence), the Prophet replied, "Ihsan is to worship Allah as if you see Him, but since we do not see Him we should know that He sees us at all times." [Bukhari and Muslim] The meaning of this hadith is the definition of muraqabah. Namely, the endurance of the servant's knowledge and his conviction and certainty that Allah is watching over his internal and external affairs. To have this knowledge and certainty at all times is called muraqabah. It is the fruit of the servant's knowledge that Allah is his Watcher, Over-seeing him, Hearing his utterances, and Observing all of his deeds at all times.

Al-Junaid said, "The one firm in muraqabah fears the waste of even a moment for other than his Lord." Dhun-Nun said, "The sign of muraqabah is to favor what Allah has sent down (of the revelation), to glorify what Allah has glorified, and to despise what Allah has despised."

Ibrahim Al-Khawas said, "Muraqabah is the sincerity of both the internal and external to Allah." It has been said that, "The best that man may cling to on this road to Allah is muhasabah (reckoning of the self), muraqabah, and governing his conduct with knowledge."

The people of true knowledge have unanimously agreed that having muraqabah for Allah in one's hidden thoughts is a means for it to manifest in the deeds and the behavior externally. So, whoever has muraqabah for Allah in secret and internally, Allah will preserve him in his actions and behavior, both internally and externally.

One of the finest definitions for muraqabah is the following: muraqabah of Allah is being on the way to Him at all times with overwhelming glorification, inciting nearness and urging joy. The overwhelming glorification is to have the heart filled with glorification of Allah. Such a state makes the servant unconcerned with glorifying others or paying attention to others beside Allah. A servant should always have this state, especially when he is remembering Allah. To be with Allah provides one with intimacy and love. If these are not associated with glorification, they may take one outside of the limits of servitude. Any love that is not associated with glorification of the Beloved One is a reason to distance him away from the Beloved and lose His respect.

The overwhelming glorification includes five components: walking towards Allah, constantly walking towards Him, presence within the heart for Him, glorification of Him, and being overwhelmed by His glorification to be concerned with others. The inciting nearness is the closeness to Allah that incites the servant to have these five components. This closeness makes him glorify Allah in a manner that he pays no attention to himself or others. The closer the servant becomes to Allah, the more he glorifies Him and the less mindful he will be for others. The urging joy is happiness and glorification. It is the delight one finds in this nearness. There is nothing in this world comparable in any way to the joy and happiness of the heart and the delight of the eye with Allah and His closeness. This is one of the states in Paradise. A knowledgeable person said, "There are times when I would say that if the people of Paradise can be in a state like this, they are indeed living a good life." This joy, no doubt, urges him to be constant in walking to Allah and doing his best to seek Allah's Pleasure. If one didn't achieve this joy or even a portion of it, then one should doubt their faith and deeds. Faith has grace and sweetness. If one has not tasted it, then one should go back and achieve the true faith and its sweetness.

The Prophet mentioned the sweetness of faith in many ahadith, including, " ... tasted the taste of faith, those who take Allah as their Lord, Islam as their religion and Muhammad as a Messenger." [Muslim and Ahmad] He also said, "Whoever possesses the following three qualities attains the sweetness of faith: To have Allah and His Messenger dearer to him than anything else, to love a person only for the sake of Allah, and to hate to return to kufr after Allah has rescued him from it like he hates to be thrown into fire." [Bukhari and Muslim] I heard Shaykh ul-Islam ibn Taymiyyah saying, "If you don't find sweetness and joy in the deed you perform, then doubt its sincerity, for Allah is Shakur (Most Appreciative and Rewarding)." He meant that Allah will certainly reward His servant for his deeds in this world as long as the servant is delighted and happy with his deeds. But if he doesn't find the delight and the joy in his heart, then his deed is imperfect, defective.

This imperfection and defectiveness is the reward of what the servant receives for his deeds. Deeds have consequences and effects that return to the servant that performed them, affecting his life and all of his affairs. Salah, for example, prevents the servant from unlawful and evil deeds. It also refines his morals and brings him up in the best manner that Allah loves.

Siyam strengthens his will and enlightens self-reproach and insight, so the person may see the straight path and become among the righteous. Such are all the good and righteous deeds, they have a reward that affords prosperity in all of man's affairs. As a result, family life and the society become joyful and prosperous. The evil deeds have their consequences as well. Allah said:

"For those who have done good is best (reward)." [Al-Qur'an 10:26]

"The evil was the end of those who did evil." [Al-Qur'an 30:10]

The opposition in people is of three kinds. Only those that Allah protects are free from these. The first kind is the opposition to His Names and Attributes by presenting false and unclear matters. These falsities are negated because of what Allah and His Messenger have ascribed for Him. These people have ascribed to Allah what He negated for Himself. By doing so, they became loyal to His enemies and enemies to His Allies. They changed the words from the correct status and have abandoned, as a result, a great part of what was sent to them.

They are those that have divided their religion into differing sects with each group rejoicing in its belief. The only thing that protects from this is the pure submission to the wahi (divine inspiration). When the heart submits to the wahi, it will witness its soundness, realize intellectually and in the light of fitrah (sound nature) that it is the truth. Such a submissive person submits by way of hearing, the mind, and the fitrah. This is the most perfect faith.

The second type of person is the one who is in opposition to His Message and Command. These people can vary slightly and can be further categorized. Some may oppose with their opinions and analogies. They make lawful what Allah has made unlawful, and make unlawful what Allah has made lawful. They void what Allah has made obligatory and make obligatory what Allah has voided. Another type amongst these people are those that oppose the facts of faith and the Message with their visions, personal experiences, and false devilish inspirations. These compose a religion that Allah has not allowed, invalidate the religion that Allah sent to His Messenger, and oppose the facts of faith using the devil's tricks. These people have religions to worship other than Allah's religion and place these before Allah's religion. Because of their analogies, opinions and personal experiences, the entire world could have been ruined and the pillars of the religion destroyed. But Allah has preserved this religion and promised to protect those that will preserve and protect it from the plots of these plotters.

Another group of those in opposition are those that oppose the Law of Allah with their unjust rules. They put their rules before the rules of Allah and His Messenger . Thus they suspend Allah's Law, justice and His hudud (legislated punishments).

The third type of opposition is of those who oppose Allah's actions, decrees and ordinances. This opposition comes primarily from ignorant people. It has many forms, some are clear and some are not. This kind of opposition exists within many souls. If we were to contemplate our utterances, actions and desires, we would see this clearly. Most of us have some kind of opposition to Allah's decree and His portioning of livelihood.

The ones that are free of this type of opposition are those that know Allah with a true knowledge and accept Him with complete satisfaction.

(s) Madarij as-Salikin ("The Steps of the Followers")

Just as the heart may be described in terms of being alive or dead, it may also be regarded as belonging to one of three types; these are the healthy heart, the dead heart, and the sick heart.

The Healthy Heart

On the Day of Resurrection, only those who come to Allah with a healthy heart will be saved. Allah says:

"The day on which neither wealth nor sons will be of any use, except for whoever brings to Allah a sound heart." [Al-Qur'an 26:88-89]

In defining the healthy heart, the following has been said: "It is a heart cleansed from any passion that challenges what Allah commands, or disputes what He forbids. It is free from any impulses which contradict His good. As a result, it is safeguarded against the worship of anything other than Him, and seeks the judgement of no other except that of His Messenger. Its services are exclusively reserved for Allah, willingly and lovingly, with total reliance, relating all matters to Him, in fear, hope and sincere dedication. When it loves, its love is in the way of Allah. If it detests, it detests in the light of what He detests. When it gives, it gives for Allah. If it withholds, it withholds for Allah. Nevertheless, all this will not suffice for its salvation until it is free from following, or taking as its guide, anyone other than His Messenger."

A servant with a healthy heart must dedicate it to its journey's end and not base his actions and speech on those of any other person except Allah's Messenger. He must not give precedence to any other faith or words or deeds over those of Allah and His Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. Allah says:

"Oh you who believe, do not put yourselves above Allah and His Messenger, but fear Allah, for Allah is Hearing, Knowing." [Al-Qur'an 49:1]

The Dead Heart

This is the opposite of the healthy heart. It does not know its Lord and does not worship Him as He commands, in the way which He likes, and with which He is pleased. It clings instead to its lusts and desires, even if these are likely to incur Allah's displeasure and wrath. It worships things other than Allah, and its loves and its hatreds, and its giving and its withholding, arise from its whims, which are of paramount importance to it and preferred above the pleasure of Allah. Its whims are its imam. Its lust is its guide. Its ignorance is its leader. Its crude impulses are its impetus. It is immersed in its concern with worldly objectives. It is drunk with its own fancies and its love for hasty, fleeting pleasures. It is called to Allah and the akhirah from a distance but it does not respond to advice, and instead it follows any scheming, cunning Shaytan. Life angers and pleases it, and passion makes it deaf and blind to anything except what is evil.

To associate and keep company with the owner of such a heart is to tempt illness: living with him is like taking poison, and befriending him means utter destruction.

The Sick Heart

This is a heart with life in it, as well as illness. The former sustains it at one moment, the latter at another, and it follows whichever one of the two manages to dominate it. It has love for Allah, faith in Him, sincerity towards Him, and reliance upon Him, and these are what give it life. It also has a craving for lust and pleasure, and prefers them and strives to experience them. It is full of self-admiration, which can lead to its own destruction. It listens to two callers: one calling it to Allah and His Prophet and the akhirah; and the other calling it to the fleeting pleasures of this world. It responds to whichever one of the two happens to have most influence over it at the time.

The first heart is alive, submitted to Allah, humble, sensitive and aware; the second is brittle and dead; the third wavers between either its safety or its ruin.

From the morals and manners of the Companions was their hard labour in countering hypocrisy so that their good nature remained the same whether in public or private. This way they would have no actions left for their realities to be exposed tomorrow in the Afterlife.

Once 'Umar ibn 'Abdul-'Aziz (rahimahullaah) was advised, "O 'Umar, beware of being the ally of Allah in open, while being his enemy in secret. If one's nature in open and secret do not equate, then he is a hypocrite, and the hypocrites occupy the lowest level in Hellfire."

It was said by one of them, "Beware of hypocritical fear!" On being asked, "What is hypocritical fear?" he replied, "When your body is seen to be fearing whereas your heart is not fearing."

So search yourself. Does your open and secret (self) equate? Increase in seeking forgiveness knowing that whoever displays to the people beyond what is in his heart is a hypocrite.

The following are some of the characteristics which Allah the Most High ascribes to the hypocrites:

1. A lazy attitude towards prayer (salah) and little remembrance of Allah whilst in prayer - "When they stand for prayer, they stand lazily, to be seen by the people, but little do they hold Allah in remembrance." [Al-Qur'an 4:142]
2. They enjoin what is bad and forbid what is good. The hypocrites both men and women, proceed one from another - "They enjoin the wrong and forbid the right and they withhold their hands (from spending in the cause of Allah). They forget Allah so Allah has forgotten them. Lo! The hypocrites, they are the transgressors." [Al-Qur'an 9:67]
3. Their alignment with and befriending the disbelievers (kuffar) as the Most High has said, "Bear unto the hypocrites the tidings that for them is a painful doom. Those who choose disbelievers as their friends instead of the believers, is it honour they seek with them? Lo! All honour is with Allah." [Al-Qur'an 4:138-139]
4. Their disapproval of Allah's decision - "When it is said to them, come to what has been revealed and come to the Messenger, you see the hypocrites turn from you with disgust." [Al-Qur'an 4:61]
5. Their lying, treachery and deception and insult during quarrels. The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said, "Whoever has the following four characteristics will be a pure hypocrite, and whoever has one of them will possess a characteristic of hypocrisy until he gives it up. Whenever he speaks he lies. Whenever he promises he betrays. Whenever he makes a covenant he proves treacherous. Whenever he quarrels he is insulting." [Sahih al-Bukhari vol. 4, p. 269, no. 403]

(s) Min Akhlaq as-Salaf, pp. 8-10

Self-control helps one avoid physiological and psychological harm as well as gain great rewards from Allah for his patience.

A man came to the Prophet of Allah, sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam, saying, "O Prophet of Allah, command me." The Prophet replied, "Do not lose your temper." [Bukhari] The Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam, also said, "Strength is in the power to control oneself in anger, not in the size of the muscles."

The advice of the Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam, to control one's temper was based upon his knowledge of the harmful effects of stress and anger on the person himself as well as on those surrounding him. At the same time he knew that this advice was not easy to follow so he described a strategy that a person may use to control his anger. He was asked, "So messenger of Allah, what is the treatment [for anger]?" The Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam, said, "If a man gets angry while he is sitting standing up, he should sit until he regains composure. Otherwise, he should lie down." [Ahmad and Bukhari]

To truly appreciate the advice of the Prophet of Allah, sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam, one must investigate in more depth the impact of anger on the body and how changing one's position relates to being angry. The feeling of anger creates hormonal activities in the body. A gland named the adrenal gland situated on top of each of the kidneys controls this activity. The hormone adrenaline is secreted by the adrenal gland in response to any physical or emotional stress the body undergoes. Such stress could be fear, anger, or a drop in blood-sugar level, disease or surgery. The adrenal gland also secretes another hormone, noradrenaline, even though the main source of this hormone is the sympathetic nerve endings at the heart. Both of the hormones are related to each other and are secreted into the body together.

One of the effects of anger is the increased production of these two hormones. Since one of the two hormones is secreted by the heart, in a situation of anger, the heart is caused to work harder. The heartbeat becomes faster and with an irregular pattern. This change in the heart is so intense, it can be felt by some people while they are under stress. In addition, by becoming angry and overworking the heart, the contractions of the heart muscles increase in order to supply more oxygen, placing pressure on the arteries. For this reason, people with heart problems endangering their health when they become angry. Patients with narrow arteries are at risk for heart attacks, as their arteries may not withstand sudden rushed of blood to the heart. Increased levels of the two hormones in the body also raise blood pressure, another health hazard for blood pressure patients. Diabetics too are advised to control their temper, as raised adrenaline also raises blood sugar. Diabetics may suffer from high blood sugar levels for extended periods of time as a result of physical or emotional stress.

Some anger may throw the entire body into turmoil and trigger serious health conditions for many people. Perhaps, this is why the Prophet of Allah, sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam, emphasised the avoidance of anger by repeating his advice three times, "Do not get angry."

This brings us to the prescription given to us by the Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam. Harrison, a renowned medical writer, states, "It is scientifically proven that the amount of noradrenaline in the blood can double or triple while standing quietly for five minutes. Adrenaline is raised slightly by standing. But different kinds of mental stress can significantly increase the blood adrenaline level."

Simply standing quietly for five minutes may double the noradrenaline in the blood while slightly raising the adrenaline, a hormone mainly increased by anger and stress. Obviously becoming angry while standing would place great pressure on the body. Such is the value of the words of the Prophet of Allah, sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam, fifteen centuries ago, before the development of sophisticated medical investigation and study, "If a man becomes angry while standing, he should sit down until he regains his composure. Otherwise, he should lie down." A medical prescription for all times.

In Surah al-Imran, verse 134, people who control their anger are among those whom Allah makes a promise to forgive and admit into Paradise.

"Those who repress anger and are able to forgive. And Allah loves those who do good."

The Prophet of Allah, sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam, said, "Strength is in the power to control oneself in anger, not in the size of the muscles." He also said, "Whoever controls his temper while able to retaliate will be called by Allah before all of His creations and allowed to select from among lovely wide-eyed beauties whomever he desires to be wed with." [Agreed upon]

(s) Al-Jumuah Magazine Volume 12 - Issue 4 – Rabi' at-Thani 1421H

Allah says:

"Who sees you when you stand up (for prayer), and your movements along with those who fall prostrate." [Al-Qur'an 26:218-219]

"He is with you wheresoever you may be." [Al-Qur'an 57:4]

"Truly nothing is hidden from Allah, in the earth or in the heavens." [Al-Qur'an 3:5]

"Indeed your Lord is Ever-Watchful (over them)." [Al-Qur'an 89:14]

"Allah knows the fraud of the eyes and all that the breasts conceal." [Al-Qur'an 40:19]

The verses concerning this are many and well known.

After mentioning the chapter concerning Truthfulness and the verses and ahadith pertaining to it, the author follows this up with the chapter concerning Contemplation. There are two aspects to contemplation:

1. That you contemplate Allah, azzawajall, and
2. That you know that Allah is watching you as He says, "... and Allah is Ever a Watcher (raqiba) over all things."

As for your contemplating Allah then this is that you know that Allah, the Exalted, knows your every saying, action, or belief, as He said:

" ... and put your trust in the All-Mighty, the Most Merciful – Who sees you when you stand up (for prayer) and your movements along with those who fall prostrate." [Al-Qur'an 26:216-218]

"Who sees you as you stand" meaning at night, when the person stands in a place in seclusion from others such that no one would see him, but Allah, subhanahu wa ta'ala, sees Him even if he be in the darkest and most intense of darknesses.

"And your movements along with those who prostrate" meaning you move along with all those who prostrate to Allah in this hour, for indeed Allah sees a person when he stands and prostrates. Standing and prostrating have been (specifically) mention because standing in prayer is better than prostration with respect to the remembrance of Allah, and prostration is better with respect to its appearance and condition. As for the standing being better than the prostration with respect to remembrance then this is because the legislated remembrance in the state of standing is the recitation of the Qur'an and the Qur'an is the noblest of speech. As for the prostration being better than the standing with respect to its appearance and condition then this is because the person in the state of prostration is closest to His Lord, azzawajall, as is established from the Prophet sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam when he said:

"The closest a person is to His Lord is when he is in prostration." [Muslim]

This is why we have been commanded to increase our supplications while in prostration.

Also from your contemplating Allah is that you know that Allah hears everything single thing that you say as He said, " ... or do they think that We Hear not their secrets and private discourse? (Indeed We do) and Our Messengers are by them, to record." [Al-Qur'an 43:80]

And along with this, that you know that every good or evil thing that you say, be it openly or secretly then it is written – for or against you. Allah, the Blessed and Exalted says, "... not a word does he utter, but there is a watcher by him ready (to record it)." [Al-Qur'an 50:18]

Know this, and beware! Beware that their emit from your tongue a saying which will count against you on the Day of Judgement. Make sure that your tongue is continuously articulating the truth or that it remains silent as the Messenger of Allah sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam said, "Whosoever believes in Allah and the Last Day then let him speak only good or remain silent." [Al-Bukhari]

Also from your contemplating Allah is that you do so with regards to your secrets and what is in your heart. Look to what is in your heart! Associating partners with Allah, showing off, deviations, jealousy, hatred and dislike displayed towards the Muslims, love of the disbelievers and other such things that Allah is not Pleased with. Supervise and be attentive to your heart for Allah has said, "Indeed We created man, and We know what his own self whispers to him." [Al-Qur'an 50:16]

So contemplate Allah in these three places, in your actions, your saying and your heart so that your contemplation may be complete. This is why, when the Prophet sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam was asked about ihsan, he replied, "That you worship Allah as if you see Him, and if you do not see Him, then indeed He sees you."

Worship Allah as if you see Him and witness Him with the eye, and if you do not see Him then go to the next station below this: then indeed He sees you.

So the first station is to worship Him out of hope and desire. The next is to worship Him out of fear and awe this is why he said, "and if you do not see Him, then indeed He sees you."

So it is necessary for the person to contemplate His Lord and that he know that Allah is Watching over you. Anything that you say or do or keep secret, Allah, Exalted is He, knows it. The author has mentioned a number of verses that prove this and began with the verse that we have already mentioned, " ... and put your trust in the All-Mighty, the Most Merciful – Who sees you when you stand up (for prayer) and your movements along with those who fall prostrate." [Al-Qur'an 26:216-218]

(s) Sharh Riyadh us-Salihin, Chapter on Contemplation (Muraqaba)