The Relationship between Allah (SWT) and the Believer

The Relationship between Allah (SWT) and the Believer

The cognizance of Divine Companionship, that is the hallmark of Ihsan, results in a bilateral relationship between the believer and Almighty Allah (SWT), a relationship that has several dimensions. These dimensions can be understood by pondering over a number of words that appear in the Qur’an with reference to a true believer, and the same words are also used (sometimes in a different context) for Almighty Allah (SWT) as well, alluding to the reciprocal nature of this relationship. Firstly, there is mutual wilayah or friendship. Allah (SWT) is the Friend and Guardian of those who believe (Al-Baqarah 2:257), and similarly all pious believers are the friends of Allah (Yunus 10:62, 63).

Secondly, there is mutual nusrah or help and support. The Qur’an makes it clear: “O you who believe! If you help Allah, He will help you…” (Muhammad 47:7). To “help” Allah (SWT) is to take part in the struggle for His Cause, and, in return, the believers can expect that Allah (SWT) will make them steadfast and persevere in the struggle, and that He will not abandon them.

Thirdly, there is mutual zikr or remembrance. We read in the Qur’an: “Therefore remember Me, (and) I will remember you…” (Al-Baqarah 2:152). To remember Allah (SWT) is to pray and glorify Him and to remain forever conscious of Him. In return, Allah (SWT) will not ignore and disregard the believer or be indifferent to his or her supplications, but will shower His Mercy on the believer.

Fourthly, there is mutual shukr, or gratitude from the servant and appreciation from the Lord. The Qur’an proclaims: “…whoever is grateful, truly his gratitude is for (the good of) his own self…” (AlNamal 27:40); and “…Allah is Appreciative, All-Knowing” (Al-Baqarah 2:158).

Fifthly, there is mutual taubah, or turning to each other with loving attention. This connotes repentance on the part of the servant and acknowledgement and acceptance from the Lord. Again we read: “O you who believe! Turn to Allah with sincere repentance…” (Al-Tahreem 66:8); and “…Verily, He is the One Who accepts the repentance and Who forgives” (Al-Nasr 110:3).

Sixthly, Almighty Allah (SWT) and the believer gradually come closer and closer to each. Although it is the Creator Himself who provides a greater share in the growth of this spiritual intimacy, yet the believer is required to take the initiative. This is explained in a tradition thus:

Abu Hurairah (RAA) reported that the Holy Prophet (SAW) said: Allah (SWT) says: “I am just as My bondsman thinks I am (i.e., I do for him what he thinks I can do for him), and I am with him if He remembers Me. If he remembers Me in his heart, I too remember him in My heart; if he remembers Me in a group of people, I remember him in a group that is better than they; if he comes one span nearer to Me, I go one cubit nearer to him; if he comes one cubit nearer to Me, I go a distance of two outstretched arms nearer to him; and if he comes to Me walking, I go to him running.”

(Narrated by Imam Bukhari)

All the six dimensions of a positive and reciprocal relationship between Almighty Allah (SWT) and His servant, as described above, can be summed up in one word: mutual love. Allah (SWT) loves those who have reached the level of Ihsan (Al-Mai’dah 5:93) and the believers love Allah (SWT) more than anything and anyone else (Al-Baqarah 2:165).

Source: The Reality of Tasawwuf

To be continued....

Remembrance of the Divine: The Means of Strengthening the Ruh

Remembrance of the Divine: The Means of Strengthening the Ruh

Thus far it has been stated that the individual is the direct addressee of Divine Guidance and the goal of religion is to help the individual fulfill his or her dormant potentialities. It has also been noted that the human individual is a composite entity, made up of two mutually incompatible and antithetical elements, and the fulfillment of the individual’s potentialities requires that the spiritual element be nourished and strengthened while the base element be disciplined and purified. The issue now emerges regarding the ways and means for nourishing and strengthening the ruh. Constant remembrance of Allah (SWT) is the means through which the ruh gets its nourishment and strength. The Qur’anic word for this constant remembrance is dhikr.

The ruh has the gnosis of Allah (SWT) inherent in it in the form of a dormant consciousness. It is the remembrance of Allah (SWT) through various means that activates this dormant consciousness. While it is clear that our ruh is not a part of Allah (SWT), it is equally clear that its origin is from the intimate Presence of the Divine — it is from the amr (or command) of Allah (SWT). The ruh can be described as a Divine element in the human being, as Almighty Allah (SWT) has associated it with Himself: “…and breathed into him of My Spirit…” (Al-Hijr 15:29 & Al-Saad 38-72). We know that no similitude or metaphor in any human language can be fully and adequately applied to the Divine Being, and that all such descriptions should be considered incomplete, partial, and imperfect. 

Having said that, it should be noted that the most appropriate similitude that some of the gnostics have offered to describe the relationship of the ruh to the Lord is that of the sunbeam to the sun. No matter how far the beam travels from the sun, it remains intimately connected to its source. The very existence of the beam and its continued journey depends upon maintaining contact with the source. During its journey, the sunbeam does lose some of its luster due to various obstacles that come between it and the sun. In order to recapture the lost luster, these obstacles have to be overcome. Since the very origin of the ruh is in such close proximity to Divine Presence, it cannot be that the ruh is incognizant or ignorant of Allah (SWT). 

The fact of the matter is that the ruh loses some of its luster and strength, and its vision of the Divine Being becomes impaired because of the obstacles that come between it and its source. The gnosis and cognizance of the Lord that is dormant in the ruh has the potential of being revived, if only the obstacles are removed. The Divine Word — the Final Revelation to humanity, the Holy Qur’an — is the most effective and authentic means of remembrance and reminder for the ruh, and the most effective and authentic means of reviving the dormant potentiality. Just as the ruh is from the intimate Presence of Allah (SWT), the Divine Word is also from the exact same source — the amr of Allah (SWT) — and that is why the ruh has a strong affinity towards the Divine Word.

The relationship between the spiritual soul or ruh within and the wahi or Revelation without is beautifully illustrated by the “Parable of Light” in Surah Al-Nur. In that parable, the Light of Primordial Nature is the light within, the pure and uncorrupted ruh, and the Light of Revelation is the light without that is contained in Divine Revelation. In order to see, the sense of sight has to be healthy and vibrant, but a person will not be able to see if this healthy faculty is not complemented by light in the external environment. Similarly, when the inner faculty of perception (i.e., a healthy and vibrant ruh) is complemented by the light of guidance in the external environment (i.e., Divine Revelation) then the outcome is the Light of Faith. This light helps the individual “see” the true nature of reality that is hidden behind numerous veils.

As one’s faith increases in depth and intensity, the believer begins to feel that he or she is actually “seeing” Allah (SWT). Even if this level is not reached, there should at least be a constant and perpetual awareness on the part of the believer that Allah (SWT) is definitely watching him/her. This awareness of “seeing” and being “seen” is the highest level of faith that has been called Ihsan in Qur’anic and Prophetic terminology. Our language can only do partial justice in precisely describing the actual inner state that is signified by the term Ihsan. We can do no better than to say that, in this state, faith reaches a level where the individual begins to “see” the spiritual and unseen dimensions of reality before his or her own eyes. This produces a degree of certainty in the faith of the believer that is akin to the certainty that is achieved by seeing something by one’s own eyes. Indeed, it is not possible to explain this state in any other terms. Faith reaches such a degree of intensity at this level that, in the words of the Prophet (SAW) “ ...you worship Allah as if you actually see Him, for if you don’t actually see Him, He certainly sees you.” 

Source: The Reality of Tasawwuf

To be continued....

Two Aspects of the Evolution of Human Personality

Two Aspects of the Evolution of Human Personality

The human being’s personality has the potential to develop and evolve — and this is something that Allah (SWT) wishes to see happen. In terms of the actual methodology that has to be adopted in order to begin this process of growth, it is essential to understand that the human being is a compound of two incompatible and antithetical elements. Mere incompatibility does not necessarily imply friction or opposition, it only means that the two elements are unsuitable for each other. However, the word “antithetical” imply that the factors of friction and opposition are also present, and that the two elements actually pull the individual in opposite directions. The human being is made up of the nafs (the animal self) and the ruh (the spiritual soul); these two constituent elements are not only incompatible but also antithetical to each other in terms of their origin and inclination. 

In Islamic vocabulary, the word nafs is either used for the total personality of an individual, encompassing all the constituent elements of his or her being, or it is used to denote the lower, baser urges of an individual’s animal self. In the latter sense, the word nafs  is roughly equivalent to Freudian id, and the Holy Qur’an uses the expression alnafs al-ammarah to convey the idea that the animal instincts inherent in the physical being of an individual constantly and vehemently pull the qalb (or heart) — the center of decision-making — towards its own baser and libidinal needs. When the qalb of an individual leans towards al-nafs al-ammarah, the ruh (or spiritual soul) protests and it is precisely this protest that is felt as the pricking of the conscience from within. This state of personality is described by the Qur’an as al-nafs al-lawwamah, or the “reproaching self.” At this stage, the individual becomes cognizant of the fact that there are higher ideals than merely the fulfillment of one’s libidinal desires. The challenge here is to discipline and control the baser, animal urges on the one hand and to strengthen and empower the spiritual soul on the other. Thus, when the qalb  decisively turns towards the ruh, when higher, spiritual goals acquire the center-stage instead of baser, animal instincts as the primary objectives before a person, and the qalb attains an inner state of peace with the ruh as well as with the Lord, the state of the personality is called al-nafs al-muta’innah, or the “peaceful self.” 

In order for the human personality to grow, mature, and evolve, the nafs (or the animal self) has to be disciplined and purified, while the ruh (or the spiritual soul) has to be nourished and strengthened. The effort and struggle to meet these twin requirements can be illustrated by the following hadith. The Prophet (SAW) has said that an honored caller, speaking on behalf of Allah (SWT), calls out in the beginning of Ramadan: “O Seeker of the Good! Proceed onwards. O Seeker of the Evil! Fall back and go away.” Since the ruh within each one of us is the element that lifts us towards higher ethical and spiritual ideals, this element must be nourished and empowered. At the same time, since the nafs within each one of us pulls us towards our lower and baser animal desires, this element must be contained, controlled, and disciplined.

Concerning the disciplining and containment of the animal self, it must be emphasized that the goal is self-control rather than self annihilation. The concept of annihilation or renunciation of self is a foreign notion that has been introduced into Islamic thought. If the animal self is controlled, the dynamic power inherent in it can be used in the service of the spiritual soul. Shah Waliullah’s categorization of human beings is based on these very two elements — spiritual and corporeal strength. He notes that the most developed individuals are those who possess both spiritual and corporeal strength, while the most base individuals are those who possess corporeal strength but no spiritual strength. The reason why he recognizes the importance of corporeal strength is that dynamism, stamina, and animation — factors that are required for action — are directly dependent upon physical and corporeal capabilities. It logically follows that the concept of self-annihilation is totally incompatible with Islamic teachings, and that the real objective is self-control and self-purification. 

The combined result of the control and purification of nafs  is what I call Tahrir Al-Ruh, or the “liberation of the spirit.” When the animal self is restrained and cultured, the spiritual soul is emancipated and is able to continue its upward journey. In other words, there is an inverse relationship between the state of the nafs and the ruh. The stronger the animal urges of the nafs, the weaker will be the ruh. Conversely, the weaker the animal urges, the stronger will be the ruh. The disciplining and purification of the nafs results in the form of a liberated ruh that breaks away from the fetters of a nafs that constantly beckons towards base desires.

Source: The Reality of Tasawwuf

To be continued....