Islamic Spirituality: Why Present This?

1. Jesus’ message was spiritual (less emphasis on laws). Spirituality is also an inherent part of all religious which helps satisfy the sanctification instinct (the desire to worship and seek guidance from a higher power).

2. Some people, especially Christians are emotionally driven over rationally driven when it comes to faith and religion.

3. To specifically show the spiritual aspects of Islam (effects of worship) so that a Christian, Hindu or other Non-Muslim faiths will recognize the sanctification effect (desire to worship God) from the Islamic perspective.

Examples: How dhikr (remembering and praising Allah) polishes sins of the heart, and how it brings you close to Allah, how wudu’ makes sins fall from your fingertips, that you are the nearest to Allah when in sujood, that haya’ (modesty) is part of faith, how fasting helps a person better master there animal instincts (food, sleep, intimacy) over their angelic instincts (worship).

Human Being = Animal Instincts + Angelic Instincts 

What is the relationship between the Ruh (Soul), Qalb (Heart) and Nafs (Self/Desires) -> See Next Slide for more discussion on this lesson in Tazkiyyah (spiritual purification).

                               

   “Certainly successful is he who purifies it (the soul)”. Ash-Shams 91:9

This Universe = Physical Vs. Metaphysical components.

Physical = what is perceived by the 5 senses (i.e. matter which can be measured).

Metaphysical = something beyond the 5 senses (i.e. the soul, consciousness, unseen world / 3aalam al-ghayb)

The Ruh = They ask you about the soul; say: “The soul is my Lord’s command, and you have been given little knowledge about it.” They ask you about “the spirit”. Say: “The spirit descends by the command of my Lord, but you have been given only a little knowledge.” Surah Israa 17:85

Types of Nafoos (Nafs Al-Ammara Bi-Sou’, Nafs Al-Lawwama, Nafs Al-Mutmainnah)

The Qalb is the centre of your intentions or willpower, it is something that can fluctuate very easily and is influenced by both the soul (sanctification effect) and the nafs (wants to survive as long as possible.

Abu Musa Al-Ash’ari narrated that: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 

“The likeness of the heart (qalb) is that of a feather blown about by the wind in the desert.'” (Sunan ibn Majah, Sahih)  Note: Qalb comes from the word Iqlab (to flip).

What is the purpose of the human being?

وَمَا خَلَقْتُ ٱلْجِنَّ وَٱلْإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِ
And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me. [Adh-Dhariyaat 51:56]

وَمَآ أُمِرُوٓا۟ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ ٱلدِّينَ حُنَفَآءَ 

And they were not commanded except to worship Allāh, [being] sincere to Him in religion, being true in faith (of religious monotheism)  [Bayyinah 98:5]

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, “Allah says: ‘I am just as My slave thinks of Me when he remembers Me.’ By Allah! Allah is more pleased with the repentance of His slave than one of you who unexpectedly finds in the desert his lost camel. ‘He who comes closer to Me one span, I come closer to him a cubit; and he who comes closer to Me a cubit, I come closer to him a fathom; and if he comes to Me walking, I come to him running”. [Bukhari & Muslim]

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, “A slave becomes nearest to his Rubb when he is in prostration. So increase supplications while prostrating.” Sahih Muslim

A lot of good examples in Kitab Adh-Dhikr, Book 15, Riyad As-Saliheen by Imam An-Nawawi.