By Dr. Muna Bilgrami
Reflections on facets of being– drawing from the Qur’an and heritage of the Ahl ul-Bayt
Never has reflection or contemplation been so compromised and yet in the face of a global mental health pandemic it has become, without doubt, a critical life skill. We all take thinking for granted, if not as the very proof of being. Cognition, however, is not mere thought or intellection. There are indeed many sensory pathways through which we can ‘perceive’ things. This article is concerned with discerning, insightful contemplation that centres and restores us to moral and spiritual balance and drives us along the path to greater knowledge, inner peace and benefit to others.
Nowadays deep reflection is often a huge challenge for distraction almost threatens to suffocate us. As of January 2024, the UK had 56.2 million people actively using social media. That translates into a social media penetration of 82.8 percent of the population. The global average is 62.3 percent. The average person in the UK sees innumerable advertisements a day (estimates vary between hundreds to thousands) and loiters for almost 2 hours on social media. Alongside this there is the new pandemic: deteriorating mental health. Levels of depression, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, PTSD, OCD, and other types of disorders and phobias are rising inexorably as these conditions become more noticed, reported, medicated and therapized. The burden of worsening mental health is born by society as a whole, but also by some communities more than others, especially those more vulnerable due to being marginalized.
‘…With such diversions and distractions it is quite likely more ‘reflection’ of one’s image is experienced bouncing back from the mirror sheen of the phone screen, than actual time spent cogitating on how one is showing up in this world. Literal reflection aside, contemplative reflection for self-growth and cultivating inner peace is increasingly something we have to learn and be reminded to do. It is not just a critical skill for this life but also one that crucially helps prepare us for the next. As Muslims we cannot overlook the fact that ‘… the Hereafter is better and more enduring’ (87:17).
Tafakkur as a pathway to Tazkiyah
Muslim tradition has traditionally addressed the matter of contemplation or reflection as part of the important exercise of purifying the self (tazkiyat un-nafs), as indicated in the Qur’an: ‘Certainly, the one who purifies it [the soul or self] has succeeded’ (91:9). And also: ‘Successful indeed are those who purify [themselves]’ (87:14). The process and extent of purification is what yields success – both in this life and the next. And the Qur’an further indicates several methodologies scattered through various other verses too numerous to list here: through thinking or contemplating (tafakkur), reflecting or considering meanings (tadabbur), and remembering and reminding (tadhakkur). All these approaches merit more unpacking, for they are not done in isolation to other parameters of adab. In this article we are only considering tafakkur. Tafakkur is not just turning things over in one’s mind, but a deeper intellection that allows the light of the heart to reveal to oneself heretofore hidden aspects and assumptions. Imam al-Sadiq (as) said that: ‘The best form of worship is to constantly contemplate (tafakkur) God and His Power.’
The Qur’an is full of references to the importance of contemplation or tafakkur, from which we can deduct what should be contemplated. For example, both these verses invite us to think about the elements of our earthly experience:
We are reminded, furthermore, that Allah is ‘bālighun amrah’ (65:3) – Allah will enforce His command, or attain His will, or accomplish His purpose. So what does it mean for us to attain our own purpose and the limited will granted to us against the backdrop of Allah’s will and purpose? We find a powerful clue in a saying attributed to Imam ‘Ali (AS), and often tot the Prophet himself (S): ‘Whoever knows himself, knows his Lord.’ For, as the Imam (AS) himself proclaimed, how can he worship a God whom he does not know?
‘And He is the One Who spread out the earth and placed firm mountains and rivers upon it, and created fruits of every kind in pairs. He covers the day with night. Surely in this are signs for those who reflect’ (13:3).
We are encouraged to wonder at humankind, how we are created and what qualities maintain our relationships fruitfully:
‘And one of His signs is that He created for you spouses from among yourselves so that you may find comfort in them. And He has placed between you compassion and mercy. Surely in this are signs for people who reflect’ (30:21).
Reflecting on creational realities not only fills us with awe and wonder at the balance and beauty of creation, but also strengthens our certainty that Allah is the Provider and Benefactor, the Originator, Fashioner and Sustainer.
The Value of Tafakkur
When the Prophet (S) was reported to have said, ‘A moment of reflection or contemplation is better than 70 years of worship,’ he clearly indicated that taking stock of one’s actions, states, and motivations is an invaluable exercise. In fact, this well-known narration (hadith) appears in several guises, with some versions saying one moment is better than one night, or one year, or seven years, or 60, or even a thousand. We need not worry ourselves here with exact quantities for the meaning is clear. While we may just perform our acts of worship in a perfunctory way, real deep reflection is essential, from wondering about the marvels of creation (this world), to the reckoning of one’s account (this life), to taking seriously the pain and misery of hellfire (Next Life).
The Imams have equally indicated the necessity of this practise. Imam Ali (as) used to say: ‘Rouse your heart by contemplation (tafakkur), keep off your side [on the bed] at night [i.e. keep awake], and fear (ittaqi) God, your Lord. He (as) also said: ‘Contemplation calls to virtue and to acting virtuously.’
Imam al-Rida (as) said: ‘Worship is not just much prayer and fasting, but rather worship is contemplating the affairs of God Almighty.’
Reflection then is not limited to a stocktake of personal accountability but also to observation of the Universe and all creational phenomena and to draw sustenance from that. The scientific pursuit of understanding the workings of the universe was always understood by Muslims to be part of the search for knowledge with a capital K. It was always awe-inspiring, bringing us to genuine genuflection. It affirmed our certainty of a higher order organizing all the atoms, calming the feeling of chaos that creeps in when everything seems abandoned to randomness. Reflecting on what Attributes Allah manifests in the world through keen observation of His creational web helps sharpen and enhance awareness of our position in relation to other creatures and beings, especially in relation to the magnificence, sublimity and ineffability of God.
Naturally, contemplation as an act of worship does not negate the necessity of formal prayer (salāt). But if we are honest with ourselves, many a time do we perform our formal ritual prayers in haste or mindlessly? Habit dulls our perceptions. Imagine then the value of worship and devotion being outdone by sitting quietly, turning inward, and contemplating one’s motivations, the day’s actions, our direction in life, or just trying to sit with an uneasy feeling and figuring out where it is coming from and why. It is easy to see how such reflection might begin to feed into virtue.
Deepening Consciousness
Bringing conscious awareness to ourselves is not just about what we are contemplating, but also our relationship to it, how we evaluate and interpret it in relation to ourselves, to the world, and to the age we live in. In our increasingly mobile and volatile lives, it could take place anywhere, over a long period of time or in a momentary flash. Perhaps some of the best times to engage in these cognitive acts is after prayer, when one has set aside, temporarily at least, the individualised self, with its illusions, desires and worries.
Connecting the dots internally also involves a situated understanding of the human self in relation to its Creator, lest one is led to blame and despair. We need to understand the adab (appropriate conduct) of the ‘abd (worshipper-slave). ‘Abd is a tricky term to render well into modern English – often rendered as slave, servant, bondsman etc – but it signifies conscious worship of and dedicated devotion to Allah above all else. Adab is tricky too, for it is not just superficial courtesy or studied etiquette. Adab requires recognition of one’s utter need before Him Who is Beyond Need (al-Ghanīy) and of powerlessness before the Master of Sovereignty (Mālik al-Mulk). It demands humility before the Most Mighty or Magnificent (Al-Azīm) and humble entreaty of the Source of all Mercy (al-Rahman al-Rahīm). It is bolstered by certainty that regardless of one’s personal ambition or plans, it is Allah’s command that will be fulfilled – Allah bālighun amrah. Against the background of Allah’s Omnipotence and Omniscience, what that ‘command’ or amr may be to each one of us is for us to discover ourselves. It is, we have been told, a hidden treasure, there to be discovered.