Tazkiyah
Tazkiyah () is an Arabic-Islamic term alluding to ""tazkiyat al-nafs"" meaning "sanctification" or "purification of the self". This refers to the process of transforming the "nafs" (carnal self or desires) from its deplorable state of self-centrality through various spiritual stages towards the level of purity and submission to the Will of Allah. Its basis is in learning the "shari'ah" and deeds from the known authentic "sunnah" and applying it in your own deeds through life resulting in spiritual awareness of Allah (being constantly aware that He is with us by His knowledge and knows all that we  do, along with being in constant remembrance or "dhikr" of Him in your thoughts and actions) being the highest level of "Ihsan". The person who purifies himself/herself is called a "Zaki" (). "Tazkiyah", along with the related concepts of "tarbiyah" – self-development and "ta'lim" – training and education, does not limit itself to the conscious learning process: it is rather the task of giving form to the act of righteous living itself: treating every moment of life with remembering one's position in front of Allah. Etymology. "Tazkiyah" originally meant pruning the plant – to remove what is harmful for its growth . When the term is applied to the human personality, it means to beautify it and to remove from it all evil traces and spiritual diseases that are obstacles in experiencing Allah. In Islam, the ultimate objective of religion and shariah (Islamic law) and the real purpose of raising prophets from among mankind was performing and teaching "tazkiyah". Literally the term encompasses two meanings: one is to cleanse and purify from adulterants, while the other is to improve and develop towards the height of perfection. Technically it conveys the sense of checking oneself from erroneous tendencies and beliefs and turning them  to the path of virtue and piety (fear of God's displeasure) and developing it to attain the stage of perfection. The word zakat (alms tax) comes from the same Arabic verbal root, since "zakat" purifies an individual's wealth by recognition of Allah's right over a portion of it. It finds its origin in the Quranic command to: "Take "sadaqah" (charity) from their property in order to purify and sanctify them" ("At-Taubah": 103). Other similarly used words to the term are "Islah-i qalb" (reform of the heart), "Ihsan" (beautification), taharat (purification), "Ikhlas" (purity), "qalb-is-salim  (pure/safe/undamaged heart) and lastly, tasawuf" (sufism), which is basically an ideology rather than a term, mostly misinterpreted as the idea of sanctification in Islam. In scripture. In Quran. The word "Tazkiyah" has been used in many places of the Qur'an. It has been used 18 times in 15 verses of 11 Surahs; in Ayat 129, 151, 174 of Surah Al-Baqarah, in 77 and 164 verse of sura Al-Imran, the verse of Nisa 49, Surah Taubah, verse 103, Sura taha's 76 ayat, in 2nd verse of Sura Al-Jumm'ah, 3 and 7 ayat of Sura Abasa , in verse 21 of Surah al-A'la, verse 9 of Surah Shams and in the verse 18 of Surah al-Layl. In Hadith. The word tazkiyah is also found in a few hadith, with also of a meaning as purify and santify. Importance. The soul is created devoid of traits except for spirituality love of Allah. As one progresses through life he develops "malakat" related to his lifestyle. The soul becomes accustomed to repeated behavior, which then determines actions. Noble faculties manifest moral and wise behavior, while evil faculties manifest immorality. These faculties determine the fate in the "akhira". Moral  virtues bring eternal happiness and well-being ("falaḥ"), while moral corruption leads to everlasting wretchedness. Man must purge blameworthy traits ("akhlāq madhmūma") before he can integrate ethical and moral virtues. According to the "ulema", obtainment of "falaḥ" in this life and the next is directly connected to "tazkiah". This is based on the Quranic verses: 91:7 وَنَفْسٍ وَمَا سَوَّاهَا 91:8 فَأَلْهَمَهَا فُجُورَهَا وَتَقْوَاهَا 91:9 قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَن زَكَّاهَا 91:10 وَقَدْ خَابَ مَن دَسَّاهَا This illustrates that Allah created the human soul with both evil and good inclinations, and endowed man with the ability to distinguish between the two: eternal "falaḥ  is achieved by choosing good in the struggle instead of evil and striving to make it prevail. Similarly, Allah says in sura" "as-shu'ara" : "On that Day, neither wealth nor children will be of any benefit, only he [will be happy] who comes before Allah with a sound heart free of evil." Thus, the only people who will be saved from punishment on the Day of Judgment are those possessing "qulub salīma" (sound hearts: بِقَلْبٍ سَلِيمٍ). The phrase ""salīm"" (sound) is related to the word ""aslama"" because "Islam" is moving towards that state of soundness. Anas Karzoon offered the following  definition of "tazkiah al-nafs", "It is the purification of the soul from inclination towards evils and sins, and the development of its "fitrah" towards goodness, which leads to its uprightness and its reaching "ihsaan"." Attempts to obey God's commands are successful only when one is purified; then the soul can receive God's unlimited grace. The "hadith" of the Prophet Muhammad: ("my religion is based on cleanliness"), does not refer to outward cleanliness alone; it also alludes to the soul's inner purity. Al-Khatib al-Baghdadi narrates in his "Tarikh" on the authority of Jabir that the  Prophet returned from one of his campaigns and told his companions: "You have come forth in the best way of coming forth: you have come from the smaller jihad to the greater jihad." They said: "And what is the greater "jihad"?" He replied: "The striving ("mujahadat") of Allah's servants against their idle desires." When some Sufi masters were asked about the meaning of Islam, they answered: "[It is] slaughtering the soul by the swords of opposition [to it]." The famous Sufi master Mawlana Jalal al-Din al-Rumi has argued that the constant struggle against "nafs" is "jihad al -akbar" (the greatest war). To attain perfection, it is necessary to struggle against lusts and immoral tendencies, and prepare the soul to receive God's grace. If man travels the path of purification, God will aid and guide him. As the Qur'an maintains in "sura" "al-Ankabut": 29:69 وَالَّذِينَ جَاهَدُوا فِينَا لَنَهْدِيَنَّهُمْ سُبُلَنَا وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَمَعَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ Process. The initial awakening to purification refers to recognition that the spiritual search is more important and meaningful than our previously valued worldly goods and ambitions. The process of "tazkiyat al-nafs" starts with "Verily deeds are according to intentions" and ends with  the station of perfect character, "Ihsan", "Worship Him as though you see Him", the reference being to the first hadith in Sahih Bukhari and the oft referred "hadith" famously known as the "hadith" of Gibril in Sahih Muslim. "Ihsan" is the highest level of "iman" that the seeker can develop through his quest for reality. This is referred to as "al-yaqin al-haqiqi"; the reality of certainty and knowing that it brings true understanding and leads to "al-iman ash-shuhudi", the true faith of witnessing the signs of Allah's Oneness everywhere. The only higher level of realization  is "maqam al-ihsan". At this station of perfection, the seeker realizes that Allah is observing him every moment. Saudi cleric Khalid Bin Abdullah al-Musleh listed seven obstacles in the way of Tazkiyah in his book "Islahul Qulub" (reforming the hearts): Ha also listed 8 ways to maintain Tazkiyah: Maintaining the Nafs. It must be remembered that "tazkiah" is not a "hal" (temporary state), which is something that descends from Allah into a seeker's heart, without him being able to repel it when it comes, or to attract it when it goes, by his own effort. The "maqām  and hal" are deeply related and often it is very difficult to distinguish between them. To ascertain their relationship Professor A.J. Arberry, in his "Sufism" has shown the distinction as follows: "the "maqām" is a stage of spiritual attainment on the pilgrim's progress to God, which is the result of the mystic's personal efforts and endeavor, whereas the hal is a spiritual mood depending not upon the mystic but upon God." The Muslim philosopher Abd al-Karīm ibn Hawāzin al-Qushayri (b. 986 Nishapur, Iran d. 1074) summarized the difference between the two concepts in his "Ar-Risāla -fi-'ilm-at-taşawwuf", where he maintained that, "states are gifts, the stations are earnings." "Tazkiah" is a continuous process of purification to maintain spiritual health. Similar to the process of maintaining physical health, any lapse in the regimen can cause one to lose their previous gains, and thus caution must always be used to not deviate from the path. Regarding this, it has been related that Imam Muhammad al-Busayri asked Shaykh Abul-Hasan 'Ali ibn Ja'far al-Kharqani (d. 1033) about the major seventeen negative psychological traits or "mawāni’" (impediments) which the "sālik" must avoid in his struggle towards  purification. If the "sālik" does not rigorously abstain from these aspects, his efforts will be wasted. Known as "al-Akhlaqu 'dh-Dhamimah" (the ruinous traits), they are also referred to as the Tree of Bad Manners: Stages of nafs (inner-self). There are three principal stations of "nafs" or human consciousness that are specifically mentioned in the Qur'an. They are stages in the process of development, refinement and mastery of the "nafs". The animal "nafs" ("nafs-al-ammārah"). The Sufi's journey begins with the challenge of freeing oneself from the influence of shaytan and the "nafs-al-ammara". Al -Kashani defines it as follows: the commanding soul is that which leans towards the bodily nature ("al-tabī'a al-badaniyya") and commands one to sensual pleasures and lusts and pulls the heart ("qalb") in a downward direction. It is the resting place of evil and the source of blameworthy morals and bad actions. In its primitive stage the "nafs" incites us to commit evil: this is the "nafs" as the lower self or the base instincts. In the eponymous sura of the Qur'an, the prophet Yusef says "Yet I claim not that my "nafs" was innocent: Verily the "nafs" of  man incites to evil." Here he is explaining the circumstances in which he came to be falsely imprisoned for the supposed seduction of Zuleikā, the wife of Pharaoh's minister. The reproachful "nafs" ("nafs-al-lawwama"). If the soul undertakes this struggle it then becomes "nafs-al-lawwama" (reproachful soul): This is the stage where "the conscience is awakened and the self accuses one for listening to one's selfish mind. The original reference to this state is in sura Qiyama: 75:2 وَلَا أُقْسِمُ بِالنَّفْسِ اللَّوَّامَةِ The sense of the Arabic word "lawwama" is that of resisting wrongdoing and asking  God's forgiveness after we become conscious of wrongdoing. At this stage, we begin to understand the negative effects of our habitual self-centered approach to the world, even though we do not yet have the ability to change. Our misdeeds now begin to become repellent to us. We enter a cycle of erring, regretting our mistakes, and then erring again. Section::::"Tree of bad manners". The "sālik" must purify himself from these bad traits and rid his heart of the underlying ailments that are at their source. Outward adherence to the five pillars of Islam is not sufficient: he must  be perfect in behavior. This requires a program of self-evaluation, purification, seclusion and establishing a practice of remembrance and contemplation under the guidance of an authorized Shaykh of Spiritual Discipline ("shaykh at-tarbiyyah"). In this way the seeker is able to achieve a state in which his heart is ready to receive Divine Inspiration and observe Divine Realities. The "nafs" at peace ("nafs-i-mutma'inna"). The Qur'an explains how one can achieve the state of the satisfied soul in "sura" "Ar-Ra'd": "Those who believe, and whose hearts find their rest in the remembrance of God – for, verily, in  the remembrance of Allah do hearts find satisfaction ("tatmainnu alquloobu")." Once the seeker can successfully transcend the reproachful soul, the process of transformation concludes with "nafs-al-mutma'inna" (soul at peace). However, for some Sufis orders the final stage is "nafs-as-safiya wa kamila" (soul restful and perfected in Allah's presence). The term is conceptually synonymous with "Tasawwuf", Islah al-Batini etc. Another closely related but not identical concept is "tazkiah-al-qalb", or cleansing of the heart, which is also a necessary spiritual discipline for travelers on the Sufi path. The aim is the erasure of everything  that stands in the way of purifying Allah's love ("Ishq"). The aim of "tazkiah" and moral development is to attain "falah" or happiness, thus realizing the "nafs al-mutma'inna". This is the ideal stage of mind for Sufis. On this level one is firm in one's faith and leaves bad manners behind. The soul becomes tranquil, at peace. At this stage Sufis have relieved themselves of all materialism and worldly problems and are satisfied with the will of God. Man's most consummate felicity is reflecting Divine attributes. Tranquillization of the soul means an individual's knowledge is  founded on such firm belief that no vicissitudes of distress, comfort, pain or pleasure can alter his trust in Allah and his expecting only good from Him. Instead, he remains pleased with Allah and satisfied with His decrees. Similarly, the foundations of deeds are laid in such firm character that no temptations, in adversity, prosperity, fear or hope, removes him from the shar'iah, so he fulfills the demands made by Allah and thus becomes His desirable servant. According to Qatada ibn al-Nu'man, the "nafs al-mutma'inna" is, "the soul of the believer, made calm by what Allah has promised . Its owner is at complete rest and content with his knowledge of Allah's Names and Attributes..." In sura Fajr of the Quran, Allah addresses the peaceful soul in the following words: 89:27 يَا أَيَّتُهَا النَّفْسُ الْمُطْمَئِنَّةُ 89:28 ارْجِعِي إِلَى رَبِّكِ رَاضِيَةً مَّرْضِيَّةً 89:29 فَادْخُلِي فِي عِبَادِي 89:30 وَادْخُلِي جَنَّتِي Sufi views. Section::::"Maqamat" of Tazkiah. The level of human perfection is determined by discipline and effort. Man stands between two extremes, the lowest is below beasts and the highest surpasses the angels. Movement between these extremes is discussed by "`ilm al-akhlaq" or the science of ethics. Traditional Muslim  philosophers believed that without ethics and purification ("tazkiah"), mastery over other sciences is not only devoid of value, but obstructs insight. That is why the Sufi saint Bayazid al-Bustami has said that, 'knowledge is the thickest of veils', which prevents man from seeing reality ("haqiqah"). Sufi Brotherhoods ("ṭarīqa" pl. "ṭuruq") have traditionally been considered training workshops where fundamental elements of "tazkiah" and its practical applications are taught. Sufis see themselves as seekers ("murīdūn") and wayfarers ("sālikūn") on the path to God. For proper training, murīdūn are urged to put themselves under the guidance of a master ("murshid"). The search  for God ("irāda", "ṭalab") and the wayfaring ("sulūk") on the path ("ṭarīq") involve a gradual inner and ethical transformation through various stages. Although some have considerably more, most orders adopted seven "maqāmāt" ("maqam" pl. "maqamat", a station on the voyage towards spiritual transformation). Although some of these stations are ascetical in nature, their primary functions are ethical, psychological and educational: they are designed as a means for combating the lower-self ("mujāhadat al-nafs") and as a tool for its training and education ("riyāḍat al-nafs"). In one of the earliest authoritative texts of Sufism, the "Kitāb al-luma’", Abu  Nasr al-Sarraj al-Tusi (d. 988), mentions seven "maqāmāt" that have become famous in later movements, they include: Sufi sheikhs such as 'Alā' al-Dawlah Simnāni have described the "maqāmāt" in terms of the 'seven prophets' of one's inner being, with each prophet corresponding to one of man's inner states and also virtues. Others like Khwājah 'Abdallah Ansāri have gone into great detail in dividing the stages of "tazkiah" into a hundred stations. Nonetheless, through all these descriptions the main features of the stations marking the journey towards Allah are the same. One of the finest accounts  of "maqāmāt" in Sufism is the "Forty Stations" ("Maqāmāt-i Arba'in"), written by the eleventh century "murshid" Abū-Sa'īd Abul-Khayr. Māmulāt of Tazkiah. In order to combat and train the lower-self, Sufis practice fasting (ṣawm), food and drink deprivation (jūʿ'), wakefulness at night for the recitation of Quranic passages ("qiyām al-layl"), periods of seclusion ("khalawāt"), roaming uninhabited places in states of poverty and deprivation, and lengthy meditations (murāqaba, jam' al-hamm). The effortful path of self-denial and transformation through gradual maqāmāt is interwoven with effortless mystical experiences ("aḥwāl"). The Persian murshid Abu al-Najib al-Suhrawardi  further described this process by saying that it is only through constancy in action for God ("'aml li- allāh"), remembrance ("dhikr allāh"), recitation from the Quran, prayers and meditation ("muraqabah") that a mystic can hope to obtain his objective, which is "ubudiyyah" – perfect obedience to Allah. Another practice that is often associated with Sufism is the spiritual concert, or "listening," samā', in which poetic recitations, music and dances are performed by the participants, sometimes in states of ecstasy and elation. Most Sufi "ṭuruq" have established graded programs in which initially every new seeker (murīdūn) is educated in the ritual known  as "zikr-al-lisani" ("zikr" with the tongue) and is finally taught "zikr-al-qalbi", which is practiced from the onset. More About Ahwal Excerpt from book reviews provided by "Der Nimatullahi Sufi-Orden", "Spiritual Poverty in Sufism Spiritual Poverty is a cornerstone of classical Sufi practice. The term faqir (poor man or woman) is often used as a synonym for Sufi and darvish among the Sufis. The first essay in this book documents the development of the meaning of spiritual poverty in Sufism, followed by two essays which explore diverse definitions of the terms darvish and Sufi in Islamic  mystical texts. Chapters 4 and 5 constitute the only comprehensive study in English of the various gradations of mystical states (ahwal) and the hierarchical levels of spiritual stations (maqamat) by the Sufis. The final chapters focus on the concept of the 'Eternal Now' (waqt) and discuss the significance of breath in the spiritual method of the Sufis." 'Al-Ghunya li-Talibi Tariq al-Haqq – 2', in 'Concerning contentment [rida].', says "Should contentment [rida] be classed as one of the spiritual states [ahwal], or as one of the spiritual stations [maqamat]?", and in another place later, same work, "But its final  stage [nihaya] is one of the spiritual states [ahwal]..." These quotes are without going into detail, such as to answer the question presented. The webpage entitled 'SUFISM', says, The Sufi path contains many stages (Maqamat) and states (Ahwal). It begins with repentance when the seeker joins the order and prepares himself for initiation... He passes through a number of spiritual stations and states clearly defined by Sufi teaching. These are the Sufi stations:... Linked to these stations are specific moods or emotions (ahwal) such as fear and hope, sadness and joy, yearning and intimacy... SUFI ESOTERIC TERMINOLOGY: Ahwal – mystical states . With a translation of Ahwal: Qasida Burda verses 35–36 Wa-'alaykum as-Salam wa-rahmatullah wa-barakatuh: What is the meaning of "muqtahim[i]" in the line of the Burda Shareef which states: "Li kulli hawlin min ahwal muqtahimi"? Also, what is the translation of "Abara fee qawli laa minhu wa la n'ami"? They are verses 35–36: "Nabiyyuna al-aamiru al-naahi fa-la ahadun abarra fi qawli "la" minhu wa-la "na'ami."" "Huwa al-Habibu al-ladhi turja shafa'atuhu, li-kulli hawlin min al-ahwali muqtahimi!" Translation Our Prophet who commands and forbids, so that none is more just than him  in saying "no" or "yes": He is the Beloved whose intercession is dearly hoped, for each disaster of the disasters that shall befall!" As can be seen, in the last line starting with 'hawlin', the corresponding translation starts with 'disaster', then, 'of the disasters', whereas the initial text, "min al-ahwali"; thereof, it is shown basic lughatul Arabiya [Arabic language], the word tense of 'hawlin' to 'al-ahwali'. Article on Qaṣīda al-Burda (Arabic: قصيدة البردة, "Poem of the Mantle") Quote provided is on direct subject of illustrating the breadth of translations of Ahwal; therewith, the quote is inserted without  involvement in unanimity of agreement of approval of the entirety of the content of Qasida Burda. Further on meanings of Ahwal, in answering, "Question: Does a non-verbal pronouncement of divorce count as a pronouncement of divorce? i.e. The man "says" it "aloud" in his mind (without moving lips, vocal cords, mouth)? Answer: بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم Assalamu Alaykum. Allama Muhammad Qudri Basha in his al-Ahwal al-Shaksiyya mentions: A divorce is effected by a verbal pronouncement and by a formally written letter. (Al-Fawaid al-Aliyya ala al-Ahkam al-Shariyya fi al-Ahwal al-Shakhsiyya, Article 222 , Maktaba Arafa). A formally written letter is one that is written to a third person. This will count as a divorce whether one intends it or not." It is indicative that al-Ahwal is used in places, places, spread. The purpose of including this in this article addendum is for broadness sake. Salafi views. Although highly critical of numerous Sufi practices, Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab states: "We do not negate the way of the Sufis and the purification of the inner self (i.e., tazkiah) from the vices of those sins connected to the heart and the limbs as long  as the individual firmly adheres to the rules of Shari‘ah and the correct and observed way. However, we will not take it on ourselves to allegorically interpret (ta’wil) his speech and his actions. We only place our reliance on, seek help from, beseech aid from and place our confidence in all our dealings in Allah Most High. He is enough for us, the best trustee, the best mawla and the best helper."