Guarding the soul: practical guidance from Islamic sources

 Introduction

Ours is a fast- paced world, perhaps the fastest in the history of mankind, evident not only in the relatively quick technological developments, but also in the social, political, economic and entertainment realms. It is widely acknowledged that physical goods are now built with a very limited lifespan, forcing customers to replace them on a semi-regular basis. Mobile phones, entertainment technology, and the like are obvious examples. This also has bearing on subjects such as spiritual development, relationships and statecraft. Thus, everything and everyone is now deemed replaceable if (and when) the winds of popularity change (be it organically or otherwise), presenting a level of instability that would not be imagined in times past.

It is in this backdrop that we have decided to have a look at the soul, the core of a human being, a nonphysical item that is (almost) universally acknowledged to exist even after death, that which faces some level of Divine scrutiny, an item that has been ignored, neglected, even abused. The purpose of this article is to generate thought, positive development, and the presentation of this rather complex subject in a succinct fashion. In the end, success in achieving the above-mentioned goals comes from Allah. Wa Billaahit Tawfeeq.

Soul is like a sponge

At the outset, it seems necessary to explain that we tend to use the term "soul" as synonymous with other terms such as "the self" "spirit" "mind/mental foundation" " and even "psychological foundation". (ft.1) All recognize the importance of delivering positive reinforcement, discipline, love and attention to children, and similarly understand that the experience of childhood has profound impact on the same individuals as adults. 

Thus, it is true that the soul is like a sponge, yet its arrival in our world is totally pure, without blemish or sin. Thus, Islam disagrees with the Christian notion of original sin, and further refutes the idea that the original sin would have to be dealt with through the blood atonement of Jesus (depicted as son of God, but also God himself in mainstream Christianity). Yet, over time, the soul will absorb both good and bad, beautiful and ugly, largely as a result of outside influences. 

The Qur'an says that the most successful has been the one who has been keen on purifying it, keeping it clean (Q 91:9, 87:14). Similarly, it also asserts that the biggest lost is experienced by the one who damages the soul by corrupting it (Q 91:10).

What corrupts the soul?

The world religions tend to have similar ethical considerations (i.e. murder, theft, etc.) and thus see the violation of its commandments as not only actions bringing spiritual harm, but worldly damage as well. Today's world has made these things a bit murky, in that both capitalism and individualism (worldviews that are actually cousins) have had an impact on modern religious perceptions. Thus, religion itself is widely seen as a personal journey, confined to rituals and a set of theological assumptions. 

The other side of this coin is that (wrong-headed) religion itself can be manipulated through technicalities, its rules abused, leading to ridicule and outright rejection of religion. These points, the manipulation and misuse of religion, can actually corrupt the soul.

This is partly the reason behind Almighty Allah sending forth messengers, prophets and scriptures. The New Testament presents Jesus (peace be upon him) as overturning the tables of the moneychangers in the temple, and of course the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) himself removed the idols that were present at the Ka'bah, itself a sanctuary built for the worship of God by the Prophet Abraham.

Thus, among the other items in the modern world which corrupt the soul, as seen by this writer, include

(1) Narrow-mindedness: A thinking of "I am always right and cannot be wrong or ever change". A stubbornness that leads to long-term harm to self-interest. This particularly happens in family conflict (itself possibly on petty grounds). 

(2) Addictions: Intoxicants such as drugs, alcohol and the like. The Qur'an has placed gambling and even occult practices in the same realm (Wal Ansaabu wal azlaam see Q 5:90) of discussion. 

(3) Harmful entertainment: At no other time in history has entertainment been so readily available. Television programs, music, even the messages of influencers of social media and politicians themselves generate conflict, misinformation, the breakdown of family units, gender wars, can lead to harm, if not outright corruption, of the soul. This includes the so-called hookup culture and low commitment relationships. The consumption of pornography is also grouped within this heading. 

(4) Idolatry: Recognized in Islam as the one sin that-if maintained till death- has the likelihood of never being forgiven, we have placed it as number 4 on this list rather than number 1, because we tend to have a limited way of thinking of it. Shirk is not simply bowing to a statue or photo.! Rather, it can be manifested in arrogance (worship of self), racism (worship of color or clan), partisanship as well as the holding unto negative thoughts and emotions, making (false) victimization one's primary identity. This is a sort of worship (of other than God) which is harder to recognize and combat, nonetheless it is still a problem that needs to be seen and dealt with via the authentic spiritual resources. 

(5) Bad influences: The Prophet Muhammad- Sall Allahu 'alayhi wa sallam- is reported to have said " The man is upon the deen of his close friend (khalilihi), so each of you should look carefully (falyandhoor)  regarding who becomes his close friend" (At Tirmidhee). Having close friends who don't share your spiritual interests can be very damaging. In the name of friendship, questionable or outright haraam actions take place, one is influenced in the wrong direction. In an American context in particular, a phenomenon exits in which men and women in their 50's have the mentality and actions of teenagers! 

What saves the soul?

(1) Tauheed: Recognizing that God alone deserves to be worshiped. This is more than abandoning the gods of Greek or Hindu mythology. This means making Allah as primary focus in the spiritual and mental realm. In a practical sense, this entails giving priority to the priorities in the Qur'an. Notice that Tauheed is connected to justice and the acquisition of knowledge, and shirk is connected to injustice (Q 3:19, 31:30 etc.).

(2) Spiritual practices: This has to be done on a regular basis to be affective, just as bathing. The Muslim practice is five daily prayers, but there are also supplementary actions such as dhikr (which can be done at any time, in which God's name or a Divine attribute is verbalized- loudly or softly), du'aa (asking God directly), and the recognition of God in everyday activities by terms such as Inshaa Allah (God-willing), Alhamdulillaah (praise belongs to God), Maa-Shaa-Allah (this was Allah's will) and so forth. In a broad sense, we can place the five pillars under this category, three of them are spiritual practices in nature. 

(3) Actions of regular charity: As with number 2 above, zakaat is a pillar of the Islamic religion, and in the Qur'an prayer and the regular charity (zakaat) are almost always placed together. Engaging in charity, at whatever level possible, does tremendous work in delivering salvation to the soul, and it generates good feelings in the person who does it. Q 74:44 mentions that refusal to engage in charity (in this case, feeding the poor) is listed as a reason to be placed in Hell. Refusal of engaging in charity is the symbol of ultimate selfishness, a lack of care that is devastating for spiritual development. 

(4) Goodly company: In all contexts (including romantic) this is needed to attain spiritual progress. This is not only supported by texts (of the Qur'an and hadeeth) but also by real life experiences. Indeed, every culture has recognition of this at some level. Some faiths (such as early Christianity and aspects of Buddhism) seem to hold the view that spiritual growth is attained on a personal level and that other people's presence is a distraction from that goal. Islam teaches that the opposite is the case. The Prophet is reported to have said that marriage is half of one's faith, and another hadeeth asserts that praying in congregation (jamaa'ah) is twenty-seven times greater in reward than offering the same prayer in a solitary fashion. 

(5) Dropping unnecessary grudges: Negative feelings and memories can hold a person back and as seen earlier, can be a sort of idolatry! The Qur'an teaches that spiritual awareness (here a reference to taqwaa) is connected to humans dealing with one another, even to the point that it can supersede rituals (Q 4:1). While some grievances are rightly held and cannot be easily dismissed, it is often the case nowadays that a person will hold a grudge over a minor situation, to the extent that even when said issue is addressed, the 'aggrieved' party will continue to harbor ill-will, ultimately bringing harm to themselves. Islam teaches that God is Intense in delivering forgiveness and mercy (Al-Ghafoor Ar-Raheem), if we want that from God, should we not use it for ourselves? The Qur'an asserts that believers have certain characteristics, let us have a read: " And what is with Allah is better and more lasting for those who have believed and have trust in their Lord, those who abstain from sin, great and small, as well as immorality, and when angered, forgive (wa idhaa maa ghadiboo, hum yaghfiroon.)" (Q 42:36-38). The same Soorah goes on to say that those who engages in pardoning and reconciliation ('faman 'afaa wa as-laha) receive rewards from God"(Q 42:40) (ft.2).

While the above is brief, it provides a foundation for salvation, happiness in this life and the life to come. There are of course more details given in the Islamic texts, but this should be sufficient to begin the process of introspection, thought and discussion where needed. 

Footnotes

(1) There are a number of terms used within Islamic texts and amongst Muslims generally that carry slightly different meanings, such as nafs, rooh, (plural being arwaah), 'aql, 'ilmun nafs, etc. For the purpose of this article, all the slightly different concepts should be seen as being addressed here, in the sense of discussing the inner reality of man.

(2) The term 'afaa is related to the term 'afuww (coming from the same root), the latter having the connotation of 'erasing'. The latter term is in the du'aa traditionally made when seeking out the apex of the Ramadan experience known as Laylatul Qadr. If we are asking God to 'erase' our bad points or actions, would it not be expedient to do that as human beings with one another?  Q 42:37 uses the verb yaghfiroon for forgiveness being a quality of believers, this term has-at core, covering up, cutting off or being protected from bad consequences of an act. The term comes from the same root as a number of God's names in Islamic texts, such as Al-Ghaffar (The ever forgiving), Al-Ghafoor (the intense in delivering forgiveness). God is described in one text as "The forgiver of sins" Ghaafir adh-dhanb Q 40:2).  For more on Laylatul Qadr, see Shamsuddin Waheed: Las Vegas Metro Police Department presentation on Laylatul Qadr as well as Shamsuddin Waheed: Ramadan reflections: towards new beginnings

Random thoughts on our era (with reference to the Islamic sources)

 A strange encounter

Those who know me, know that I am a contemplative and very private person. I am not in the habit of sharing information, especially of a sensitive or personal nature, online. Yet, a very small incident just occurred which was so disturbing that I could not resist to record my thoughts in this blog post. 

I was in a movie theatre, in the middle of the day (when theatres tend to have very limited attendees), in a back row. Randomly, a man comes, sits next to me, asks abrasive and rude questions such as "what are you doing, you aren't enjoying the movie?" seemingly criticizing me for looking at my phone. When I told him I am minding my own business (in as calm a fashion as possible), he says, "keep minding your own business" and walks off. It may be important at this stage to state that I was sitting alone, quiet, in no way bothering anyone. The aisle I was sitting was empty, minus the man (who was sitting about ten seats away from me), there would have been no glare from my phone. In other words, there was no excuse or logical reasoning to have been approached in such a fashion. I took his behavior as threatening. 

Taken aback by it, I went to report the incident to security, and, as it turns out, there is no security, not one security guard. This was surprising because in a Las Vegas context, almost all the theatres are attached to Resort hotels/Casinos. The manager seemed sympathetic but out right told me there was nothing he could do. I simply returned to the theatre hall, finished the movie, and left.

In analyzing my behavior before and after, I could not see anything I did wrong or provocative. I am unsure if it was racially motivated, it certainly was not religiously motivated (I was not dressed in clothing associated with Islam).

It is a small incident admittedly, however, in concert with many other recent happenings left unmentioned on this blog post, it made me think about some of the observations of the Prophet Muhammad, the final Nabi of God, Sall Allahu 'alayhi wa sallam. 

The diminishing of knowledge, the abundance of ignorance

One of his profound statements is that in the age near the end of things, one of the things unique to that time is "knowledge will be diminished, yet ignorance will be abundant" (yaqillul 'ilmu, wa yaktharul jahl)(ft.1)

I take this hadeeth to mean that knowledge will not be respected, those who possess authentic understanding of (any) fields will be disrespected, disregarded and dismissed, in light of more flashy presentations. This is not just within religion, but in all fields. Suddenly, a google search or employing of an AI (Artificial Intelligence) program has more value than those who have taken years of academic training, with certificates and degrees from recognized places of learning. 

In a similar vein, "ignorance" is not simply lack of knowledge on a subject. Indeed, we are all ignorant of one thing or another. The "ignorance" (jahl) is really uncivilized thinking and behavior. It is driven mainly by unguarded and negative emotions, such as jealousy, arrogance, and even the disease of racism! In other words, there is no logic to their behavior!  The Prophet asserts that this is the sort of situation we see in the age of the end of things. His words should not be easily dismissed. 

It is very telling that Moses (Musa, 'alayhis salaam), the Prophet and liberator, prays to Allah "I seek refuge with Allah from being among the ignorant" (Q 2:67)

وَاِذۡ قَالَ مُوۡسٰی لِقَوۡمِہٖۤ اِنَّ اللّٰہَ یَاۡمُرُکُمۡ اَنۡ تَذۡبَحُوۡا بَقَرَۃً ؕ قَالُوۡۤا اَتَتَّخِذُنَا ہُزُوًا ؕ قَالَ اَعُوۡذُ بِاللّٰہِ اَنۡ اَکُوۡنَ مِنَ الۡجٰہِلِیۡنَ

Misdirected violence

The Messenger of Allah, upon whom be peace and blessings, has also remarked that even a murderer would not know why he is committing the murder, nor would the victim understand the reason. (ft.2)

This is a situation we see in American society in abundance! While slightly different criteria exist to measure violence, the GUN VIOlENCE ARCHIVE has recorded atleast 400 mass shootings in 2023 (ft.3).

I have had conversations, in the context of my work, with victims of these things. The random and seemingly senseless nature of it is what has the most impact on victims, and society at large. It happens so often that we don't even register it as a surprising or abnormal event. This is truly disturbing. It is not our intention to present any theories as to the ultimate causes of random violence in American society, but rather to show that the Prophet's statement indicates that senseless violence is one of the signs of a deteriorating society!

Destruction of family units

Those who are familiar with traditional Muslim literature will recognize that there is a false messianic figure prominently mentioned, known as Al Maseeh Ad Dajjal. While I have my own thoughts on the precise meaning of this expression, what is interesting is that the literature has made mention of "deceivers" (in the plural) and actually says it will be " lying dajjals, close to thirty" (dajjaloon kadhdhaboon qareebun min thalaatheen). (ft.4) 

This is indicative of the fact that in the times towards the end of things, there are a number of doors to misguidance, and what is interesting is that we have at least two narrations that indicate that women would form the bulk of the followers of the deceiver. One narration even state in rather blunt language that it would be the responsibility of the men to recover their women from the clutches of these deceivers. (ft.5) 

I believe the overall meaning of these narrations is that women will be more emotionally inclined to the overall message of the deceiver(s), a message which is-essentially- the opposite of the Divine message. This is perhaps also an indication that the role of men in society will be under attack, to the extent that men end up unable to guide families properly, and thus, leaving families to the "mercy" of the  deceiving, outright malignant  devils (be they from human or non-human origins), The deceivers preach a message of conflict between the sexes, extreme individualism and addictions to both natural and unnatural intoxicants, replacing the real and organic world created by God in exchange for the digital.

Another aspect of this is taking advice from unqualified parties, be it from internet sources or social acquaintances.  Unmarried folks giving destructive advice in relationships, generating more and more unnecessary conflict. The unqualified advisors are simply following a lifestyle that has been promoted by the great deceiver(s) through popular media, assuming that such a philosophy is what is supposed to be followed. 

Islam promotes a healthy culture.

Among the beautiful qualities of Islam is its ability to integrate itself organically within a culture. It does not ask us to give up our own cultures in exchange for another, but rather, simply to discard forbidden practices and ideas in exchange for better ones. Thus, a traveler will notice the abundance of cultural diversity within the Muslim world, all the while holding firm to the religious precepts. 

In a Western context, I believe that this has to take shape in several formats, including the necessity to maintain healthy family ties (if they are actually healthy in the first place)(ft.6), reconciliation between parties(ft.7) , communal living, modest lifestyles, and the promotion of things in the wider society such as morality, values, injecting such teachings into the mainstream political environment where possible, I do not advocate too much religious debates, as  it has a rather limited benefit. 

Conclusion

It is only with God's guidance that we are able to identify what is good and what is bad. This does not mean that all opinions reached by believers will be correct or agreed -upon, but if Allah's guidance serves as a base, we can navigate the stress of this life with relative safety. One may accurately point out the rather horrible things happening to our folks, such as in Gaza, in an attempt to refute the above point, but it is with Allah's guidance inside of the Qur'an that tells us that such things are limited, they won't last forever. Moreover, it is Islam which has provided the people of Gaza, as it does elsewhere, the strength to endure, a lesson applicable to us all, in whatever circumstances we find ourselves. 

Footnotes

(1) Saheeh Al Bukhari 81:23, and other sources, with slightly different wording.

(2) Saheeh Muslim 54:69.

(3) See United States tops 400 mass shootings in 2023 | CNN Politics

(4) For more details on the signs of judgement day, see Shamsuddin Waheed: Judgement Day: Lessons From The Qur'an And Sunnah

(5) Musnad Ahmad 5353.

(6) Toxic family situations are also addressed within Islam in ways which are surprising to most. Islam actually advocates taking steps for protection in such circumstances. A brief discussion can be found at our video "Ramadan Reflections day 13: Tosic family and friends" RAMADAN REFLECTIONS DAY 13 ( toxic family and friends) by Imam Shamsuddin Waheed (youtube.com)

(7) The Qur'an and Sunnah are both filled with texts advocating reconciliation between parties, be it in a political or social arenas. See Q 4:35, 4:128, 49:9-10. Indeed, we even have a hadeeth which states that the one who invents (yamnee) a good attribution to others, with an intention to reconcile parties, is not to be perceived as lying. (Saheeh Al Bukhari, 53:2: 2692). Also see the tradition narrated by Umm Kulthum found in Sunan Abu Dawud 4920, with a similar text in Saheeh Muslim 2605. 

The benefit of true worship (friday Khutbah)

 (Note: the following is an edited version of our khutbah at Masjid Ibrahim, Las Vegas, Nevada. The opening words of praise for God have been omitted).

Lessons from Ilyaas

The Qur'an briefly tells us about a Prophet of God that is not often discussed, known as Ilyaas (Elijah), a messenger of God whose main audience was the Levantine region(ft.1). The Qur'an often presents prophets as conveying similar arguments, despite having variety in listeners. It tells us:

" When he (Ilyaas) said to his people ' will you not have taqwaa? 

Do you call upon Ba'al and abandon the best of creators?

 (namely) Allah, your Lord and the Lord of your past ancestors?" (Q 37:124-126) 

اِذۡ قَالَ لِقَوۡمِہٖۤ اَلَا تَتَّقُوۡنَ

اَتَدۡعُوۡنَ بَعۡلًا وَّتَذَرُوۡنَ اَحۡسَنَ الۡخَالِقِیۡنَ

اللّٰہَ رَبَّکُمۡ وَرَبَّ اٰبَآئِکُمُ الۡاَوَّلِیۡنَ

The first statement in this summary is that of taqwaa. It carries here the meaning of consciousness, awareness. It is not simply a verbal assertion. Taqwaa here conveys awareness of not only God, but his power, cognizant of other human beings as well as of the realities of this world. Notice that all the Quranic verses the Prophet Muhammad (Sall Allahu 'alayhi wa sallam) would recite in the wedding ceremony all express this meaning (Q 4:1, 3:102, 33:70-71). 

We can further understand or summarize the call to Taqwaa as expressed by Ilyaas (peace be upon him) (al-laaa Tattaqoon) as simply to be awake, to not fall asleep at the wheel, as there is much out there that makes us unfocused. 

Why was Ba'al worshiped? 

Ilyaas was sent to a region in which worship of idols was common, the chief one being a 'god' of fertility, Ba'al. Indeed, there is a Lebanese city is called Baalbek because it was the site of an important shrine dedicated to Ba'al. 

"Calling upon Ba'al" (Tad'oona Ba'laan) is certainly a form of worship, and Ilyaas ('alayhis salaam) was addressing this. . Globally, all sorts of historical figures, as well as mythical personalities were worshipped, be it the pre-Islamic idols of the Arabs such as Al-laat, Al Manaat and Al 'Uzza, or even former U.S. President Donald Trump in recent times (ft.2).

These figures were "worshiped" because of some feeling of benefit, real or imagined, as well as a sense of cultural or loyalty to one's tradition. The Qur'an repeatedly speaks against conformity based upon such reasons. (ft.3). Moreover, the harm of idolatry, just as with many other items, outweighs any perceived benefits. 

Allah: The only deserving of worship

Allah is the only one who is ever-living, omnipotent and omnipresent. Indeed, in one sentence recited in the sitting part of prayer, we say "I testify that none deserves worship except Allah, alone, without any partner" (Ash-hadoo an Laa elaaha ill Allah, wahdadu Laa Shareeka Lah.). If we accept these assertions as correct, there is no need then to worship any other than him. 

Being awake

I am reminded of a famous speech given by Malcolm X (Al Hajj Malik El Shabazz) (ft.4) speaking in his context, states "... This is what they do! They send drugs in Harlem down here to pacify us. They send alcohol down here to pacify us! They send prostitution down here to pacify us." 

His examples are relevant for our subject in that authentic taqwaa breeds awareness of not only the reality of God, but the realities around us, and presents a good foundation to understand how to interact with the realities around us. 

Islam: a realistic faith 

The Qur'an has highlighted items such as gambling and intoxicants as not only harmful, but as distractions. If we are able to avoid the distractions, we can see the realities very clearly, and act accordingly. This requires the discipline, balanced, intelligent life that Islam asks us to live, as well as care as to what we let into our homes, phones, television screens, bodies, minds and hearts. 

Notice that Ilyaas refers to God as "The best of creators" (Ahsaan al Khaaliqeen). The Qur'an also refers to God as "The wisest of judges" (Ahkaam al Haakimeen). This tells us that there are others who create, and others who judge, be they among humans or other creatures. However, they cannot be equated to God. Allah is above and beyond them all, and is the only deserving of worship. The Qur'an rightly states that "Nothing is comparable to him"(Q 42:11).

Thus, it is necessary that we use Islam correctly, as the item which cleanses our hearts and minds, and rectifies our actions, provides protection from being manipulated.

Footnotes

(1) The Levant (shaam in arabic) refers to modern day Palestine, Syria, Jordan and Lebanon).

(2) An Indian national actually became famous for engaging in open Trump worship. See Here

(3) See Qur'an 2:170, 31:21, 5:104, 105 and many other verses. 

(4) Malcolm X (1924-1965) was the product of an oppressive and racist white America, who came to embrace Islam. His biographical details are well known, it is sufficient to say that awareness and discipline went a long way in informing his worldview and subsequent impact on the human race. While there are many detailed books on his life and the evolution of his worldview, the best one we recommend is his own autobiography (The Autobiography of Malcolm X as told to Alex Haley).