We often judge yoga, mindfulness, and meditation as being “new age” or “hippy”, without really trying to understand the benefits such exercises can have on our practice of Islam, if practiced within the boundaries of Shari`ah (Islamic law). In fact, such concepts are firmly rooted in our religion. Prayer itself is a form of meditation if performed correctly, and the more one studies mindfulness, the more one is reminded of the character of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ (peace be upon him).

Prominent Australian Muslim teachers, such as the founder of Benevolence Australia, Sister Saara Sabbagh, have also been moving towards teaching mindfulness in Islam. Furthermore, one of the courses about Prophetic Medicine by Sheikh Nuh focuses on the importance of Kundalini Yoga and Chi Kung in order to strengthen the connection between ourselves and Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He).

What is Mindfulness?

Mindfulness is defined by therapist and writer Dr. Russ Harris as a “mental state of awareness, focus and openness – which allows you to engage fully in what you are doing at any moment.”

One only needs to look at the example of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ as someone who was always engaged in the present moment. He gave everyone he spoke to his full attention. Furthermore, it is reported by the sahaba (companions of the Prophet ﷺ) that when the Prophet ﷺ prayed tahajjud, he would recite Surah Al-Baqarah, Surah Ali `Imran and Surah An Nisa’ in a deliberate and slow manner. One can only imagine how long he would spend with Allah (swt) in prayer. It is reported that his feet would swell and crack. He was so connected to Allah (swt) that he would lose track of time. It is no wonder that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ called prayer the coolness of his eyes.

How is Mindfulness related to Inner Jihad?

Dr Russ Harris further explains mindfulness by stating that “in a state of mindfulness, difficult thoughts and feelings have much less impact and influence over you”.

The process of spiritual jihad (struggle/striving in the way of God) consists of becoming aware of our nafs (soul), and acting in the way which is most aligned with our values despite temptations and inner desires. Islam teaches us a number of values—compassion, justice, fairness, contribution to society, equality, generosity, honesty, respect, courage, self-discipline, and the list goes on. One only needs to look at the way the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ conducted his life to see an embodiment of all these values.

The whispers of the nafs are referred to in the Qur’an in Surah Qaf, Verse 16: And We have already created man and know what his soul whispers to him, and We are closer to him than [his] jugular vein.

Think of the last time someone said something to really push your buttons; your instinctive reaction was most likely to get offended, take it personally, to shout at them or argue with them. However, if your values are to have peace and serenity (sakinah: سكينة‎), patience (ṣabr: صبر‎) and compassion (raḥma: رحمة ), you can be mindful of your instinctive reactions, and engage in a spiritual jihad by acting against those instincts, and addressing the person in front of you in a calm yet assertive manner. We cannot control what is happening around us. All we have control over are our own reactions. It is also our actions, and not our thoughts, for which we will be judged when we stand before Allah (swt) on Judgment Day.

The importance of acting in accordance with our values despite our nafs is clearly noted in Verse 34 of Surah Fussilat: And not equal are the good deed and the bad. Repel [evil] by that [deed] which is better; and thereupon the one whom between you and him is enmity [will become] as though he was a devoted friend.

People engaging in mindfulness are able to deal with difficult situations without becoming argumentative, defensive or hostile. Instead, they meet difficult situations with a relaxed, comfortable, non-defensive attitude and are able to even throw in a bit of light humour. They are comfortable with criticism thrown their way because they are self-assured and self-confident. One only needs to study the seerah (life of the Prophet) to understand how the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ embodied such an attitude.

Mindfulness is a way in which we can become more aware of ourselves, our thoughts and our feelings, and act in a way which is in accordance with Islam despite our nafs and desires. Furthermore, the concentration encouraged by yoga and meditation can be incorporated into our daily salat to make our prayer the coolness of our eyes, as opposed to a burdensome obligation which we rush through without connecting with Allah (swt).

I pray that Allah (swt) bless us all with sakinah in our hearts.

For more information about mindfulness, see: http://www.actmindfully.com.au and https://www.headspace.com/.

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Maria Bhatti is an Australian Muslim. She is a lawyer currently doing her Ph.D. on the intersection between Islamic law and International Commercial Law.

I once dropped by the MSA at the University of Tulsa and heard a very disturbing story. A man from the area had left Islam and had recently given a talk at a local church about his apostasy. He claimed that there was no love in Islam. He felt that the Islamic way of life is filled with hate, harshness and rigidity. I plan to touch on how this apostate and others like him are dead wrong. It is obvious to any common practicing Muslim that they have very little knowledge of the Qur’an and Sunnah (ways of the Prophet ﷺ, peace be upon him). Before making such a judgment, they should have based their decision based upon the scripture. The truth is that a problem common to all apostates I’ve heard of is blaming Islam for the actions of people who happened to be called Muslim, yet aren’t necessarily practicing Islam correctly.

When talking about love in Islam let’s see what the Holy Qur’an says about it. First of all I would like to note two definitions of love found in the American Heritage Dictionary:

8a. God’s benevolence and Mercy toward man.

8b. Man’s devotion to or adoration of God.

These two definitions precisely describe the Islamic concept of the relation between God and man.

When reading the Qur’an, anyone can easily recognize the emphasis put on God’s love, compassion, graciousness, mercy and forgiveness. As a matter of fact, all chapters of the Qur’an except one begin with the phrase “in the name of God” who is described as Al-Rahman (the Benevolent) and Al-Raheem (the Merciful). This verse is often translated as “in the Name of God, the Benevolent and Merciful.”  This fits the exact meaning of the definition for the love of God found in the English dictionary. These two descriptions are the most commonly used words by which Allah describes Himself in the Qur’an. These characteristics of Allah refer to His countless blessings, bounties and forgiveness He has bestowed upon us without us deserving anything. He does all of that even though we constantly break His commandments.

Similarly, when we look at the Arabic word muslim, we find that it is a person who is devoted to Allah, submitting to His will. This is exactly what the English dictionary has to say about the meaning of a person’s love for God.

Life is all about a test of realization and action. We are drawn to a realization of God’s love for us and leading a life of gratitude, which reflects our deep adoration and devotion to God. We do this hoping that our beloved Creator will be pleased with us and yearning to be with Him for eternity in the bliss of the hereafter. This well-known concept of the purpose of life according to Islam perfectly reflects the meaning of the man’s love for God.

Islam enjoins the general concept of love among mankind as well. This is first and foremost done by promoting the love of God amongst our fellow man. This is manifested through our practice of the concept of “rahmah” which can be translated as love, mercy, compassion or forgiveness. The Prophet ﷺ told his companions, as narrated authentically in al-Targheeb (3/210):

لن تؤمنوا حتى ترحموا قالو يا رسول الله كلنا رحيم قال إنه ليس بر حمة أحدكم صاحبه و لكنه رحمة العامة

“You don’t truly believe until you have rahmah for others.” His companions responded, “We all have rahmah.” The Prophet ﷺ then told them, “Verily, you don’t reach this level of faith by just having rahmah for those who are close to you, but you must have rahmah for everyone.”

In fact this was the sum of why Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He) sent the Prophet ﷺ. He says in verse 107 of al-Anbiyaa in the Qur’an,

And We have not sent you, [O Muhammad], except as a mercy to the worlds. (21:107)

In this category of general love for everything, we have another very important type of love. This is the love between a husband and wife. So before continuing about this love and how it manifests itself between married couples, let’s talk about how one gets married according to Islam.

Finding a spouse in Islam is quite easy. It is actually much easier than in common western culture. Islam forbids anything that can possibly lead to fornication. First, let’s ponder over verse 32 of Surah al-Israa in the Qur’an,

 This verse means “Don’t even come close to fornicating.” (17:32)

As a result of this, it is prohibited to be alone with, flirt or touch someone from the opposite sex who isn’t your spouse or immediate family. The only mixed gender interactions should be accompanied by lowering the gaze, hijab, only speaking about a necessity like buying something, asking directions, discussing religious matters, etc… So you can see why Islam prohibits the modern concept of boyfriend/girlfriend relationships. This solves so many social problems prevalent in societies that don’t observe this seemingly strict code of mixed gender mingling. Many who were raised here in the West have many reactions to these rules, the most common of which is, “So how are we supposed to find a spouse?”

Back in the time of the Prophet ﷺ and even until today in some cultures, parents arranged marriage through their relationships with other families they knew well. Best case scenario is that they might allow them to see each other once or show a picture, but then the parents would completely make the decision of compatibility as well as of the marriage itself. Believe it or not, in the old days this would work the vast majority of the time for reasons which I will mention later.

Nowadays, people have become more critical and have an individualist, opinionated outlook, and women have taken a stronger role in society. For this reason, it would be wise for parents not to force their children to marry someone without their full approval and acceptance. This advice is based upon firsthand knowledge of many arranged marriages which obviously were not arranged based upon compatibility and/or went sour.

It should be that the family and friends of a Muslim bachelor or bachelorette are those who are actually looking for a suitable spouse for him or her. If Allah’s will was that a Muslim bachelor meets, or personally knows of someone whom he or she is interested, then he should immediately go to her family about it, preferably the father. Parents should allow their child to have some chaperoned meetings with someone in whom they are initially interested. These meetings should be strictly about learning about each other’s personality and expectations in their spouse. If after a few of these meetings they don’t feel compatible then they should break off all communication in that regard and go back to being a regular Muslim brother and sister. If after praying for Allah’s guidance (istikharah) they feel close and compatible, then it is best to get married as soon as possible. There may be a small period of engagement, but even if they are culturally engaged that does not change the fact that in Islam there is no change in their relationship. It is just an inclination to marry down the road which either party can break free from at any time.

The basic difference between an Islamic marriage and a western marriage is that in the West a couple generally meets without any help from the family. Their meeting is usually a result of a man’s attraction and a woman’s being flattered and enjoying his charming company. Then they proceed as a married couple—sometimes for many years—until they decide that they want to live the rest of their life with each other. Then they get married. They feel like they were already in love for some time. So they live together after getting married and they get sick of each other and get a divorce for one reason or another. In Islam, the marriage is protected by the divine legislation of God. The first factor in this preservation is that the marriage—if done correctly—is first formed through real compatibility and not physical desires which can often get a man to act in whatever way will get him what he wants and by the girl being flattered and charmed by his fake façade—or as we say in modern terminology, “his game.”

Once a Muslim couple is officially married, they understand that even with compatibility they must work for the rest of their lives to preserve love, compassion, understanding, respect and forgiveness between them. They have entered into a covenant with Allah (swt) that carries rights and responsibilities towards each other. The basic foundation of that bond is found in the Holy Qur’an in verse 21 of Surah al-Rum,

“And of His signs is that He created for you from yourselves mates that you may find tranquility in them; and He placed between you affection and mercy. Indeed in that are signs for a people who give thought.” (30:21)

That said, we are now coming close to the time in which most Westerners celebrate Valentine’s Day. There is much mystery and folklore as to where this holiday came from, but the general story is that it was originally a pagan holiday. After the Roman Empire embraced Christianity, it was later named after a Catholic saint named Valentine.  Folklore suggests that in the 3^rd century C.E., the Roman Emperor Claudius II banned young healthy men from marriage. In defense of the divine union of marriage, St. Valentine allegedly protested this by secretly holding marriage ceremonies. He later was martyred on February 14^th, thus marking the date.

Today this holiday has no religious affiliation and is common to both religious folk and atheists. It is a day on which couples exchange cards, candy, chocolate, flowers and even jewelry as a token of their love.  This is also a day where many premarital relationships happen or are forged.

So the question many Muslims have is, “What is the ruling on taking part in any of the traditional practices of this holiday?”

The vast majority of scholars hold it to be prohibited to buy, sell or take part in anything that is related to this holiday. They base this ruling on a few reasons:

1. They see it lead to social problems in the Muslim world, especially the recent skyrocket in dating and romantic premarital relationships.
2. It is a day on which a lot of fornication happens and even small children are encouraged to start engaging in premarital relationships.
3. It is imitating the disbelievers in their religious practices. The Prophet ﷺ said, “Whoever imitates a people is one of them.”
4. It is rooted in the religious practices of non-Muslims so it is an innovation which must be rejected.
5. It is a holiday and all holidays except the two `Eids are innovations, religious or not.

A handful of other scholars don’t feel that there is any conclusive evidence that prohibits Muslim married couples from taking this opportunity to recognize and commend their love for each other and do something special together. They argue against the five aforementioned proofs that celebrating this holiday isn’t necessarily what has caused Muslims to have illicit relationships, but that—Valentine’s Day or not—those people are going to follow their desires and prohibiting this day won’t solve that problem. They then contend that if some choose to do fornication and teach kids the path to fornication then that is their problem. They ask, “Why can’t we do what the Prophet ﷺ did when he told the Jews that the Muslims were more worthy of following Moses than they and thus he fasted with them?” These scholars contend that this holiday was originally named after St. Valentine who defended the sanctity of marriage which is something common between us and it isn’t related to polytheism or false worship. With that argument they also bring up the debate among the madhabs (schools of thought) about al-Ateerah. Al-Ateerah was a feast in Rajab where people originally slaughtered animals for their idols. The Muslims later took the same practice in the same month, slaughtered for Allah’s sake, and gave some meat to the poor. Some scholars held that this allowance was later abrogated and prohibited while others held that it being a sunnah was abrogated and thus remained permissible. This is because many texts are hard to put together and make an easy ruling (for more info see the Kuwaiti Encyclopedia for Islamic Jurisprudence volume 29 under عتيرة). Furthermore, they argue that in the West this is a part of secular culture; even atheists take part in this holiday, and it is not seen as a Christian holiday, nor celebrated in churches like Christmas and Easter.

Allah knows best if there is sin in taking part in the tradition of this day, as both arguments have their proofs, but let’s take our love seriously and live a life that reflects our love for Allah (swt) and His messenger ﷺ. This is indeed the true love; as Bob Marley correctly said, “One Love… Give thanks and praise to the Lord and I will feel all right.”

The world is desperately in need of mercy, and it starts with us.

The month of Ramadan is a month where Allah (swt) multiplies the rewards of our deeds and expiates all of our sins.

Abu Hurayrah quoted the Prophet ﷺ as saying, “Whoever fasts during the month of Ramadan out of sincere faith and hoping for a reward from Allah will have all of his previous sins forgiven.” (Bukhari)

He is not only Generous with us in forgiveness during this month, but also in multiplying the rewards of good deeds.

The Prophet ﷺ also said: “Whoever draws near to Allah during it (Ramadan) with a single characteristic from the characteristics of (voluntary) goodness, he is like whoever performs an obligatory act in other times. And whoever performs an obligatory act during it, he is like whoever performed seventy obligatory acts in other times.” (Ibn Khuzaymah)

This is why we say, “Ramadan Kareem”—we are praying that we get to experience the Generosity of Allah’s blessings upon us in Ramadan. The Scholars talk about “al-takhalluq bi akhlaqillah” which means to embody the Beautiful Attributes of Allah (swt) as much as we can, as a means of coming closer to Him.
The Prophet ﷺ also encouraged this when he said, “The one who does not show mercy, is not shown Mercy.”

So I look at the downpour of Allah’s blessings in Ramadan, His Mercy, Forgiveness, and Generosity, and then I look at the tragic events around us in America and abroad in the same month, and I can’t help but think—it’s time to share the wealth. It’s time to embody mercy, forgiveness and generosity and fight the shades of darkness we see.

Allah (swt) describes darkness in the Qur’an in the plural form, and light in the singular. “Allah is the protector of those who believe. He brings them out from darknesses into the light.” (2:257)

In the words of Ust. Abdelrahman Mussa,”It takes a huge effort to make sure that only darkness prevails. If even a crack is made, then light spills in. Layers of darkness are weaker than one ray of light.” (ipersonalenrichment.com)

Let us resolve to show mercy to those around us, forgive all those who have wronged us, and practice generosity with every relationship we have. Forgiveness, mercy, and generosity are all charities of the heart, and just as charity does not lessen one’s wealth, forgiveness, mercy, and generosity do not lessen or weaken one’s heart. Rather, they increase, strengthen and bless our hearts. They dignify us, and beautify our character even more. It’s not just the world that is in need of mercy, but we ourselves are in need of showing mercy.

We were taught by the Prophet ﷺ, “Charity does not decrease wealth, and the servant who forgives, Allah adds to his respect; and the one who shows humility, Allah elevates him in esteem.” (Muslim)

Let us try and embody His Attributes to a world that is desperately in need of them. This Ramadan, let us fight the darkness not just by lighting a candle, but by *being the light.*

Be the Light:

In the words of our beloved example of Mercy ﷺ we pray, “O Allah, place within my heart light, and upon my tongue light, and within my ears light, and within my eyes light, and place behind me light and in front of me light and above me light and beneath me light. O Allah, bestow upon me light.”

Please make a personal phone call tomorrow to the center closest to you offering moral support to the Sikh community during their time of need. It takes 5 minutes to give from the charity of your heart. Please click here to search for the center closest to you.

Spread positive messages on Facebook and Twitter with #bethelight and may Allah (swt) allow each and every one of our rays to come together, reflecting His Beauty and Light into a glowing world.