For Muslims, wudu (ablution for ritual purification before prayer) causes the dripping away of sins from every limb of the body. ((Sahih Muslim 832;  6/358. Book of Prayer)) It prepares us to stand before our Lord with all our imperfections. ((Imam Abu Hamid al-Ghazali, Ihya Ulum ud Din, Salah)) The limbs washed in wudu will emanate light in the next world, ((Sahih Muslim 264b. 2/47. Book of Purification)) by which the Prophet ﷺ (peace be upon him) and the angels will recognize the believers. As we pour water on our face and limbs to prepare ourselves for prayer, we remember that water is the extinguisher of fire, and we are symbolically asking God for protection from the Hellfire. All this is more than enough reason for us to take pride in our wudu. However, there is still more benefit we can reflect upon.

Allah subhanahu 
wa
ta`ala (exalted is He) tells us in the Qur’an:

“O you who have believed, when you rise to [perform] prayer, wash your faces and your forearms to the elbows and wipe over your heads and wash your feet to the ankles […]” (Qur’an, 5:6)

This verse comes with a number of benefits, from how to purify ourselves for prayer and the spiritual benefits of doing so, to the formal principles to be used in interpreting the language of the Qur’an and understanding the commands in sacred law.

Once the Companions were ordered to wash themselves for prayer, it became fairly obvious to them, and subsequently to Muslims after them, that this purification must be done using clean water. If Muslims must use water, at least once a day and at most five times a day for a quick wash, then the necessity of clean water, which was earlier restricted to the requirements for drinking and cooking, became paramount.

A Culture of Bodily Hygiene

Thus, the first benefit was a concern for hygiene and cleanliness in general. Muslims developed a culture of keeping their clothes, limbs, and bodies clean during a time when this was not the norm in the region. The spiritual benefit of acquiring the attention of the angels through purification became reflected in the physical benefit of having clean limbs and faces. At sunrise, midday, afternoon, sunset, and night, Muslims are obligated to purify themselves with a washing lasting no more than one or two minutes. Yet this much was enough for this new culture of cleanliness to become the norm.

A Concern for Water Purification

Early Muslims began to discuss ways to keep water pure for their religious use, and what qualified as clean water, taking into account the limited capabilities at the time. Ancient Greek and Sanskrit writings dating back to 2000 B.C. mention early methods of purifying water, such as the Hippocratic sleeve for water filtration, as well as the principles that use the taste and smell of water as indications of cleanliness and safety. These principles became the basis for further studies in Islamic civilization. Scholars would discuss what ratio of water to the possible pollutants was considered “safe” or clean. ((Al-Hidayah – Chapter on Wells; Al-Marghinani)) The Andalusian Muslim astronomer and mathematician Jabir ibn Aflah even described methods of purifying water using wick siphons to siphon water from one vessel to another.

One of the earliest chapters of Islamic law studied in seminaries across the world is on purification wells. That is, how to purify a well if an animal or other form of pollutant were to fall into it—not an uncommon occurrence—based on the size of the animal and the size of the well. ((Al-Hidayah – Chapter on Wells; Al-Marghinani)) The fact that clean water is required not only to wash oneself to pray, but also to sustain a healthy community was reflected in these early matters of study. Before the advent of microbiology, such measures went far in providing safety to communities across the Muslim world.

In any given society, authorities naturally have the incentive to provide clean water, but the central place of purification in Islamic society made this matter a collective concern, as each individual Muslim is responsible for his own prayers.

Fountains and Water Systems

During the founding of major Islamic cities, such as Basra, administrators prioritized the building of canals and irrigation systems for providing clean and abundant water, not only for drinking but for the ever-present need to purify oneself.

Amazing works of civil engineering that provided pure water were present across the early Muslim world, from Persia to Spain.  The use and improvement of the qanat (a water transportation system), networks of conduits that could provide water for populations nearing a million or more, and hydraulic systems providing water for baths, buildings, and places for wudu were distributed across the Muslim world. ((Donald Hill and Ahmed al-Hasan. Ingeneria)) Donald Hill and Ahmed al-Hassan summarize much of this information extensively in their “Ingeneria,” (Engineering in Arabic-Islamic Civilization).

Etiquettes for Communal Use

Islamic Law manuals explaining the methodology of ritual purification paid attention to subtle details. The Prophet ﷺ is said to have instructed that a person making wudu should make sure their hands are clean before dipping them into the water for wudu, in order to keep the water from becoming contaminated. ((Al-Hidayah – Chapter on Purification; Al-Marghinani)) While not revolutionary, this shows the degree of attention to details that could promote hygiene and protect water.

Water Conservation

The values of Islam, distilled from the Qur’an and the teachings of the Prophet ﷺ also discourage the wasting of water, even where water supply can be assumed to be unlimited.

“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ passed by Sa’d when he was performing ablution, and he said: ‘What is this extravagance?’ He said: ‘Can there be any extravagance in ablution?’ He said: ‘Yes, even if you are on the bank of a flowing river.’” ((Sunan Ibn Majah – The Book of Purification and Its Sunnah. 1/1/425 Eng.  1/460 Arb.))

The idea that even a single person at an abundant water source should not waste water establishes a value that, if followed widely, would significantly decrease the unnecessary waste of water that exists in many places in the world today. Beyond this, the narration comes with a number of spiritual benefits that demonstrate the importance of being mindful of God-given resources, and remaining humble even when in possession of plenty.

Bottom Line – Wudu is Pretty Awesome

More important than all of this is the fact that wudu is key to Salah (prayer). It acts as the tool with which we are able to prepare ourselves to enter the Court of our Creator.  Before we stand and communicate with the Lord, wudu acts as a beautiful reminder that we are made from water, that this act is a means of protection from fire, and allows us to reflect on what we have done with each limb that we wash between the current prayer and the last.

It is very important to be considerate of others when making wudu by keeping the bathroom rug dry for the rest of the family and not flooding the floors of public facilities. But we should also remember that we have nothing to be ashamed of. Let us be considerate, but let us also be proud, and above all, let us be grateful for every opportunity we have to pray.

Scriptural References to the Spiritual Imperative of Islam

There are numerous ayat (verses or signs) of the Holy Quran that indicate the importance of spiritual purification. God talks of the nafs (self) and says: “Whoever purifies it has succeeded; and failure is the lot of whoever corrupts it,” (Qur’an 91:9-10). Furthermore, Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) is quoted in the Qur’an: “The Day [of Judgement] whereon neither wealth nor sons will avail, except him who comes to Allah with a sound heart,” (bi-qalbin salim) (Qur’an 26:88-9). Moreover, God mentions the role of the Messenger Muhammad ﷺ (peace be upon him): “A similar (favour have you already received) in that We have sent among you a Messenger of your own, rehearsing to you Our signs, and purifying you, and instructing you in the Book and the Wisdom (al-hikma), and in new knowledge that beforehand you did not know,” (Qur’an 2:151).  The following hadith (record) in Sahih Muslim is also of critical importance in this regard: “Allah shall not look at your bodies or your faces, but rather looks into your hearts.”

Defining Islamic Spirituality

When turning to Islamic spirituality, we can use two Arabic words that denote the focus of the activity: firstly, al-qalb, or the heart; and, secondly, al-nafs or the self or ego. ‘Abdal-Qadir ‘Isa says in Haqa’iq ‘an al-tasawwuf: “Purification of the heart (tanqiya al-qalb) and rectification of the self (tahdhib al-nafs) are from the most important of personally obligatory acts and of the imperative Divine commands, as proven by the Book, the Sunna (tradition), and statements of the scholars.” Suyuti says in al-Ashbah wa’l-naza’ir: “As for learning the science of the heart (‘ilm al-qalb) and its diseases, such as envy (hasad), conceitedness (‘ujb), ostentation (riya’) and the like, Ghazzali said its learning is personally obligatory (fard ‘ayn).”

A popular term for describing the science of Islamic spirituality is tasawwuf, whose accepted English translation is Sufism. Sufism, as even acknowledged by certain Sufis, has had its own historical battles against heterodox and outright deviant attempts to subvert it from Islamic orthodoxy. In this respect, ‘Abdal-Qadir ‘Isa notes that Sufism is no different to the sciences of hadith, Qur’anic exegesis (tafsir) and history, which all had “severe opponents and fierce enemies who attempted to demolish” Islam “by defacing its signposts and interpolating falsehoods and superstitions into its sciences.” Thus, in order to dispel any misconception, ‘Abdal-Qadir ‘Isa makes reference to “Islamic Sufism” (al-tasawwuf al-islami).

Furthermore, ‘Abdal-Fattah Abu Ghudda, in his notes to Muhasibi’s Risala al-mustarshidin, after quoting a lengthy passage from Shatibi defending the Sufis in general, distinguishes and endorses “true Sufism” (al-tasawwuf al-haqq) and “true Sufis” (al-Sufiyya al-haqiqiyyin”); hence the mistake, in his opinion, of those who disparage tasawwuf or Sufis “without restriction” (bi’l-itlaq).Yet, after Hasanayn Makhluf praises a host of famous Sufis in his panegyric (taqriz) of ‘Abdal-Fattah Abu Ghudda’s commentary of Risala al-mustarshidin, Abu Ghudda adds a note of caution: that these major, pious figures were not infalliable (ahl al-isma), therefore any of their errors will be pointed out as such, with all due respect (bi-adab), like any other non-Prophet, “and without tearing them up” (wa la tahdimuhum).

Yet many others have simply referred to tasawwuf as the discipline of Islamic spirituality without qualification, on the obvious proviso that the term is meant in the most orthodox terms, in the same way that one encourages one to study theology (‘aqidah), Sacred Law (fiqh) or the other sacred sciences (‘ulum al-din) without adding any qualifying adjective, because one understands the encouragement as calling towards orthodoxy in each instance without having to say so. Conversely, some people only use the term Sufism in a derogatory fashion, as can be seen in the usage of Rabi’ al-Madkhali in his booklet entitled The Reality of Sufism, or even Jamaal al-Din Zarabozo’s use of the term in his Purification of the Soul: Concept, Process and Means. In the latter work, Zarabozo admits that “not all Sufis are the same”, but “by definition and their own admission there must be something in Sufism that is distinct and separate from what all other scholars recognise to be the clear and manifest teachings of the Quran and Sunnah.”

With all that clarification, the following summations of what is Sufism are of great assistance. Ahmad Zarruq, in Qawa’id al-tasawwuf, mentions that tasawwuf has received two thousand definitions; but his thirteenth principle in the work summarises the science as “a knowledge seeking the betterment of the hearts (islah al-qulub) and turning them solely to Allah Most High and nothing else.” Ibn Khaldun, in al-Muqaddimah, placed tasawwuf amongst the “Sacred sciences” (al-‘ulum al-shar’iyya), and was considered “truth” (al-haqq) and “guidance” (al-hidaya) from the earliest times of the Community. Zafar ‘Uthmani, in I’la al-Sunan, stated that tasawwuf is “drawing nearer to Allah through knowledge and action”; hence it “gives life to both the outward and inward”: the “outward” is adorned by “good deeds” that are visible; and the “inner” is adorned “through the remembrance of Allah, leaving reliance on other than Him, adorning oneself with praiseworthy traits (akhlaq), and purifying oneself of the taint of base traits” (trans. F Rabbani).

Perhaps there is some merit in making a distinction between tasawwuf and general tazkiya (purification), because there is a distinctive Sufi method of thinking and training that is reflected in the development of the Sufi Orders (turuq, sing. tariqa) in later Islamic history, which contrasts with the sort of general tazkiya that retains a strict scriptural basis without any submission to the Shaykhs of the Sufi Orders. Alternatively, we can contrast tariqa-based tasawwuf and non-tariqa tasawwuf which is perhaps best given another name like tazkiya al-nafs. There is great overlap between the latter two, which is why it is understandable that non-tariqa scholars would speak of their own tasawwuf, because they have given the science such a general meaning when they are really just talking about the general spirituality of tazkiya (such as Abu Ghudda). Moreover, as one sees above in the very general definitions of Sufism offered by tariqa-Sufis like Zarruq and ‘Uthmani, one can understand why certain scholars still considered themselves Sufis despite not being part of an Order or delving into mysticism.

A reason for dividing general tasawwuf from tariqa-tasawwuf can be seen by simply studying a well-known Sufi manual like the Risala of Qushayri. While Qushayri uses both the Qur’an and hadith as a basis for his chapter headings on spiritual topics, the chapters contain highly mystical theories of late Sufism, such as fana’ (annihiliation), baqa’ (subsistence) and jam’ (union), etc. These theories are taken up as central points by late Sufis of the Orders, although a Sufi like Ahmad Sirhindi, despite endorsing the path that traverses such states, said that the Companions of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and give him peace) did not experience such states. Yet these mystical features are not a feature of general Sufi or tazkiya works like Muhasibi’s Risala and Abu Ghudda’s commentary; indeed, Abu Ghudda praises Muhasibi’s works for eschewing “philosophical Sufism” (al-tasawwuf al-falsafi) and merely being the “call to rectification of knowledge and action, vigilant observance of Allah Most High, purification of the soul from filth, and making it advance to the pleasure of Allah (praised and exalted be He).”

In practical terms, we can therefore distinguish between “Sufis” who speak in the language and the method of the Orders, and “Sufis” who advance a non-tariqa method of spiritual advancement (such as the early Sufis and then most prominently scholars like Nawawi, Ibn Taymiyya and Ibn Qayyim, and latterly Abdal-Fattah Abu Ghudda and Yusuf Qaradawi). Perhaps the latter group are best spoken of as non-Sufis, but it doesn’t really matter, as long as one understands the difference in methodology, even if the title remains the same or differs.

In terms of the various titles for Islamic spirituality – which is Islamic in so much as it always strives to remain true to the Scripture – in addition to what we have previously stated, Taqi ‘Uthmani adds tariqa (the path), suluk (travel) and ihsan (excellence) in his Spiritual Discourses.

In conclusion, one takes any practitioner of Islamic spirituality, regardless of the title that they use, and judges them wholly by the Scripture, and the good is taken, whilst the objectionable is discarded; and perfection is only the case of the Prophets (may the peace and blessings of God be upon them, and may He make us of the purified in this world and the next).

قال أَبَو هُرَيْرَة: سَأَلَ رَجُلٌ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّا نَرْكَبُ الْبَحْرَ وَنَحْمِلُ مَعَنَا الْقَلِيلَ مِنْ الْمَاءِ فَإِنْ تَوَضَّأْنَا بِهِ عَطِشْنَا أَفَنَتَوَضَّأُ بِمَاءِ الْبَحْرِ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ هُوَ الطَّهُورُ مَاؤُهُ الْحِلُّ مَيْتَتُهُ.

Abu Huraira narrated that a man asked the Prophet ﷺ (peace be upon him), “O Messenger of God, when we are out in the ocean we carry little water with us. Hence, if we made wudu (ablution) with it, we would become thirsty. So can we make wudu from the ocean?” The Prophet responded, “Its water purifies, and its dead are permissible to eat.” (Authentic Hadith)

Prelude:

Whenever we examine the statements of the Prophet ﷺ, we should always remember one thing: that he was extremely eloquent and concise. Though his words are few, they contain an abundance of knowledge and wisdom. It is important that we learn to take our time contemplating his words, so we can derive as much wisdom from them as possible.

A Brief Explanation:

A man asked about a particular situation that he and other Muslims had found themselves in. Was it permissible to make wudu from the salty ocean water, while carrying a small amount of water on board? The Prophet ﷺ clearly answered the question and more than the man asked. Let’s take a look at how he answered the question.

First, he could have simply said, “Yes”, and the man would have gotten his answer and moved on. However, the Prophet ﷺ decided to make a universal statement concerning the purity of saltwater and added details pertaining to the consumption of seafood. Had the Prophet ﷺ only said, “Yes”, then it could have been understood that making wudu from saltwater is allowed only under certain circumstances, like when lacking other clean water or if out at sea. This would have left some ambiguity about the absolute purity of saltwater. Rather, he stated a principle that the water of the ocean was absolutely pure, which means it can be used in making wudu, ghusl (ritual washing), and cleaning one’s self after the restroom. Thus, it became crystal clear that saltwater is always considered pure, regardless of the circumstances.

Secondly, he added that whatever died in the ocean was permissible to eat. So why did he add this information when it was not requested? The Prophet ﷺ realized that if people are out at sea, and are in need of water, then they would also be in need of food. Hence, he realized that it was in the man’s benefit to know that all seafood is permissible to eat, and didn’t need to be slaughtered to be considered permissible. This shows the Prophet’s ﷺ insight and practicality in imparting knowledge, which although not requested, was valuable to know.

A Few Lessons from this Hadith:

1. Imam Shafi’i said, “This hadith contains half the knowledge of purification. This shows the hadith has a ton of insight and value, and is not just a simple answer to a simple question.

2. The Sahabi (companion of the Prophet ﷺ) who asked the question was very clear as to what he wanted to know and why. Hence, it is important that when we ask questions, we make our questions clear and provide any necessary background information that puts the question in context. This helps in giving an appropriate answer based on any special circumstances, or establishing general rulings despite the specifics of the question.

3. The permissibility of answering with more than what is requested. In fact, Imam Bukhari has an entire chapter on it in his collection of hadith. “The Chapter of The Questioner Being Answered with more than He Asked.”

4. If the one answering is asked about something particular, yet he knows the questioner has a need to know about something else related to the question, then it is recommended and from the sunnah (tradition of the Prophet ﷺ) to give the additional information.

5. The man asked about the purity of saltwater and was given information on the permissibly of its food. This is because this knowledge is an essential need for those out at sea. The scholar should always be concerned with what type of knowledge benefits and has practical value.

Our lives are spent in various boxes. We live in boxes that are insulated from the outside; we feel neither the heat of the blazing sun till it penetrates our being nor do we experience the cold blasts of winter till our bones shiver. We venture out from these boxes in other boxes that simulate the conditions of our homes. If the day is pleasant, we take a whiff of the outside breeze, maybe spend a few hours in the open, and then return, relieved, to our air-conditioned habitats.

There are also some intangible boxes that we live in. Our memories surround us at all times. They are the silent conversations that constantly play in our minds. We recall moments of joy or are afflicted with debilitating grief. Since every moment lived eventually slips into memory, the writing on the glass walls of this box are constantly changing. In the middle of the mundane routines of this life, one might recall a moment of joy from years ago–maybe the company of a dear friend, a joke, a day on the beach, and our little glass box will fill with light and everything viewed from it will glow. Or maybe the memory of some grudge, some old or recent fight, will intrude upon your thoughts, and the walls of memories will become clouded with grief. The ugly words spoken years ago will bring a frown to your face and the whole world will seem dark.

There is an elite group of people you permit into your invisible box. They are the ones whom you trust. They are so close to you that they write their memories on the glass walls next to your own, and it is as if you have vicariously lived through their experiences. Through deep conversations and years of companionship, they have shaped your opinions and your world view just as you have shaped theirs. The hearts of such friends beat in sync with each other’s thoughts.  This is especially true of friends that are united in faith. The Prophet ﷺ describing them said: “The Believer is a mirror to a Believer. The Believer is a brother to a Believer. Guarding him against loss and protecting him in his absence.”  (Related by Abû Dâwûd (no.4918) and al-Bukhârî in al-Adadul-Mufrad (no.239), from Abû Hurayrah )

That is until someone comes and writes ugly graffiti about your friend on your wall of memories.

It could be a wayward thought whispered by Shaytan, it could be a genuine grievance left unattended in the heart, but someone has sprayed ugly graffiti about your friend on the wall. You are not sure where it came from. You are not even sure who wrote it. Did you write it in a fit of rage or did a stranger come with some piece of spiteful, juicy gossip and you listened? Did you allow an outsider into your closed thoughts, or was it someone who already had access to your memories? Rumors and suspicions consume your thoughts as you try to recall the good memories, but the one vicious scribble seems to grow with time and casts its ugly shadow on all other memories.

Now when your friend approaches, she is not permitted into your box of memories. At first, she is unaware that she has been excluded, that when you look at her through the glass, you see only the words of suspicion, of blame, of grievances scrawled across her face.   Her words, no matter how sincere, do not get across. They are muffled by your own emotions of anger and regret. “How could she?” you wonder. As the relationship deteriorates, your friend pleads with you to let her back into your life, but now the ugly, piece of suspicious gossip has become implanted into your brain and nothing, it seems, can remove it. Your friend either gets agitated and loud in her protests, or gives up and falls silent, and then only do you turn towards her and what you see displeases you. Allah (swt) warns us against this in Surat Al-Hujurat:

“O you who believe! Avoid much suspicions, indeed some suspicions are sins. And spy not, neither backbite one another. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? You would hate it (so hate backbiting). And fear Allah. Verily, Allah is the One Who accepts repentance, Most Merciful.” (Qur’an, 49:12)

But of course, would people whose hearts beat with the love of Allah (swt) and His Messenger ﷺ treat each other in this despicable manner? Rather, they would turn to the Qur’an and the Sunnah and resolve their differences in an amicable fashion. We forget that this world is a test and this lapse of memory makes the previous scenario even more difficult for us to fathom. How, we wonder, could this be happening? The reality is that differences are a part of our lives.

A few years after Allah (swt) commanded Hazrat Adam (as) and his wife to leave Jannah (paradise), the arguments and suspicions between his sons had already begun.

“And recite to them the story of Adam’s two sons, in truth, when they both offered a sacrifice [to Allah], and it was accepted from one of them but was not accepted from the other. Said [the latter], “I will surely kill you.” Said [the former], “Indeed, Allah only accepts from the righteous [who fear Him].” (Qur’an, 5:27)

And the differences will continue to afflict us to the Day of Judgement and beyond; almost to the gates of Paradise. Insha’Allah (if Allah wills) we will make it that far.

“The believers will be saved from the Fire then they will be kept on a bridge between Paradise and Hell. They will settle their accounts with one another for any wrongs that existed between them in this world, until they are purified and cleansed, and will be permitted to enter Paradise. By the One in Whose hand is the soul of Muhammad, each of them will know his dwelling in Paradise better than he knew his dwelling in this world”. (Sahih al-Bukhaari, Kitaab ar-Riqaaq, Baab al-Qisas Yawm al-Qiyamah, Fath al-Baari, 11/395)

The Prophet ﷺ said: “I asked my Lord for three things, but He gave me two of them, and prevented me from one. I asked my Lord that my nation not be destroyed by a drought, so He gave it to me. And I asked Him that my nation not perish by drowning, so he gave it to me. And I asked Him that fighting not occur between them, but He did not give it to me.”  (Reported by Muslim #2890 and others)

The disagreements will not disappear, but all is not lost.  As in all other tests of this world, sometimes we pass and sometimes we fail, but as believers we never give up. The vicious words that pollute our memories are not written in indelible ink. They can be wiped off, and the moral strength required to do so can be attained by the continuous recitation of the Qur’an. The grudges and grief must be replaced by the words “pardon and overlook”. Allah (swt) commands the believers to turn the page and not hold grudges when harsh words interfere in our relationships, whether with those in our families or those of other faiths.

Every dispute might not necessarily be resolved, but we should continuously work to remove the suspicions from our hearts so that peace returns to our invisible box of memories and we can return to worshiping Allah (swt) with a clean heart.

“The believing men and believing women are allies of one another. They enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and establish prayer and give zakah and obey Allah and His Messenger. Those – Allah will have mercy upon them. Indeed, Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise.” (Qur’an, 9:71)

To empty the heart does not mean to not love. On the contrary, true love, as God intended it, is purest when it is not based on a false attachment. The process of first emptying the heart can be found in the beginning half of the shahada (declaration of faith). Notice that the declaration of faith begins with a critical negation, a crucial emptying. Before we hope to reach true tawheed (true monotheism), before we can assert our belief in the one Lord, we first assert: “la illaha” (there is no illah). An illah is an object of worship. But it is imperative to understand that an illah is not just something we pray to. An illah is what we revolve our life around, what we obey and what is of utmost importance to us—above all else.

It is something that we live for—and cannot live without.

So every person – atheist, agnostic, Muslim, Christian, Jew – has an illah. Everyone worships something. For most people, that object of worship is something from this worldy life, dunya. Some people worship wealth, some worship status. Some worship fame, some worship their own intellect.  Some people worship other people. And many, as the Qur’an describes, worship their own selves, their own desires and whims. Allah (swt) says:

“Then seest thou such a one as takes as his god his own vain desire? Allah has, knowing (him as such), left him astray, and sealed his hearing and his heart (and understanding), and put a cover on his sight. Who, then, will guide him after Allah (has withdrawn Guidance)? Will ye not then receive admonition?” (Qur’an, 45:23)

These objects of worship are things to which we become attached. But an object of attachment is not just something that we love. It is something that we need, in the deepest sense of the word. It is something that if lost, causes absolute devastation. If there is anything—or anyone—other than God, that we could never give up, then we have a false attachment. Why was Prophet Ibrahim told to sacrifice his son? It was to free him. It was to free him from a false attachment. Once he was free, his object of love (not attachment) was given back to him.

If there is anything—or anyone—that losing would absolutely break us, we have a false attachment. False attachments are things that we fear losing almost to a pathological extent. It is something that if we even sense is drifting away, we will desperately pursue. We chase it because losing an object of attachment causes complete devastation, and the severity of that devastation is proportional to the degree of attachment. These attachments can be to money, our belongings, other people, an idea, physical pleasure, a drug, status symbols, our careers, our image, how others view us, our physical appearance or beauty, the way we dress or appear to others, our degrees, our job titles, our sense of control, or our own intelligence and rationality. But until we can break these false attachments, we cannot empty the vessel of our heart. And if we do not empty that vessel, we cannot truly fill it with Allah.

This struggle to free one’s heart from all false attachments, the struggle to empty the vessel of the heart, is the greatest struggle of earthly life. That struggle is the essence of tawheed (true monotheism). And so you will see that, if examined deeply, all five pillars of Islam are essentially about and enable detachment:

Shahada (Declaration of faith): The declaration of faith is the verbal profession of the very detachment we seek to achieve: that the only object of our worship, ultimate devotion, love, fear, and hope is God. And God alone.  To succeed at freeing oneself from all other attachments, except the attachment to the Creator, is the truest manifestation of tawheed.

Salah (5 Daily Prayers): Five times a day we must pull away from the dunya to focus on our Creator and ultimate purpose. Five times a day, we detach ourselves from whatever we are doing of worldly life, and turn to God. Prayer could have been prescribed only once a day or week or all five prayers could have been done at one time each day. But it is not. The prayers are spread throughout the day. If one keeps to their prayers at their specified times, there is no opportunity to get attached.  As soon as we begin to become engrossed in whatever dunya matter we’re involved in (the job we’re doing, the show we’re watching, the test we’re studying for, the person we can’t get off our mind), we are forced to detach from it and turn our focus to the only true object of attachment.

Siyam (Fasting): Fasting is all about detachment. It is the detachment from food, drink, sexual intimacy, vain speech. By restraining our physical self, we ennoble, purify and exalt our spiritual self. Through fasting we are forced to detach ourselves from our physical needs, desires, and pleasures.

Zakat (Charity): Zakat is about detaching ourselves from our money and giving it for the sake of God. By giving it away, we are forced to break our attachment to wealth.

Hajj (Pilgrimage): Hajj is one of the most comprehensive and profound acts of detachment. A pilgrim leaves behind everything in his life. He gives up his family, his home, his six figure salary, his warm bed, his comfortable shoes and brand name clothes, all in exchange for sleeping on the ground or in a crowded tent and wearing only two simple pieces of cloth. There are no status symbols at hajj. No Tommy Hilfiger ihram, no five star tents.  (Hajj packages that advertise 5 star hotels, are talking about before or after the hajj. During hajj you sleep in a tent in Mena, and on the ground, under only sky, in Muzdalifah).

Realize that God, in His infinite wisdom and mercy, does not just ask us to be detached from the dunya—He tells us exactly how. Beyond the five pillars, even our dress breeds detachment. The Prophet ﷺ tell us to distinguish ourselves, to be different from the crowd, even in how we appear. By wearing your hijab, kufi or beard, you can’t just blend in—even if you wanted to.  The Prophet ﷺ said: “Islam began as something strange, and it shall return to being something strange as it began, so give glad tidings to the strangers.” [Sahih Muslim]

By being ‘strange’ to this dunya, we can live in it, without being of it. And it is through that detachment that we can empty the vessel of our heart in preparation for that which nourishes it and gives it life. By emptying our heart, we prepare it for its true nourishment:

God.