sufitariqahs

sajadali · Site Admin Joined: 16 Jan 2006 Posts: 268

Assessing One's Spiritual State

Should a man wish to know whether he is rising or falling in religious terms, he should look at how his state and conduct had been a month or a year ago.

If he finds that they were better than his present state and conduct, he should know that he is descending into degradation; whereas if he finds that his present state and conduct are better, he should know that he is rising and improving.

It has been handed down that "he who finds that his day resembles the previous day has been cheated, and he who finds that his day is worse that the previous day is accursed." Accursed here means remote from a particular and specially accorded to mercy. He who is not increasing is diminishing.

To explain, if when thinking about previous days, you feel that you then had no desire for the world, were eager for the Hereafter, scrupulously avoided doubtful things, were quick to good actions, quick to obedience, remote from transgressions, and by comparison are now no better or are to any extent worse, then know that you are going down, deteriorating in religion, in your aspiration for God, and in striving for the Hereafter. You should then feel apprehensive and fearful and then begin to show resolution and exert effort.

If, on the other hand, you find that you have more aspiration and eagerness than before, then thank God the Exalted even more, remember His gifts and graciousness, and be ever attentive to them. You should not feel pleased with yourself, nor think that it is due to your own ability and power, for as God the Exalted has said, Had it not been for the favor upon God upon you, and His mercy, not one of you would ever have grown pure; but God purifies whom He wills, and God is all-hearing, all-knowing (24:21)

-Imam 'Abdallah ibn 'Alawi al-Haddad, Knowledge and Wisdom (Fusus al-'ilmiyah wa-al-usul al-hikamiyah)

islam2jannat · Joined: 16 Jan 2006 Posts: 738

Assessing One's Spiritual State

Should a man wish to know whether he is rising or falling in religious terms, he should look at how his state and conduct had been a month or a year ago. If he finds that they were better than his present state and conduct, he should know that he is descending into degradation; whereas if he finds that his present state and conduct are better, he should know that he is rising and improving. .....

So how can this be done in the Modern Day to Asses ones Spiritual state for Progress..???

al-Muhasabah -Self-Inventory or Self-Auditing or Self-criticism or Self-interrogation, they are all referring to the same thing!

many have heard of 'Die before you die'! the 1st Die is refering to the Ego, meaning kill it! before you actually Die!

For then its too late, purging and cleaning the Ego-Nafs in this World is less painless and is done with Water and Ibadah, but cleaning the ego in the next world is only done with the Fire.!

what ever we think we can try to Escape in this world, but we will have to Pay for in the Next. Think about it, even a penny or cent that wasn't given its Haqq-Right like giving Zakah or Sadaqah, will have be paid for.!

Moving to the Topic of Self-Auditing ourselves.

So many have heard of 'Die before you die' well there is another that goes to the effect of 'Account yourselves before you accounted!

why because you on the Day of Qaywmul-hisab - The days of Accounts or Reckoning.

It is recorded by Muhy al-Din ibn al-'Arabi, author of al-Futuhat al-Makkiya (The Makkan Conquests), that during the early centuries of Islam, righteous people would either write down or memorize their daily actions, thoughts, and words, and then analyze and criticize themselves for any evil or sin they had committed.

They did this to protect themselves from the storms of vanity and the whirls of self-pride. They would ask God's forgiveness after this self-analysis, and would repent sincerely so that they might be protected against future error and deviation. Then they would prostrate in thankfulness to God for the meritorious deeds or words that the Almighty had created through them

It is necessary for an individual to pause at the end of each day that has passed, in order to check

himself and run through his achievements: What has he done in the course of the day? Why has he done it?

What has he omitted? Why has he omitted it?

How excellent it would be if this self-criticism were to take place before one retired to bed.

This period of self-criticism and appraisal should certainly be counted among man's moments of progress;

it is a moment when man impartially sits as a judge over himself and reviews his yearnings and inclinations, his instincts and motivations. It is a moment when the believer appoints, out of his conviction, a policeman to watch over himself, an investigator to probe him, and a judge to condemn or acquit him.

In this way he progresses from the state of "the soul that incites to evil" to the state of "the self- reproaching soul" which reproaches its owner whenever he plunges into sin, or falls short of expectation.

hadith : "It behooves any sane person to have four periods of time" and one of the four periods is "a period in which he engages in self-criticism."

'Umar bin al-Khattab says: "Criticize and appraise yourselves before you are criticized and appraised on the Day of Judgment, and weigh out your deeds, before they are weighed out for you."

Self-criticism may also be described as seeking and discovering one's inner and spiritual depth, and exerting the necessary spiritual and intellectual effort to acquire true human values and to develop the sentiments that encourage and nourish them. This is how one distinguishes between good and bad, beneficial and harmful, and how one maintains an upright heart. Furthermore, it enables a believer to evaluate the present and prepare for the future. Again, self-criticism enables a believer to make amends for past mistakes and be absolved in the sight of God, for it provides a constant realization of self-renewal in one's inner world.

Muhasabah (Self-criticism or Self-interrogation) These Must be read