BismiLlahir-Rahmaanir-Raheem
Do you stand in front of the mirror admiring your looks or in disgust of your shape wishing it was better? Do you stand staring at yourself, not thinking about your looks but asking yourself if it would be pleased to display its soul in the presence of those who always complement your looks or do you wish for your soul to never be made apparent to them?
Do you ever journey to your soul, taking an insight into what goes on in your life? Do ever make an effort to clean off the grime and discover your true self and purpose?
Reflection is in intrinsic and very important part of the daily life of the Muslim. It is referred to as tafakkur or tadabbur in the Arabic language and has been mentioned in the Qur’an so many times.
Allaah says in Surah al-An’aam, verse 50;
“أفلا تتفكرون”
Meaning,
“then will you not give thought?”
and in Surah al-Muhammad, verse 24, Allaah, the Exalted said,
“… أفلا يتدبرون القرآن”
Meaning,
“then will you not ponder on the Qur’an?”
The verses clearly challenge man to give thought and reflect. And among the things Allaah challenges man to reflect on are His signs, as He says in surah al-baqarah, verse 219,
“thus Allaah makes clear to you His signs that you may give thought.”
Everyone needs a lone time to question themselves about the affairs of their lives. Are they living according to the divine laws or are they following their whims and desires? Sadly, most of us pay more attention to looks than the soul, a reason why a gorgeous looking person is found wanting in character.
Though our bodies have rights over us, what has more right in terms of careful nurturing is the soul. In a saheeh hadith, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is reported to have said;
“verily, Allaah will not look at your skins nor your forms but He will look to your hearts and actions .” [Muslim ]
It then becomes imperative to constantly reflect over our actions and to also beautify our souls since it is the one Allaah looks at. That takes us to the question,
How do we reflect?
To reflect, one doesn’t need any special ritual. A person can sit, stand and lie down to reflect. As Allaah said in surah al-Imraan, verse 191;
“those who remember Allaah (always and in prayers) standing, sitting and lying down on their sides and ‘think deeply’ about the creation of the heavens and the earth, (saying), our Lord! You have not created (all) this without purpose, glory to You! Give us salvation from the torment of the fire.”
One can decide to take advantage of the cool weather by taking a chair to the balcony or the garden. After enjoying the breeze, one can then drift slowly into reflection. A walk in the early mornings and at sunsets can also do the magic. Spiritually, one can perform ablution, grab the Quran and go through the pages, pondering over the verses and relating to each.
“What is there to really reflect on?” A lost soul may ask.
The first of the affairs to reflect on is “the purpose of existence”. What is the purpose of my existence? Why do I live? Why was I created? The answer is not really far-fetched for it is a popular verse every conscious Muslim is aware of, as Allaah says in surah adh-Dhaariyah, verse 56,
“and I (Allaah) have not created the jinn and man except that they should worship Me (alone).”
This verse projects one into wondering how Allaah should be worshipped and forms in which the worship is done. The cycle continues until one is satisfied and has found solution to make his existence suit its purpose.
As Muslims, we are enjoined to seek knowledge from authentic sources. Contemplating on the knowledge sought is a form of soul reflection as this helps one fulfil his purpose and enables one correct his affairs, making it in line with the purpose of existence.
There is more to soul reflection
Soul reflection is not complete without reflection on one’s behavior and interactions with others. Islam enjoins good behaviors and this is evidenced in many places in the Qur’an, as well as in the ahadith of the beloved prophet (May the peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).
The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said;
“the most beloved of you to Allaah is the best of you in character.” [Bukhari].
In another narration he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said,
“there’s nothing weightier in the scales than good characters.” [Abu Daawood].
The above narrations show the importance of good characters, don’t they? My question, how then do we prefer to nurture our looks over our characters?
We engage in physical exercises to be in good shape. The exercise that keeps the soul in shape is reflection; do we also engage in this?
Ask yourself;
How pure is my soul? How safe is it from envy, jealousy and show-off?
Are my actions meant solely for the sake of Allaah?
Am I of the best character and when I speak, do I speak good or I remain silent?
Do I slander and backbite believers as well as non believers?
Do I blame others for my misfortunes or do I thank Allaah for all the fortunes He bestowed on me till now? Misfortunes are blessings in disguise if only we ponder.
How do I treat the laws of Allaah?
Where is my heart in the acts of worship that I perform?
How do I revive this dead heart to life again?
Heaven and hell are real, how do I gain heaven and flee hell?
Conclusions
Daily practice of reflection will help us discover important things about ourselves and enable us arrive at a deeper self-understanding. Refining the soul helps to become more appropriate in our behaviors. The beautiful part of soul reflection is the self-examination that leads to self-discovery, which brings out our potentials.
Soul reflection is a journey to self-realization and self-purification from all that hinders your success in both worlds.
Let the soundness of your soul, the calm and relaxed state of mind you crave for and the development of a more positive self drive you to reflect today.
Like you get the nutritious meals, take complements and even go on diet and work out sessions to keep your body in shape, it’s also time to feed the soul with only that which keeps it healthy. When illness is perceived, appropriate treatment should also be given to it. Let the beauty of the soul reflect on our faces today. Let’s begin this journey to soul purification through soul reflection.
Question is, “Will you reflect?”
Author: Munirat Ozavize Abdulsalam
Editor: Umm Naml
