Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

salaam!
i wanna know abt spiritualism that what does it exactly mean. as well as now a days its common to hear abt. "murakba" is it fine for a human to be relaxed and if it is right so can u tell me few methods or a patern of doing murakba 

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Answer:

Spiritualism and Murakba

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad(saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

‘Spiritualism’ as described by the Oxford Dictionary of Current English means: belief in, or the supposed practice of communication with the dead, especially through mediums!

In Shariah terminology, ‘Murakba’ means that a slave of Allah at all times remembers and submits to his Lord and Creator, and knows for sure that his All Knowing Lord Knows absolutely everything happening in creation; knows for sure that his All Seeing Lord Sees absolutely everything in creation; knows for sure that all Power and Strength lies with none other than his All Mighty and All Powerful Lord. Thus this slave humbles and submits himself to his Lord, and fears and feels ashamed to do or say anything that would earn him the displeasure or wrath of his Lord! That is what ‘Murakba’ means in Shariah terms.

Some misguided mystic people have taken this term ‘Murakba’ and given it a completely foreign and false connotation and representation, and made a ritual out of it whereby they advocate that one cover himself in a sheet, or isolate himself in a dark room, repeat some chants or slogans in a swaying manner or frenzy, and (falsely) claim that they try to determine the news of the unseen, etc.!!!! These rituals are nothing but self-invented rites and ceremonies of the misguided people, and have absolutely no basis in the deen of Islam.

Never ever did the Messenger of Allah (saws) ever do or teach such a thing, nor did the noble companions ever follow this procdure! This ritual which they falsely call ‘Murakba’ is nothing but a borrowed rite from the pagans, where some misguided people have given it an ‘Islamic’ flavor by using Arabic and Quranic chants! The true believers, who sincerely fear Allah and the Last Day, must absolutely abstain and reject such rites and rituals which have absolutely no basis in the Quran and Sunnah.

Your Question: is it fine for a human to be relaxed and if it is right so can u tell me few methods or a patern of doing murakba 

The whole world is searching for the ‘secret’ formula in vain to find this relaxed state of the spiritual heart; some think that the accumulation of wealth will bring them this relaxation!; some assume that position and status and power will bring them this satisfaction!; some think that wives and children and success will take them to this sublime position of contentment!; etc.

Alas, all the searches of man has been in vain; for this ‘secret’ formula is described by the One Who Created man and his nature, in one sentence in His Glorious Message; the Al-Quran:

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 13 Surah Raad verse 28-29: The people who have accepted (the Message), their hearts find comfort in the remembrance of Allah. Note it well!, that it is Allah’s Remembrance Alone that brings contentment to the hearts! Blessed are those who have accepted the Message and done righteous deeds. They will have a good end.

The All Knowing Lord declares that mankind should ‘note it well!!’ It is Allah Subhanah’s Remembrance ALONE that can bring contentment and satisfaction and relaxation to the hearts!

Thus the best method and pattern of attaining this satisfaction and contentment of the hearts is what true ‘Murakba’ is all about. It is not a stated rite or ritual whereby one attains this state of contentment, but rather it is a constant state of mind and effort; whereby one constantly remembers Allah Subhanah in anything and everything he says and does, and at absolutely all times, and places, and circumstances abstains from doing anything that would incur the displeasure of his One and Only Merciful Lord.

In a long and famous hadith, popularly known as Hadith Jibrael, the Messenger of Allah (saws) described the state of ‘Al-Ehsaan’:

Sahih Muslim Hadith 1 (part) Narrated by Abdullah ibn Umar ibn al-Khattab

The inquirer asked the Prophet (saws): ‘Inform me about ‘Al-Ehssan (performance of good deeds).’ He (the Holy Prophet (saws)) said: ‘That you worship Allah as if you are seeing Him, for though you don't see Him, He, verily, Sees you.’

If one can strive to bring himself to this state of ‘imaan’ as described by the Messenger of Allah (saws) as ‘Al-Ehsaan’ in the above hadith, it would indeed be the best and epitome of the state of ‘Murakba’.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan