Purification of the soul” deals
with the heart. Hearts cannot obtain their desire unless they are
connected with their Lord. They cannot connect with their Lord unless
they are “pure,” because Allah is Pure and only accepts what is pure.
The purer the heart, the closer it will be to its Lord and enjoy being
with Him.
“Purification of the soul” means to purify and cleanse the heart of vices and immoral traits while lending beauty to it with good deeds.
Arabic Terms
·Tawheed – The Oneness and Uniqueness of Allah with respect to His Lordship, His Names and Attributes and in His right to be worshipped.
Why Purify the Soul?
1. The
Quran and Sunnah, the authoritative sources of Islam, emphasize
purifying the soul repeatedly. If these divine sources emphasize
something, it must be important for us because Allah wishes to guide
us. Obviously, Allah and His Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be
upon him) would not waste our time! An example is the verse in which
Allah tells us, “Prosperous are those who purify themselves.” (87:14)
2. One
of the reasons why Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be
upon him) was sent was to purify the souls so they could worship their
Lord. Unlike what many Orientalists have said about Prophet Muhammad
(peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and all the negative images
created by the media about Islam, one of the missions of Prophet
Muhammad was to teach us, the believers, how to purify our souls. It is
sad that whenever people talk about spirituality, most do not think of
the profound spiritual legacy of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings
of Allah be upon him)! Please remember that purifying you from the
inside and turning you into a better human being, a purer Muslim, was
the goal of your Prophet’s (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)
mission.
3. There
are rewards to be obtained by purifying your soul. Rewards are promised
by Allah to the person who purifies his soul by practicing obedient
devotion and staying away from distractions (like sins and evil). “Gardens
of lasting bliss graced with flowing streams, and there they will
stay. Such is the reward of those who purify themselves!” (Quran 20:76)
How Do You Purify Your Soul?
You
do not have to deprive yourself of specific foods or dress in special
clothing. You don’t even have to climb into a cave or sit in meditation
for hours. Spirituality is built into the very fabric of Islamic
beliefs and practices.
1. To understand the pure Tawheed. The Quran says:
“Devote
yourselves to Allah and assign Him no partners, for the person who does
so is like someone who has been hurled down from the skies and snatched
up by the birds or flung to a distant place by the wind.” (Quran 22:31)
Your
belief is fundamental. These days people think you can be spiritual by
following any religion, or no religion for that matter! Islam teaches
the opposite. You cannot truly purify your soul unless you hold the
correct beliefs about the Creator of your soul. As a Muslim, you have
accepted that only Islam provides you with the correct beliefs about
your Creator. That is why the pure Tawheed is so important.
2. Practicing
devotional acts of obedience and abandoning prohibitions and to endure
in doing both of them. Repetition and routine have great spiritual
value, therefore endurance is the key. Devotional acts enlighten the
heart and energize the limbs, whereas prohibitions darken the heart and
make a person lazy. Think about it: if you want to purify yourself,
would you do it with spiritual practices created by men or with
devotional worship prescribed by Allah?
What
are many “spiritual” people into these days? They dance or whirl to get
into a mystic trance. They listen to meditation music, relaxation
music, or they do traditional yoga or practice reiki. As a Muslim, try
to find your comfort in the ritual prayer by learning them properly and
focusing on Allah and what you are saying when you perform them. With
persistence and practice, you will enjoy your prayers and learn to relax
with it. Instead of mystical music, train your ears to listen to the
Quran and train your tongue to recite it with the correct rules of
recitation. It is far superior to any music!
3. Seeking
religious knowledge at the hands of qualified scholars who are also
well versed with the diseases of the heart and their cures according to
the way of the prophets. Knowledge is the key. The person who purifies
his soul by spiritual exercises and sitting in isolation, techniques
that the prophets did not teach, is like a sick man who treats himself.
The prophets knew how to cure the hearts. There is no way to purify
the soul or rectify it except through their way and submitting to it.
Good scholars will allow you to ask your questions and guide you with
proper knowledge. It is important to follow the spiritual path of the
Prophet that are found within the teachings of Islam. When one
scrutinizes the method used by modern teachers like Deepak Chopra or the
Dalai Lama they will surely realize the vanity and uselessness of their
methods.
4. Keeping
good company and being careful in selecting your friends. The company
you keep will help you with purifying your soul and staying away from
distractions. A person is greatly influenced by their surroundings.
Good company will help you when you go through lows in your life in
general or as a Muslim. A good friend will remind you when you forget
and encourage you when needed. Being around like minded people,
practicing Islam will not make you feel you don’t fit.
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