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1. The human being – body and soul
- A human being is a handful of earth taken from Allah's earth, together with the ruh (soul) breathed in from Allah.
(38:71–72 – Sad) – meaning: I am going to create a human being from clay; when I have shaped him and breathed into him of My ruh, fall down in sujud to him.
| Part | Origin | Its health depends on |
|---|---|---|
| Body | From the earth | The earth |
| Soul | From Allah | Allah |
- Only when both are sound is there complete health.
- Believing in Allah is the first step to a healthy soul.
Ways to put the heart right
- All religions and philosophies accept the importance of the heart; modern science tries to find solutions through psychology.
- Islam guides us to put the heart right and strengthen it by connecting it with Allah.
- Practices: prayer, zakat, fasting, hajj, reciting the Quran, dhikr, and reflecting on Allah's creation.
- When this training succeeds, high spiritual qualities appear: sabr, tawakkul, ma'rifah, rida.
2. As-sabr (الصبر) – patience
Meaning: patience – a strong, noble quality with the power to restrain bad traits such as haste, anger, panic, greed and revenge.
- (Bukhari) – meaning: The truly strong man is not the one who wins at wrestling; the truly strong man is the one who controls himself when he is angry.
- (7:126) – meaning: Our Lord! Pour patience upon us, and take us (in death) as people fully submitted to You.
- (Muslim) – meaning: The affair of the believer is wonderful; in happiness he is grateful, in hardship he is patient – and both bring a good outcome.
- (2:155–156) – meaning: We will test you with fear, hunger and loss of wealth, lives and crops; when hardship strikes, the patient say, "We belong to Allah, and to Him we return."
The forms of patience (according to the situation)
| Situation | Form of patience |
|---|---|
| When anger comes | Restraining it |
| When greed comes | Being content |
| When trials come | Bearing them |
| Worry and sorrow | Enduring them |
| When the heart is drawn to sin | Keeping away |
| Weariness in good deeds | Standing firm |
| Losses | Not letting them overwhelm |
| When life's burdens increase | Carrying them |
| Problems | Facing them |
| The urge for revenge | Forgiving |
| On hearing decisions one dislikes | Accepting them |
- (Muslim) – meaning: "Patience is light." – it lights up the path to success.
3. At-tawakkul (التوكل) – reliance on Allah
- Linguistically: entrusting (handing over responsibility).
- A combination of effort + trust in Allah.
- In Islamic usage: entrusting the outcome of our efforts to Allah; an expression of trust in Allah.
(8:2) – meaning: The believers are those whose hearts tremble when Allah is mentioned; when His verses are recited their iman increases; and in their Lord they put their trust.
Sabab (means) and tawakkul
- Allah has made the success of every task depend on asbab (means and causes); but only Allah decides the outcome.
- A true believer uses the means and entrusts the outcome to Allah.
- Those who do not believe in Allah put all their trust in the means; but the outcome still happens only as Allah wills.
Two reasons the believers rely on Allah
- The means are also Allah's arrangement; without Allah's will, success cannot come from the means alone.
- They are certain that by trusting Allah they will receive the reward for it, in this world or the Hereafter.
Evidence
- (3:173) – meaning: When told, "The enemy has gathered against you, so fear them," it only increased their faith, and they said: "Allah is sufficient for us, and He is the best Guardian."
- (Abu Dawud) – meaning: Whoever says when leaving home بِسْمِ اللهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ عَلَى اللهِ لَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللهِ (In the name of Allah; I rely on Allah; there is no power and no strength except with Allah), it is said to him: "You are guided, you are taken care of, and you are protected"; and Satan goes away from him.
- (Bukhari): The last words of Ibrahim (AS) when he was thrown into the fire: حَسْبِيَ اللهُ وَنِعْمَ الْوَكِيْلُ – (meaning) Allah is sufficient for me, and He is the best Guardian.
- (3:159) – meaning: When you have decided on something, put your trust in Allah; Allah loves those who rely on Him.
Times to rely on Allah
When leaving home, in work and business, in studies, when facing an enemy, when going to sleep.
4. Al-ma'rifah (المعرفة) – knowing Allah
- Linguistically: knowledge.
- In Islamic spiritual usage: attaining the deep joy of the heart by knowing Allah, the Lord, as if seeing Him.
Imam al-Ghazali (RH) (meaning): "The pleasure of each thing lies in its own nature. The pleasure of the eye is in seeing a beautiful sight; the pleasure of the ear is in hearing a beautiful sound; the pleasure of the heart is in knowing Allah."
Muhyiddin 'Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani (RH) (meaning): "Empty yourself of creation through Allah's decree, of your desires through His commands, and of your own will through His action. Then you will become fit to be a vessel that carries the knowledge of Allah."
Qualities of one who has attained ma'rifah
- He sees even the hardships he suffers for Allah's sake as joy.
- He does not hesitate or hold back from following the Shari'ah completely, from setting aside more and more time to worship Him, or from dedicating everything he has.
- He depends entirely on Allah.
5. Ar-rida (الرضا) – contentment
- Linguistically: being pleased (content).
- Being content and satisfied with every situation that comes to us by Allah's arrangement.
- The highest inner state of a believer; in this state Allah is pleased with the servant and the servant is pleased with Allah.
Bay'at ash-Shajarah / Bay'at ar-Ridwan
- On the basis of a dream the Prophet ﷺ saw, the Companions set out joyfully for Makkah to perform 'umrah.
- When they were stopped, they were forced to be ready to fight a great army with only their travelling swords.
- The pledge the Companions made, accepting this wholeheartedly, = Bay'at ash-Shajarah (the Pledge under the Tree) = Bay'at ar-Ridwan (the Pledge of Pleasure).
(98:8 – al-Bayyinah) – meaning: "...Allah is pleased with them, and they are pleased with Him."
The textbook links this verse (98:8) with Bay'at ar-Ridwan; the verse that speaks directly of Bay'at ar-Ridwan is known to be 48:18 (Surah al-Fath) – confirm with the teacher.
Sayings of scholars
- Imam al-Qushayri (RH) (meaning): "Whoever wishes to reach the station of rida, let him hold to what pleases Allah."
- Fudayl ibn 'Iyad (RH) (meaning): "The contentment of rida is higher than detachment from the world, because the contented person does not desire anything beyond his station."
6. Qalbun salim (قلب سليم) – a sound, pure heart
- The four spiritual qualities above are linked with one another; all of them purify the heart.
- They bring the servant's heart to the pure state called qalbun salim.
- When the servant meets Allah in the Hereafter, Allah expects the heart that carries the ruh He gave to have reached that pure state – that is the state of success.
(26:88–89 – ash-Shu'ara') – meaning: "The Day when neither wealth nor children will benefit, except whoever comes to Allah with a sound heart."
7. Key Arabic terms
| Arabic | Meaning |
|---|---|
| بيعة الشجرة / بيعة الرضوان | The Pledge under the Tree / the Pledge of Pleasure |
| المستحب | Recommended (desirable) |
| قلب سليم | A sound, pure heart |
| الشريعة | The Islamic law (Shari'ah) |
| الواجب | Compulsory |
Quick revision
- Human = earth (body) + ruh (soul) – 38:71–72; iman = the first step to a healthy soul.
- Practices: prayer, zakat, fasting, hajj, Quran recitation, dhikr, reflecting on creation.
- Sabr = the noble quality that restrains bad traits; 7:126, 2:155–156; "patience is light" (Muslim).
- Tawakkul = entrusting; effort + trust; 8:2, 3:173, 3:159; hasbiyallahu wa ni'mal-wakil (Ibrahim AS).
- Ma'rifah = knowledge; knowing Allah as if seeing Him, with deep joy – Imam al-Ghazali, 'Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani.
- Rida = contentment; Bay'at ar-Ridwan; 98:8; Imam al-Qushayri, Fudayl ibn 'Iyad.
- Qalbun salim – 26:88–89.