Islamic Spirituality
By Taj Ashaheed
Mountain States Islamic Association
Spirituality, or faith, is a central concept in Islam, and is taught as a major responsibility. While spirituality is inherent to all human beings, for the Muslim, spirituality is something that demands attention and maintenance. The time and effort spent to this end is what constitutes the idea of devotion and practice.
The Quran acts as the guidebook for those attempting devotion and practice, and contains invaluable guidance that is aimed at various levels of understanding. This makes the Quran both succinct as well as sublime in its content. One can find the whole of the Islamic religion taught throughout its 114 surahs (chapters) or captured in a single surah or a single ayat (verse).
The 103rd surah, titled Al Asr or “The Afternoon” is an excellent, and brief, example that teaches the importance of spirituality in making a successful life, not just for the Muslim but for human beings in general. In translation it reads:
By the (passing of) Afternoon;
Verily mankind is in loss-
Except those who believe and do righteous deeds and enjoin with others Truth and enjoin with others Perseverance.
In a commentary to this surah, one of the earliest scholars stated that had nothing else of the Quran been revealed, these 3 verses would have sufficed as the whole Quran. So important was this surah, that traditionally Muslims would recite it upon meeting each other in public.
It is a surah that contains the formula for success, establishing a two-pronged approach to maintaining spirituality. First, one is pointed, by the first 2 verses, that there is no other way to achieve this success, since the surah begins with a divine oath sworn by God Himself, swearing by time (the passing of all afternoons) itself, and then the declaration that man is forever lost.
Fortunately, there is an exception – that to avoid spiritual loss one must first have faith, and then do deeds that reflect that faith. Here, the important lesson is the belief and action must go hand in hand. In other words, one must “walk the walk”, not just “talk the talk”.
These acts of righteousness are generally understood as the general acts of worship, such as the salat (prayer), fasting,, etc, but they also include being charitable, being honest, and when making inevitable mistakes, seeking forgiveness/repentance.
In addition to faith and worship, Al Asr adds to the formula the important point of communal spirituality. In other words, while one should have faith and have faithful conduct, the only way this then can be maintained is to be around others who do the same. Thus, enjoining with others “truth” means to learn and uphold, and share, the teachings of Islam, while enjoining with others “perseverance” means to encourage, and be encouraged by, other Muslims to maintain one’s faith and practice from day after day throughout the whole of one’s lifetime. Surah Asr is in part a religious affirmation that no man (or woman) is an island.
For the individual experiencing release from incarceration, the quranic formula found in Surah Asr is invaluable in its application. New freedom comes with the responsibility to stay free. In order to do so, one must remain focused on the things that help one to maintain the mindset to separate from the culture of incarceration and crime – thinks like a job, maintaining a household, education, family, and of course, spirituality.
Focus, determination, and practice of one’s spirituality builds the foundation and surrounding structure that not only steers one away from criminal environments, thoughts and even actions, but most importantly, it allows one to walk down a road of true success, in life and in the next.
Mountain States Islamic Association
Spirituality, or faith, is a central concept in Islam, and is taught as a major responsibility. While spirituality is inherent to all human beings, for the Muslim, spirituality is something that demands attention and maintenance. The time and effort spent to this end is what constitutes the idea of devotion and practice.
The Quran acts as the guidebook for those attempting devotion and practice, and contains invaluable guidance that is aimed at various levels of understanding. This makes the Quran both succinct as well as sublime in its content. One can find the whole of the Islamic religion taught throughout its 114 surahs (chapters) or captured in a single surah or a single ayat (verse).
The 103rd surah, titled Al Asr or “The Afternoon” is an excellent, and brief, example that teaches the importance of spirituality in making a successful life, not just for the Muslim but for human beings in general. In translation it reads:
By the (passing of) Afternoon;
Verily mankind is in loss-
Except those who believe and do righteous deeds and enjoin with others Truth and enjoin with others Perseverance.
In a commentary to this surah, one of the earliest scholars stated that had nothing else of the Quran been revealed, these 3 verses would have sufficed as the whole Quran. So important was this surah, that traditionally Muslims would recite it upon meeting each other in public.
It is a surah that contains the formula for success, establishing a two-pronged approach to maintaining spirituality. First, one is pointed, by the first 2 verses, that there is no other way to achieve this success, since the surah begins with a divine oath sworn by God Himself, swearing by time (the passing of all afternoons) itself, and then the declaration that man is forever lost.
Fortunately, there is an exception – that to avoid spiritual loss one must first have faith, and then do deeds that reflect that faith. Here, the important lesson is the belief and action must go hand in hand. In other words, one must “walk the walk”, not just “talk the talk”.
These acts of righteousness are generally understood as the general acts of worship, such as the salat (prayer), fasting,, etc, but they also include being charitable, being honest, and when making inevitable mistakes, seeking forgiveness/repentance.
In addition to faith and worship, Al Asr adds to the formula the important point of communal spirituality. In other words, while one should have faith and have faithful conduct, the only way this then can be maintained is to be around others who do the same. Thus, enjoining with others “truth” means to learn and uphold, and share, the teachings of Islam, while enjoining with others “perseverance” means to encourage, and be encouraged by, other Muslims to maintain one’s faith and practice from day after day throughout the whole of one’s lifetime. Surah Asr is in part a religious affirmation that no man (or woman) is an island.
For the individual experiencing release from incarceration, the quranic formula found in Surah Asr is invaluable in its application. New freedom comes with the responsibility to stay free. In order to do so, one must remain focused on the things that help one to maintain the mindset to separate from the culture of incarceration and crime – thinks like a job, maintaining a household, education, family, and of course, spirituality.
Focus, determination, and practice of one’s spirituality builds the foundation and surrounding structure that not only steers one away from criminal environments, thoughts and even actions, but most importantly, it allows one to walk down a road of true success, in life and in the next.
Comments