How to Protect My Heart While Having a Job and so On?
Answered by Shaykh Farid Dingle
Question: Assalamu alaykum
Almost a year ago I had severe doubts that led me to learn more about Allah. While searching I came across Sufism and this led me to practice seclusion. And alhamdulillah I got rewarded by Allah with the sweetness of faith and being present with him. Bbut as the time went by the pressure from my family grew that I needed to get a job and so on. I did go out and 2 months later I noticed that i was getting away from Allah little by little until I forgot how it felt back then.
What can I do to protect my heart while working and so on?
Answer: Wa alaykum assalam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh,
Your experience is classic of anyone journeying to Allah. The goal is that all our moments, be they in solitude or with others, in war or peace, weal or woe, it is the same. As some have put it, ‘To be with Allah without any relation.’
To become like this, we need to change inside. This process of change is called the spiritual path.
Normally the spiritual path happens at the hands of a guide (murshid/pir). This is someone who has gone through the same problems and navigated the same issues at the hands of guide himself, and so on up to the Messenger of Allah. Such traditions of guidance are called paths (tariqas).
Each path varies, but generally speaking they work by focussing on dhikr (remembrance of Allah) in various formulae, mudhakara (lessons with one’s guide) and jihad al-nafs (working against one’s bad tendencies to perfect one good ones). Through this process, if faithfully observed, a change happens over the years and one appreciation and awareness of Allah deepens such that one no longer becomes headless of him anymore.
I pray this helps.
Wassalam,
[Shaykh] Farid Dingle
Shaykh Farid Dingle grew up in a convert family in Herefordshire, UK. In 2007, he moved to Jordan to pursue traditional studies. Shaykh Farid continues to live in Amman, Jordan with his wife and kids. In addition to continuing his studies he teaches Arabic and several of the Islamic sciences.
Shaykh Farid began his journey in sacred knowledge with intensives in the UK and Jordan (2004) in Shafi’i fiqh and Arabic. After years of studying Arabic grammar, Shafi’i fiqh, hadith, legal methodology (usul al-fiqh) and tafsir, Sh. Farid began specializing in Arabic language and literature. Sh. Farid studied Pre-Islamic poetry, Umayyad, Abbasid, Fatimid, and Andalusian literature. He holds a BA in Arabic Language and Literature and continues exploring the language of the Islamic tradition.
In addition to his interest in the Arabic language Shaykh Farid actively researches matters related to jurisprudence (fiqh) which he studied with Shaykh Hamza Karamali, Shaykh Ahmad Hasanat, and continues with Shaykh Amjad Rasheed.
