Watching Over Oneself – Living Hearts Series
Shaykh Faraz Rabbani covers a critical topic; how to gain nearness to Allah through personal reformation. In this segment, he offers advice for time management and watching over oneself.
Imam Ghazali mentioned that one should establish a regular routine and stick to it watchfully. Watchfulness, or muraqaba, is key to success, as it can help you determine what’s working and what’s not working. Our religion has purpose, and we are not just here to obey Allah and save our skins. The higher purpose is mentioned in Hadith Jibreel as ihsan, or excellence. The least of it will save you, and the highest is that you’ll attain worshipping Allah as thought you see Him.
Watching over your thoughts is a higher level of spiritual discipline, because thoughts can lead to good or bad actions. There are five levels of thoughts:
- Thought: a mere suggestion of the mind.
- Consideration: when you begin thinking deeper about the suggestion.
- Inclination: when your heart begins considering following through.
- Resolve: when you decide to follow through with the action.
- Determination: deciding to do the action.
The next step is watching intentions. Once you’ve decided to do something, take a moment to reflect on your intentions rather than jumping into action. Judge whether your intentions fit into your life plan. Intentions is how you direct every little thing in your life towards your purpose, giving everything meaning.
Intentions can make all the difference, so be sure to make high intentions. A person will no intention will not have much direction in life, and will have lived without purpose. Conversely, a person who lives with much intention can still have a strong sense of direction, even if things seem to be falling apart.
The third step is having watchfulness in actions. To know whether a certain action fits into your life purpose or not, requires knowledge of two things. Firstly, it requires knowledge of the deen, to measure where any actions fits into the realm of permissibly. Secondly, it requires a knowledge of the sunna, or Prophetic practice, to establish a standard for the actions.
About the Series
In this engaging and inspiring series Shaykh Faraz Rabbani covers Imam Ghazali’s brilliant explanation in his Renewal of the Sciences of Religion (Ihya Ulum al-Din) of how one could become God conscious through watchfulness (muraqaba), and self-accounting (muhasaba). This series will give you keys, insights, and timeless wisdom on how to change oneself, through setting goals and conditions, watching over oneself, taking oneself into account, and spiritual striving.
