Presence: A Quranic Framework to Finding Spiritual Harmony

"Being present (muhadara) is the presence of a heart with the Lord from behind a veil of sequential proofs, discursive thought, or the overwhelming power of invocation [dhikr]." – Ahmed b. Ajiba

Sep 04, 2023

Kazuo Koike, *Lone Wolf and Cub*, v. 1, 56

The real test of being in the presence of God is, that you either forget about yourself altogether or see yourself as a small, dirty object. It is better to forget about yourself altogether.
– C.S. Lewis (d. 1963)1

Being present (muhadara) is the presence of a heart with the Lord from behind a veil of sequential proofs, discursive thought, or the overwhelming power of invocation [dhikr].
– Ahmed b. Ajiba (d. 1224/1809)2

Introduction

When describing ihsan (spiritual excellence), the Prophet ﷺ said it is “To worship Allah as if you see Him.”3 Being in a state of Ihsan, having the presence of God in our hearts and minds, is a lofty aspiration. It may feel impossibly unattainable, and even more so during difficult times. How do we connect with the All-Mighty creator, who is self-described as All-Knowing and All-Wise, when our experiences challenge our ability to comprehend those very attributes? In this article, I will outline a series of sequential proofs from the Quran about Allah to provide a framework for healthy discursive thought and, hopefully, broaden our understanding of dhikr.

Sequential Proofs

One of my former professors, Wesley Wildman, wrote, “Education in modern science undermines the plausibility (without necessarily logically contradicting) supernatural-agent beliefs”4 because it shifts our focus from supernatural-agent beliefs (e.g., God, miracles, eschatology, etc.) to empiricism. Our ability to have faith becomes relegated to what can be sensed and measured; therefore, our unexplainable experiences challenge us to our core. The larger this shift becomes, the more it challenges our beliefs in an unseen, All-Powerful, and All-Controlling God. How do we reconcile Allah’s Quranic command, “O believers! Be mindful of Allah in the way He deserves, and do not die except in ˹a state of full˺ submission ˹to Him˺”?5 Our ability to have “mindfulness of Allah” is fundamentally challenged; therefore, “submission” is even more challenging.

Al-Rahman Al-Rahim

Throughout the Quran, as well as the Prophetic tradition, Allah provides proof of his existence — in Surah Rum He lists many of them: our creation, the widespreadness of humankind, spouses and our ability to have love and harmony, the heavens and earth, linguistic abilities, sleeping at night and work during the day, lightning, inspirations of hope and fear, rain and the changing of seasons, and the divine order to the world6 — but the most repeated of them, as a preamble to every chapter of the Quran (except Surah Tawbah), are His names Al-Rahman and Al-Rahim. While these names are often translated as Most-Gracious and Most-Merciful, both describing types of mercy, Ibn Ajiba explains them respectfully as “the One who bestows the grace of existence [ni’mat al-ijad]” and “the One who bestows the grace of sustenance [ni’mat al-madad].”7 These are two inseparable and inevitable graces for every creature, as Ibn Ata’illah Al-Iskandari (d. 709/1310) said, “He bestowed his grace upon you first, through giving you being, and, second, through uninterrupted sustenance.”8

As believers in Allah’s majesty and grace, we must also submit ourselves to the fact that we are entitled to none of this, our existence and our uninterrupted sustenance. Like all the other unfertilized eggs in our mother’s womb, it could have easily been that we never came to be. Yet Allah blessed us to exist, a feat incapable by none other than He. Additionally, our sustenance is incomprehensibly uninterrupted (e.g., from our heartbeat to our breath, from our blood’s ability to coagulate and bones to set), completely beyond our capacity and control regardless of our adherence to His commandments.

Wants Ease for Us

Despite ourselves and our deservingness, Allah provides for us in inconceivable ways so that we may “proclaim the greatness of Allah for guiding you, and perhaps you will be grateful.”9 This verse was revealed in the context of fasting during Ramadan, wherein we abstain from food, drink, and intimacy for 29 or 30 days straight. While this is undoubtedly a taxing task, perhaps even impossible for some, Allah said at the beginning of the aforementioned verse he “Intends ease for you, not hardship”. The grace in our lives, even what may be taxing at times, is but a means to provide ease in our lives, whose purpose is to worship (i.e., be intentionally mindful of) God.10 Unfortunately, we are often forgetful and weak.

The Prophet ﷺ — who “does not he speak of his own whims, rather it is only a revelation sent down to him11 — said, “All the children of Adam sin, and of the sinners are those who repent.”12 Allah knows our reality better than we know ourselves and that we are imperfect beings; thus, “And it is Allah’s Will to turn to you in grace, but those who follow their desires wish to see you deviate entirely ˹from Allah’s Way˺. And it is Allah’s Will to lighten your burdens, for humankind was created weak.”13 In addition to Allah facilitating ease for our life’s primary objective when we fall short, He lightens our burdens because he knows we were created weak.

Will Not Overburden Us

In most things, weakness has a negative connotation, but concerning our humanness, it’s a matter of fact and (when juxtaposed to God) provides an opportunity for more profound insights — of ourselves and God. Yahya b. Mu’adh Al-Razi (d. 258/871) said, “Whoever knows themselves surely knows their Lord.”14 Through recognizing the limitations of our capabilities (physically, intellectually, emotionally, etc.), we can begin to recognize His perfection because full comprehension is impossible.

This also pertains to our faith in Him (and Islam, His religion) and subsequent discipline to act accordingly. Unlike the angels, who cannot disobey Allah, we can and do disobey Him. Even though we are ignorant of our full capacity, we know God will not decree anything that will overburden us.15 Consequently, it is through knowing God that we can truly know ourselves. It is through faith in Him, despite our limitations, that we find hope.

Independently Responsible

An amazing part of the human condition is the ability to carry someone else’s burden, physically and emotionally. Frequently in our lives, we find ourselves, willingly and unwillingly, sacrificing for other’s benefit due to no fault of our own. But, a manifestation of God’s grace is that the responsibility for deeds is an independent burden, as He explicitly said in the Quran.16 Not only will Allah not burden us with more than we can bear, but it’s also not due to another’s fault or some form of divine injustice. Contrarily, “He is the Knower of the seen and unseen — the Almighty, All-Wise.”17

Our independent works for the positive as well. Just as we are not burdened because of someone else, we are not responsible for bringing positive change to anyone else. In the Quran, Allah told Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, “You surely cannot guide whoever you like, but it is Allah Who guides whoever He wills.”18Though this did not remove his obligation to deliver the message (as he did as best as humanly possible) nor the emotional toll it took on him (as he grieved deeply over people’s disbelief19), actual guidance is an unseen matter completely in God’s control.

Discursive Thought

Throughout the Quran, Allah pairs belief and actions together — “Surely humanity is in ˹grave˺ loss, except those who have faith and do good.”20 Spiritual excellence is achieved through harmonizing those two, our internal self (religious and psychological beliefs) with our external (physical and social behaviors).21 If this is what we seek, after establishing sequential proofs for key attributes of Allah, we must know how to logically and systematically employ them when situations arise. As all authority is in God’s control, all situations, good and bad, are opportunities for spiritual growth. This is why the Prophet Muhammad’s ﷺ companion and poet, Labid b. Rabiah (d. 41/661) said, “In everything is a sign proving His Oneness.”22

Independently Responsible

Allah uniquely ordained everything in our lives for our independent responsibility. It is not because of some historical force or external systems of power. Those things may affect us, as we are all the product of our experiences; they are not the determinant factors of our circumstances. It’s not our ancestral legacy, race, gender, or socioeconomic status; rather God, All-Knowledgeable, and All-Wise. Additionally, as the proverb says, “You can give a horse water, but you cannot make it drink.” After exhausting our means (based on our level of responsibility, as based on the nature of the relationship, there is a different level of responsibility — e.g., a parent and sibling have a higher level of responsibility than a neighbor who has a higher level than a stranger), we leave the re affair to God. Our solace lies in that he promises we’re not burdened with more than we can bear.

Will Not Overburden Us

Things are never as they appear. Our perspective is always biased, limited by our personal experiences and the precipice of our imaginations, whereas God is the opposite. “It is Allah Who has created the heavens and the earth and everything in between in six Days … He conducts every affair from the heavens to the earth … That is the Knower of the seen and unseen — the Almighty, Most Merciful.”23 For the Creator to ordain something for us beyond our capacity would be unjust; therefore, whatever we are experiencing — despite feelings of suffocating negative pressure or, perhaps less common, mindblowing felicitous joy — we can handle.

Now, knowing that we can handle whatever circumstance we find ourselves in, we must challenge ourselves by questioning: Can I do something differently, and if so, how? Can I dig deeper, and if so, how? Can I consult for advice, and if so, whom? Can someone support me, and if so, whom and how? What do I believe about God and myself that I can utilize as a buoy to get through this time? When trying to be mindful of Allah, having a presence of heart requires a level of humility where we recognize our limitations juxtaposed with God’s perfection. As C.S. Lewis said, “either forget about yourself altogether or see yourself as a small, dirty object. It is better to forget about yourself altogether.”

Wants Ease for Us

If our perspective remains in the horizontal (worldly and materialistic) realm, then our experiences will be stifled from exceeding beyond into the vertical (otherworldly and spiritual). In this case, we will be consumed by its impact on us, not the possibility it has for us. Both utilize the use of religious imagination. French Orientalist Henry Corbin (d. 1978) said,

This Imagination is subject to two possibilities, since it can reveal the Hidden [i.e., God’s reality] only by continuing to veil it. It is a veil; this veil can become so opaque as to imprison us and catch us in the trap of idolatry. But it can also become increasingly transparent, for its sole purpose is to enable the mystic to gain knowledge of being as it is, that is to say, the knowledge that delivers, because it is the gnosis of salvation.24

Our responsibility is to make our religious imagination transparent through being mindful of God and that “Allah intends ease for you, not hardship, so that you may complete the prescribed period and proclaim the greatness of Allah for guiding you, and perhaps you will be grateful.” Because Allah wants ease for us, despite our inhibitions, there is a “silver lining” and, by adjusting our perspective, an endless supply of spiritual possibilities.

Al-Rahman Al-Rahim

We recite Surah Al-Fatiha with another Surah 17 times in our prayers, and that calculates saying Allah’s names Al-Rahman and Al-Rahim at least 51 times a day (the first and third verses of Surah Al-Fatiha plus before starting another surah). That averages out to be over twice an hour of the day. We’re constantly reminded of Allah’s infinite grace and mercy, but have we tried to contextualize it to our lives, particularly when emotionally stretched? It is easy to imagine His divine mercy when things are easy, but in times of restriction, this is when we are put to the test. By definition, tests are meant to test us. They stretch our capacities, but we must remember they are simultaneously a mercy from Allah for us — and some mystics might even say a gift.

With this Quranic framework for thinking about Allah, we know Allah has decreed this test for us (fully aware of our capacities) and will not burden us with more than we can bear. But also, the nature of Allah is the Most-Merciful God who wants ease for us and not hardship. Therefore, our task is to remain humbly mindful of Him and force ourselves to believe that this test is an opportunity for growth. Our task is to remain faithful and strive to ensure our actions harmonize with that faith. Our task is to be Muslim, someone fully surrendering to the Creator.

Dhikr

Oftentimes, we assume that piety has a particular look — complete sincere faith coupled with an abscess of sinful actions. The challenge with this perspective is that it places impossible standards on us, as only the prophets were void of sin. None other than Al-Habib ﷺ is perfect; thus, our efforts are always an aspiration to better ourselves by following his way. Furthermore, piety is not a static station through which the attainment of Allah’s pleasure is complete. We are commanded to “worship your Lord until the inevitable comes your way (i.e., death).”25 In reality, piety is neither of the two, not a representation of perfect belief and actions nor a static state at the pinnacle of one’s journey. Prophet Muhammad set the baseline when he ﷺ said, “All the children of Adam sin, and the best of those who sin are those who repent.” Expecting perfection is not only unattainable but impossible. By expecting it, we set ourselves up for disappointment. Rather, piety is a nonlinear, ever-refining process wherein, intentionally acting in a way pleasing to Allah, one elevates spiritual closeness to Allah. He told us, “Allah will elevate those of you who are faithful and those gifted with knowledge in rank."26

Presence of heart is no different. It is both faith and action — actions of the heart and the body, as alluded to by Ibn Ajiba in the opening quote. Our faith is built upon sequential proofs, actions of the heart (or the discursive thoughts) that process our faith, and what eventually culminates into actions of the body found in dhikr (invocation or remembrance) of Allah. Dhikr is not limited to when we grab our sibha (dhikr beads) and say a particular prayer for a count; rather, it is any action done to please Allah.

We hope to make gradual adjustments in all realms (i.e., internally and externally: beliefs, thoughts, and actions) that accumulate into habits and eventually become overwhelming parts of our character. As Allah does not expect immediate change or perfection from us, we should not from ourselves. He commanded us simply to “Work and He sees [our] actions.”27 That said, when work, it should be with the larger goal of pleasing Allah — “properly, sincerely and moderately."28 In Atomic Habits, James Clear said,

We do not change by snapping our fingers and deciding to be someone entirely new. We change bit by bit, day by day, habit by habit. We are continually undergoing microevolutions of the self. … Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become. No single instance will transform your beliefs, but as the votes build up, so does the evidence of your new identity. This is one reason why meaningful change does not require radical change. Small habits can make a meaningful difference by providing evidence of a new identity. And if a change is meaningful, it actually is big. That’s the paradox of making small improvements.29

Conclusion

A challenge of our postmodern secular culture is an insidious narcissism — our hyper-focusing on how things make us feel and striving to eliminate anything that may conjure negativity — that has infiltrated and laid siege on the zeitgeist. Emotions have become our deity, resting on a proverbial throne and imposing everything to submission. This is incredibly dangerous for our souls because Islam commands us to strive diametrically counter to this. Allah tells the Prophet ﷺ about people who do this, “Have you seen ˹O Prophet˺ those who have taken their own desires as their god? ˹And so˺ Allah left them to stray knowingly, sealed their hearing and hearts, and placed a cover on their sight. Who then can guide them after Allah? Will you ˹all˺ not then be mindful?”30 Emotions and how we respond to them are a window into the spiritual reality of our hearts, not so we see ourselves as small or dirty, but an opportunity and tool used in obedience to Allah. By Allah’s aid, with a presence of heart, we can do just that.

And, ultimately, with Allah is all success!

Khawatir

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