سۡـــــــــمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡـمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِـــــــيم
اللهم صل على سيدنا محمد وعلى آله وصحبه وسلم
In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
O Allah, send your peace and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon his family and companions
Breaking Free from Mechanical Worship : A Seeker’s Journey Through the Levels of Faith
In the tranquil hours before Fajr, as the world sleeps and the soul feels closest to its Creator, I find myself in meditative thoughts – a sacred space filled with like minded seekers from our spiritual retreat in Penang. The gentle glow of the rising sun illuminates pages of notes, each one marking a milestone in my spiritual journey. Tonight, Allah has blessed me with a moment of clarity to reflect on my path through the levels of faith. Insha’Allah 🤲🏻
The Seeds of Beginning: Understanding Imitative Faith
I used to think being a Muslim who utters the Shahadah alone was enough. My prayers were mechanical movements, my fasts mere abstinence from food and drink. Like many others, I stood in the first level of faith – Taqleed – where I simply imitated what I saw around me. My jisim (body) performed the rituals, but my ruh (soul) remained unstirred, and my qalb (heart) unchanged.
This realisation hit me during a late-night lessons with my spiritual teacher. “How many years have you been praying?” he asked. “Since childhood,” some replied proudly. His next question pierced my heart: “But how many of those prayers truly connected you with Allah?”
The Awakening: Beyond Mere Imitation
This confrontation with reality marked my awareness into Tasdeeq – the level of absorptive faith. Like a parched earth receiving its first rain, my heart began absorbing knowledge with newfound thirst. Attending regular study circles, not merely to collect information, but to transform my understanding of worship and its purpose.
Each day brought new revelations:
- The physical movements of prayer (Jisim) were meant to align with spiritual presence (Ruh)
- Fasting wasn’t just about hunger, but about nurturing the soul’s awareness
- Quranic verses were living guidance, not mere ritualistic recitations
I began keeping a spiritual journal (seekersdiary.com), documenting this journey of awakening.
Some entries revealed immense struggles:
“Why did Allah create me? What does it mean to truly worship?”
“I realised how my prayers lack presence. The words flow from my tongue, but my heart wanders in the valleys of worldly concerns. Ya Allah, help me achieve that sacred connection.”
Other days, they captured glimpses of understanding, moments when the fog of confusion briefly lifted.
The Valley Between Knowledge and Practice
The path to Tahqeeq – realised faith – revealed itself as a challenging traverse between knowing and becoming.
“Knowledge without practice is like a tree without fruit.”
This metaphor in mind became increasingly apparent as I struggled to align my actions with my growing understanding.
The journey demanded more than intellectual comprehension. It demands the courage to align our actions with our knowledge, to let our beliefs seep from our minds into our hearts, and finally into our daily lives.:
- It required courage to face my inconsistencies
- Patience to nurture new habits of worship
- Humility to acknowledge my limitations
- Persistence in the face of setbacks
I REALISED HOW MY PRAYERS LACK PRESENCE. THE WORDS FLOW FROM MY TONGUE, BUT MY HEART WANDERS IN THE VALLEYS OF WORLDLY CONCERNS. YA ALLAH, HELP ME ACHIEVE THAT SACRED CONNECTION.
The Integration of Being: Harmonising Body, Heart, Soul & Essence
The beauty of Islam lies in its holistic approach to spiritual growth. True worship, I learnt from my teacher, engages every dimension of our existence:
Physical Dimension (Jisim):
- Precise movements in prayer
- Disciplined fasting
- Conscious modesty in appearance and conduct
- Remembrance of Allah with breath (zikr anfas)
Heart’s Presence (Qalb):
- Emotional engagement in devotion
- Sincere intention in actions (zikr fa’el)
- Constant mindfulness of Allah
Spiritual Soul (Ruh):
- Deep connection with divine presence
- Awareness of Allah’s attributes (zikr waswi)
- Spiritual alertness in worship
Essence (Sir):
- Direct witnessing of divine reality
- Complete annihilation of ego
- State of pure consciousness with Allah (zikr zati)
- Ultimate station of spiritual realisation
Practical Application during Prayers (Solat)
Each prayer now becomes an opportunity for this sacred integration. When I face the Qibla, it’s not just my body turning toward the direction of the Kaaba – my heart turns away from worldly distractions, my soul turns toward its Creator, and my essence merges into the ocean of Divine presence. This harmonious alignment of all dimensions creates a moment of complete servitude where the reality of “la ilaha illa Allah” (there is none other worthy of worship except Allah) is experienced rather than merely uttered.
- The Body (Jism) performs the physical acts of worship
- The Heart (Qalb) maintains conscious awareness and emotional engagement, turning away from worldly distractions
- The Soul (Ruh) connects with the divine presence, ascending toward its Creator
- The Essence (Sir) dissolves into complete annihilation in Divine unity, transcending all forms of duality
The Continuing Journey: The Ongoing Struggle
Today, as I continue my journey toward Tahqeeq – authentic faith. I’ve learned that this path isn’t a straight line but a spiral, where we often revisit lessons with deeper understanding. Each day brings new challenges and opportunities for growth, new chances to align my actions with my beliefs.
Taqleed (Imitative Faith):
- Breaking free from mechanical worship
- Questioning inherited understanding
- Developing personal connection with faith
Tasdeeq (Absorptive Faith):
- Balancing knowledge acquisition with practice
- Overcoming resistance to change
- Maintaining consistency in new practices
Tahqeeq (Realized Faith):
- Striving for presence in worship
- Aligning knowledge with action
- Maintaining sincerity in intentions
Reflection & Aspiration: The Path Ahead
As we conclude this reflection, the sun has fully risen, symbolising the light of understanding that Allah grants to those who seek Him sincerely. I realise that true faith is not a destination but a continuous journey of growth, requiring constant renewal of intention and persistent effort.
For those walking this path, remember: every step taken sincerely toward Allah is met with His guidance.
The levels of faith are not mere theoretical constructs but living realities we must strive to embody.
Remember: every sincere step toward Allah is met with His divine assistance. May Allah grant us all the sincerity, strength, and wisdom to continue this journey toward realised faith, and may He accept our struggles in seeking His pleasure.
The Role of Guidance from Teachers with Authentic Chain of Transmission
The company of sincere seekers and the guidance of authentic teachers (murshid) have been invaluable. They serve as mirrors, reflecting both our progress and our blind spots, helping us navigate the subtle distinctions between sincere intention and self-deception.
- Teachers help provide structured knowledge
- Teachers offer practical methods for spiritual growth
- Teachers share wisdom from their own experiences
- Teachers helped navigate complex spiritual states
Thank you Ustaz Sameer
Ustaz Sameer, your guidance has been the lamp that illuminated my path through these stations of faith. Through your patience and wisdom, you helped me understand that true knowledge isn’t merely about accumulating information, but about transformation of the self.
Your emphasis on the importance of maintaining the proper etiquettes (adab) of seeking knowledge while nurturing a deep connection with Allah has reshaped my understanding of what it means to be a true seeker.
May Allah preserve you, elevate your ranks, and continue to benefit the ummah through your guidance. Ameeen 🤲🏻
Whatever good has come from this reflection is through Allah’s grace and your nurturing guidance, and any shortcomings are from my own limitations.
