It is where the love for God is the overwhelming factor in one’s life.
In Islam, there exist degrees to approaching one's worship and practices; keeping the Holy Day, keeping the rituals, studying and remembering, and having a spiritual heart.
The Holy Day of Islam
The Holy Day of gathering in Islam is called Jumua. This takes place every Friday and is conducted in place of the second of the five daily prayers called Zhur.
The service has two parts; the first is the sermon given by the Khateeb or speaker. The speaker is usually one knowledgeable in Islam and the sayings of Prophet Muhammad. The second part is the prayer and consists of two sets of movement called Raka. It is incumbent on all Muslims to attend; male and female.
Rituals in Islam
The ritual approach involves the worshiper making sure that all the rituals in one's daily routine are conducted. In Islam, this ritual is Salat (prayer). Five times a day the Muslim ids commanded to bow down to Allah in ritual prayer. The ritual prayer is conducted at specific times during the day; Fajr (before dawn), Zhur (after high noon has passed), Asr (middle of the day prayer), Maghreb (after sunset prayer), and Isha (last prayer after Maghreb)
It’s important to point out that Muslims don’t pray at sunrise, high noon and sunset because historically such times were connected with sun worship.
Studying Islam and Remembrance of God
The study approach involves the worshiper delving into the Holy book, and writings of one’s religion to understand more deeply the will of God. This study is often done in a structured environment such as Saturday or Sunday study classes. The group is usually led by one already knowledgeable in the religion.
A Muslim will also at times practice a form of meditation or devotion called Zhikr. This is where a Muslim will sit sometimes facing Mecca and remember the names and attributes of God. Some will use a set of prayer beads to keep count.
The Spiritual Side of Islam
When the above three approaches are applied in the Muslim’s life the forth approach awakens. To illustrate this let’s take a look at a portion of the Story of Yusuf during his time of servitude in Egypt.
When Joseph attained His full manhood, she [his master’s wife]… sought to seduce him from his (true) self: she fastened the doors, and said: "Now come, thou (dear one)!" He said: "Allah forbid! Truly (thy husband) is my lord! … And (with passion) did she desire him, and he would have desired her, but that he saw the evidence of his Lord: … So they both raced each other to the door, and she tore his shirt from the back…" (Quran12: 22-25)
In the above verses, the word for seduction in Arabic is Rawada, and the root of the word is Rada; which carries the meaning “to seek,” and “ask for a thing gently.” This implies a graceful subtle patient seduction. One that did not merely begin at the time she called him forth. It was over a period of time where she could watch the near irresistible desire for the company of a woman to fully develop and manifest within Yusuf.
The verse further states that she sought to seduce Yusuf from his self. In Arabic, the word for self is Nafs. Its root is nafasa, which means to be precious, the inner self, the soul. To Yusuf, the soul is the most precious part of his being. He knows it is the one thing that must be cleansed in order to prepare it to be in service to his Lord.
Such is life; in it many pitfalls and temptations. Yet the Muslim who has God squarely in his/her heart and spends every moment of every day working to be pleasing to his/her Lord believes he has the power to resist the worst of temptations that can test the very soul. Muslims believe that the spiritual heart is one that is ruled by God through total immersion into the submissive state of Islam.
Sources:
- Abdullah Yusef Ali, The Holy Quran; With Arabic Text.
- Abdul Mannan Omar, Dictionary of The Holy Quran.
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