The Wrappings of Gratitude

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
ِ

In the Name of Allah Most-Compassionate, Most-Merciful

The Struggle for Truth and Certainty

What is the source of all certainty? Well the answer to that question must begin with asking what is it we are seeking certainty about? When the question of certainty is ever posed in Islam its always about the nature of existence, and the degree to which one is certain about the existence of the laws of God. As believers we know God exists for there are ample signs and proofs for His existence which is not in question for us. However, what varies amongst the believers according to the degree of knowledge they possess is the certainty with which they know what is true, what is right and wrong. Essentially what we know with absolute certainty to be true, which then has a direct bearing on our perception and hence how we conduct our lives. Hence just as we’re certain that night follows day and day follows night, this is a certainty in the laws of God which have a direct reality on our physical existence. Similarly, certainty in its truest context refers to be certain of the outcome and bearing that those laws have on our actions. Thus a servant of Allah that is certain of His thoughts, actions and intentions being continually observed by Allah is demonstrating a degree of taqwa, or God-consciousness.

وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا قَبْلَكَ إِلاَّ رِجَالاً نُّوحِي إِلَيْهِمْ فَاسْأَلُواْ أَهْلَ الذِّكْرِ إِن كُنتُمْ لاَ تَعْلَمُونَ

“Before thee, also, the messengers We sent were but men, to whom We granted inspiration: Ask of those who possess the Message, if you know not” (Quran, al-Anbiya 21:7)

Thus such a person will endeavour to continually evaluate the validity of his thoughts and actions according the normative interpretation of the Quran and Sunnah that devoids his own self from that interpretation in favour of the interpretation of scholars that have devoted their lives to reading and understanding the Quran and Sunnah, and hence their reading carries much greater validity and with that validity comes greater certainty for the average believer whereby he lives his life with greater certainty that he is either on the path to perfection and elevation or self-destruction and reduction. Obviously the equation is not as simple as this, and it requires considerable understanding and refinement to contextualise sacred knowledge. So what aspect of certainty gives us the confidence that we are on the right path which is where the believers seek to be and want to continue to perfect?

Certain of what we know, knowledge of what we are certain

This dual aspect of certain and knowledge are an important relationship that sacred knowledge continually presents, which is that, it not only teaches knowledge but places that knowledge in context by teaching how that knowledge impacts on our certainty. It teaches not only to know but how we know and why we know, the purpose of knowing, the reason behind knowing and what that knowledge is to be used for, are all the aspects the place into context the knowledge we gain so that we may be increased in our certainty through a contextual application of that knowledge. What this means in essence is related only to one aspect which is guidance. As Imam Al-Ghazali says in his Ihya, ‘Knowledge is only a sign of guidance’. In other words, as Shaykh Hamza Yusuf explains this religion is about struggle, about Mujadaha, and knowledge is granted as a condition of the efforts applied by the believer, and not prior to that effort. This is an extraordinary statement because it alters and in many cases reverses the common-held belief that knowledge comes before struggle, that knowledge eases struggle and that without knowledge the struggle, which relates to overcoming the ‘self’, makes the struggle much more difficult. On the surface it may seem self-evident that the greater knowledge a person has the easier it becomes to overcomes ones material desires, desires that the self has over a person. However, this is not true as Imam Al-Ghazali points out because a person may seek to gain, and have gained, considerable knowledge in his life without ever changing the inner aspects of his character. Thus his knowledge is of little benefit to him other than information, which places him at a greater level of accountability because he knew what he ought to have done and yet was unable or unwilling to commit to the greater task of self-improvement and self-reform. Thus it is much more beneficial to apply even a small portion of knowledge that one possesses with sincerity and perfection, than to seek ever more knowledge and fail to implement it. Thus sacred knowledge places Mujadaha before knowledge in that the first effort, the effort of seeking knowledge is struggle in itself, but the greater portion of that struggle comes from the combined efforts of ones actions:

- forgoing casting judgement on someone,

- avoiding suspicion,

- making (at least) seventy excuses for the believers (which avoids making judgement)

- performing ones obligatory prayers with presence of mind,

- ensuring one limits the use of the tongue unless it is of absolute necessity (i.e. enjoining right and forbidding wrong according to the Sunnah)

Simply performing with perfection and obedience these Divine commands will ensure attaining a large measure of Divine Love and hence knowledge which guides. True guidance is then not mere knowledge but light in the breast which comes not from reading lines on a page but guidance directly from Allah. As Allah says, “Those that struggle for Our Sake, We will guide them to Our pathways”. And as He also says:

انْفِرُواْ خِفَافًا وَثِقَالاً وَجَاهِدُواْ بِأَمْوَالِكُمْ وَأَنفُسِكُمْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللّهِ ذَلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ

“Go ye forth, (whether equipped) lightly or heavily, and strive and struggle, with your goods and your persons, in the cause of Allah. That is best for you, if ye (but) knew”. (At-Tauba 9:41)

It is true that many that hear the word struggle, particular in today’s age of material ease, become averse to what is being called for. Many also think that the age of struggle has past, that it belonged to an age in which material needs were greater. However, to arrive at such a conclusion through ones own reasoning would be entirely false because it associates struggle with provision of material needs, whereas struggle, Mujadaha, is only associated with overcoming ones lower self, ones desires and the inclinations of the self, as opposed to be driven by ones conscience. True consciousness is what the religion is guiding the believer towards, and the highest form of worship as we are told is God-consciousness or Taqwa. Hence although this struggle may involve and come into contact with our material needs, what tends to make people averse to undertaking this struggle is the degree to which their nafs, their bodies have become dependent, reliant and hence subservient to food, drink, sleep, copulation, excitement, and the security of wealth. All of these represent a material dependence as opposed to a complete dependence on Allah, which is essentially the sole purpose of every thought, action and intention.

Recommended Material

- Alchemy of Happiness (book) – Imam Al-Ghazali

- Alchemy of Happiness (cd) – Imam Al-Ghazali (translation by Shaykh Hamza Yusuf)