Renewing Religion: An Overview of Ghazali's Ihya

In this lesson of Renewing Religion, Ustadh Amjad Tarsin, reflects upon the chapters from Imam Ghazali’s Ihya on sincerity, self-examination, meditation and reflecting on death.

Ustadh Amjad begins with the chapter on sincerity, explaining that true sincerity can lead habits to be acts of worship if they are done with the right intentions. Many of the companions would actually hide a lot of their acts of good and worship so that they would ensure its sincerity. Thus sincerity is the defining factor of our actions that determine whether our actions will be accepted or not. The second chapter that is examined in this lesson is on self-examination.

Ustadh Amjad mentions that many of the righteous would remember their mistakes years after so that it would push them to improve for the better. The Prophet, peace be upon him, says if you do not feel shame then do as you will. Here, he points to the importance of self-examination and understanding that all your actions have a consequence.

Ustadh Amjad gives an overview of the chapter on the importance of meditation and reflection. Spending time in nature calms the soul and really allows our internal sounds to quiet so we can start to think about deeper matters. The second type of reflection that one should seek is reflecting on blessings and be thankful for them. The third is reflecting upon the nature of the world, life, death, and the hereafter.

This allows a person to prepare for meeting their Lord. Lastly, reflecting upon death is the last chapter of the Ihya. Reflecting upon death forces people to get done now what they would have otherwise delayed. That is why the Prophet, peace be upon him, advises us to take advantage of our free time before we become busy. Imam Ghazali likens every breath one takes to a precious jewel because it can never be brought back once it is taken. The fruit of all this will be realized at the time of death if one has lived their life preparing for it then they will welcome it when the time comes but if they have lived their life headless of it they will be terrified of dying.

In this brief overview of Imam Ghazali’s opus magnum, Ihya Ulum al-Din (Renewing the Religious Sciences), this series will serve as a blueprint for how the believer can bring to life their religion. It will aim to help the believer to not just practice the form of the religion properly, but to also practice it with excellence.

The post 27- Sincerity, Vigilance, Meditation, Reflection on Death –Renewing Religion- Ustadh Amjad Tarsin appeared first on SeekersGuidance.

In this re-broadcast lesson of Renewing Religion, Shaykh Faraz gives an overview of the chapters on faith in Divine Oneness and trusting in Allah as well as the chapters on love, longing, and intimacy from Imam Ghazali’s Ihya.

Shaykh Faraz begins by explaining that knowing Divine Oneness in its true meaning entails certitude within your heart and trust and reliance upon Allah when it comes to dealing with all that happens. This begins by realizing that Allah is the necessary existence and everything else is dependent on Him. As such everything in existence is necessarily in a state of slavehood to Allah; this is the essence of Tawheed and understanding Divine Oneness.

This understanding should lead one to complete reliance on Allah. Shaykh Faraz reminds us that reliance on Allah is not limited to times of difficulty rather it is only if one relies on Allah in all their times including those of ease can they truly rely on Him during times of difficulty. The Prophet, peace be upon him, says know Allah at the times of ease and He will know you in difficulties. You can know Allah both through the consciousness of Him and trust in Him. The action required to actualize this is to continually remember Allah in all of your actions and continually engage in words of remembrance.

In this brief overview of Imam Ghazali’s opus magnum, Ihya Ulum al-Din (Renewing the Religious Sciences), this series will serve as a blueprint for how the believer can bring to life their religion. It will aim to help the believer to not just practice the form of the religion properly, but to also practice it with excellence.

For more SeekersGuidance podcast shows, visit seekersguidance.org/podcasts

Help SeekersGuidance reach millions around the world through reliable knowledge and guidance from qualified scholars, completely free: become a monthly supporter – www.seekersguidance.org/donate   

The post 26- Faith in Divine Oneness & Love and Intimacy- Shaykh Faraz Rabbani appeared first on SeekersGuidance.

In this lesson, Ustadh Amjad Tarsin gives an overview of the chapters on patience and thankfulness, fear and hope, poverty, and abstinence from Imam Ghazali’s Ihya.

In this chapter, Imam Ghazali explains that faith is of two halves: half is patience and half is gratitude, and having certainty of Allah is the whole of faith. Ustadh Amjad explains that everything that one goes through in life is neither a blessing or punishment rather our response to it is what matters. That is why the Prophet would pray to Allah not to turn away His decree but to have gentleness in His decree.

The next section of the lesson deals with the chapter on thankfulness. Allah says that if you are thankful then Allah will increase you. Ustadh Amjad advises that we should be especially thankful when we have things to complain about, turn to your numerous other blessings and be thankful for them.

Ustadh Amjad then speaks to the chapter on fear and hope and explains that one should have a balance of both. On fear, he says that some of the most fearful people are the companions of the Prophet, particularly those that the Prophet had told them that they would enter Paradise. However, one should also have hope in Allah’s mercy.

Remember that particularly when you sin and want to return to Allah. But one should never underestimate the gravity of their shortcomings and that should always push us to do better.

Lastly, Ustadh Amjad speaks to the chapter on poverty and abstinence. Our deen advises us to have less, and the Prophet would often praise the poor people of the community. The Prophet would continually warn of worldliness.

Ustadh Amjad counsels us to not be attached to the things of this world but attached to the things that one can do in this world that will yield results in the hereafter.

In this brief overview of Imam Ghazali’s opus magnum, Ihya Ulum al-Din (Renewing the Religious Sciences), this series will serve as a blueprint for how the believer can bring to life their religion. It will aim to help the believer to not just practice the form of the religion properly, but to also practice it with excellence.

For more SeekersGuidance podcast shows, visit seekersguidance.org/podcasts.

Help SeekersGuidance reach millions around the world through reliable knowledge and guidance from qualified scholars, completely free: become a monthly supporter – www.seekersguidance.org/donate

The post 25-Patience & Thankfulness, Fear & Hope, Poverty & Abstinence- Renewing Religion- Ustadh Amjad Tarsin appeared first on SeekersGuidance.