Imam al-Ghazali explains that we ought to arrive at some knowledge of God’s attributes and essence through contemplation of the soul’s attributes and essence. But, one must see through the veil of material phenomenon to the Creator of the heavens and the earth, because “it is a great error to mistake the slaves for the master.”

Sincerity to Allah means to remain devoted to Allah, no matter what circumstance befalls you. From verse 8, Allah Most High contrasts those who forget Allah with those who remain steadfast in their commitment to Him. While those who forget Him ascribe partners to Him and “will lose themselves and their families on Judgment Day,” those committed to Allah persevere in acts of devotion and will be rewarded with the highest levels in paradise.

Following a discussion of knowledge of the self, Imam al-Ghazali highlights how such knowledge ought to lead to the knowledge of God. But for this to happen, one must reflect in a way that facilitates gnosis of God.

Being devoted to Allah means turning to Him and prioritizing Him over all else in our lives. In the next few verses of Surah Zumar, Allah Most High speaks of the different attitudes that humans hold in their relationship with their Creator. Some remain devoted to Him regardless of the circumstances; some only turn to Him in times of need. Allah commands us to develop sincerity and wholehearted devotion to Him in order to be successful in the Hereafter.

The human being is the magnificent creation of God about which He asks the devil, “What prevented you from prostrating to what I created with My Own Hands?” Thus, God sets humans apart from all creation. What is the basis of this special status that humans enjoy?

Being devoted to Allah means turning to Him and prioritizing Him over all else in our lives. In the next few verses of Surah Zumar, Allah Most High speaks of the different attitudes that humans hold in their relationship with their Creator. Some remain devoted to Him regardless of the circumstances; some only turn to Him in times of need. Allah commands us to develop sincerity and wholehearted devotion to Him in order to be successful in the Hereafter.

We resume our weekly Healing Hearts sessions by commencing a study of Imam al-Ghazali’s profound work, The Alchemy of Happiness. In our first session, we will explore the meaning of human felicity. All of us seek to live a meaningful and purposeful life; yet, much of our effort can be wasted when we don’t identify where true felicity lies.

As we return from our Ramadan break, we begin a study of the 39th chapter of the Quran, Surah Zumar. In the opening verses, Allah Most High commands us to devote ourselves sincerely to His worship due to having revealed the Quran. How does the Quran help us become more sincere in our worship of God?

As we near the month of Ramadan, one of the practices of our Prophet ﷺ during the blessed month was spiritual retreat (i’tikaaf). Imam al-Muhasibi advises us in the next section to maintain a constant spiritual retreat in our lives through the remembrance of God. What does that mean, and how does one practice that?

Last week, we discussed how experiencing betrayal can lead to a generalized distrust of others, including a distrust of our Lord Most High. This week, we will explore in further detail how one can rebuild the ability to trust again.