''Murāqabah'' (, : "to observe") is an

Islam Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...

methodology In its most common sense, methodology is the study of research methods. However, the term can also refer to the methods themselves or to the philosophical discussion of associated background assumptions. A method is a structured procedure for bri ...

of achieving a transcendent union with

God In monotheistic belief systems, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator, and principal object of faith. In polytheistic belief systems, a god is "a spirit or being believed to have created, or for controlling some part of the un ...

. It is a tradition commonly found in (

Sufi Sufism ( or ) is a mysticism, mystic body of religious practice found within Islam which is characterized by a focus on Islamic Tazkiyah, purification, spirituality, ritualism, and Asceticism#Islam, asceticism. Practitioners of Sufism are r ...

orders). It is said to have been the practice of

Muhammad Muhammad (8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious and political leader and the founder of Islam. Muhammad in Islam, According to Islam, he was a prophet who was divinely inspired to preach and confirm the tawhid, monotheistic teachings of A ...

during his stay in the

Cave of Hira Jabal al-Nour ( or 'Hill of the Illumination') is a mountain near Mecca in the Hejaz region of Saudi Arabia. The mountain houses the grotto or cave of Hira (), which holds tremendous significance for Muslims throughout the world, as it is here w ...

before he met Jibreel.

Etymology and meaning

The word is derived from , which means to guard and watch over with the expectation of noticing any change, unique qualities or abnormalities of a given thing. In ancient Arabic, the word referred to one who would watch the night sky. They would scan the sky in hopes to see the first signs of early stars to begin their journey. Due to the intense heat and difficult terrain of the Arabian Peninsula, the ability to recognize the constellations and their seasonal divergences was a critical skill. In the classic poem, "the observer of the night is as vigilant as a fish in search of water". This etymology can be connected to the modern linguistical and technical meaning of what is understood to be today. According to al-Qushayrī () and al-Jurjānī (), ''murāqabah'' is for one to be aware that their Lord is perpetually aware of His subordinates. Not only is the person continuously in a state of mindfulness but they are also cognizant that their Lord is aware as well, creating a reciprocal relation.

Decorum and etiquette

One of the sentiments of philosopher and theologian Al-Ghāzālī () centers around God-consciousness; he stated that it is the obligation of the creation to be in constant awareness of its creator. Once one understands this, they must follow a level of etiquette and protocol which are but not limited to: * Having humility (ar. ) and modesty (ar. ). * Staying silent and only speaking when appropriate, as it is mentioned in the narration, “the one who believes in Allah and the Last Day should only speak good or stay quiet”. * Resolve to do the best that one can in every action. * Rush to do good deeds and avoiding sin. * To be content with what one must deal with daily (ar. ). * Continuous reflection on one's internal state and the world around them. * Standing up for the truth. The physical benefits of are similar to standard

meditation Meditation is a practice in which an individual uses a technique to train attention and awareness and detach from reflexive, "discursive thinking", achieving a mentally clear and emotionally calm and stable state, while not judging the meditat ...

. Metaphysically speaking, the intended result of is to refrain from any actions displeasing to God, and ultimately maintain one's mindfulness in a state that God is pleased by. To progress in one must be consistent for a lengthy period of time to experience the aforementioned benefits.

Etymology and meaning

Decorum and etiquette

See also

References

Further reading