The Partnership between Body and Soul

The
dualism between the body and soul is very clearly evident in the
physical world. The body is subservient and the soul is in charge;
however both are indispensable. It is just that the soul is the master
while
the body is the obedient servant.

People
have a habit of letting themselves become fully absorbed in fulfilling
their physical needs to the utter disregard of their spiritual ones,
which are rarely so much as contemplated.

We
need only look at the vast number of institutions that exist to deal
with the material aspects of our lives compared to the paucity of those
that focus n the needs of the soul – the mosque being one of those.

The
body has its rights and its demands upon us. However what worth does
the body have without the soul? It is a mere corpse, no matter how
powerfully or beautifully it is constructed. If the soul departs from
it, it becomes a wasted husk. Its beauty can only be realized in
partnership with the soul.

If
we look to apply this concept within an Islamic context, we immediately
notice that our four primary acts of worship – prayer , fasting, Zakâh,
and Hajj – and indeed all forms of worship, require the participation
of both the body and soul.

However,
the regrettable thing that beset the People of the Scripture – the
followers of Moses and Jesus (peace be upon them both) – as well as many
of the followers of Muhammad (peace be upon him) – is that of being
overly concerned with outward appearances at the expense of substance.
There is more concern about bodily actions than there is with the soul.
Concern for the outward aspects of worship is something good (though at
times it can get out of hand), but such concern should not result in the
inner meaning of our worship being forgotten.

The
physical aspects of our prayers are our standing, bowing, sitting, and
prostrating. These are bodily motions. These are the aspects of prayer
that most Muslims learn and commit to memory, and may Allah be praised.
These are the matters that they generally ask about, sometimes in great
detail.

The
spiritual aspects of prayer are our devotion, humility, and submission
to Allah in full sincerity and devotion. It entails our recognition of
Allah’s greatness and divinity that inspires us with a sense of
reverence and awe.

Is
there any relationship between our concern for the physical aspects of
prayer and our concern for the spiritual? Indeed, there is. When we
carry out the outward aspects of prayer, we are, without doubt, obeying
our Lord and fulfilling His command by upholding one of the pillars of
our faith.

At
the same time, should not we know why our Lord, in His infinite wisdom,
commands us to offer prayers at fixed times in a prescribed manner?
Should we not wonder about the effects that these prayers should have on
our persons and our lives?

The same can be said for fasting. Why do we fast? Surely Allah does not need our fasts.

Allah says: “O humanity! You are in need of Allah and He is free of all wants, worthy of praise.” [Sûrah Fâtir: 15]

The
Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Whoever does not leave off false
speech and evil deeds, then Allah has no need of his leaving off his
food and drink.” [Sahîh al-Bukhârî (1903)]

We
know that Allah has no need for us to leave off eating and drinking in
any case, even when we abstain from false words and false deeds.

The
Prophet (peace be upon him) said, conveying to us the words of his
Lord: “O my servants! If the first of you and the last of you, the human
of you and the jinn of you came together as the heart of the most pious
man among you, it would not increase my dominion in the least. O my
servants! If the first of you and the last of you, the human of you and
the jinn of you came together as the heart of the most sinful man among
you. It would not diminish my dominion in the least.” [Sahîh Muslim
(2577)]

Surely fasting was not prescribed to punish us and make us suffer from hunger and thirst.

Indeed
not, for Allah says: “What can Allah gain by your punishment if you are
thankful and you believe, and Allah is grateful and all-knowing.”
[Sûrah al-Nisâ’: 147]

The Partnership between Body and Soul Asiqura

The Partnership between Body and Soul Asiqura

The
Prophet (peace be upon him), during the pilgrimage, saw an old man
being supported on both sides by his two sons. The Prophet (peace be
upon him) asked: “What is the matter with him?”

They said: “He had taken an oath to walk.”

The
Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Allah is in no need of this man’s
punishing of himself.” Then he ordered the man to ride. [Sahîh
al-Bukhârî (1865) and Sahîh Muslim (1646)]

Was fasting, then, prescribed for us to attain blessings and rewards?

Without
doubt, Allah bestows immense rewards upon his servants for their fasts.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Whoever fasts in faith seeking
reward, all of his previous sins will be forgiven.” [Sahîh al-Bukhârî
(38) and Sahîh Muslim (716)]

However,
the rewards and blessings that we receive for of fasts, our prayers,
and our charity are Allah’s reward to us to encourage us to do these
good deeds.

The
question remains: Why do we fast? Why do we get such a great reward for
doing so? Why do we pray and embark upon the pilgrimage?

As I see it, we do so for two purposes:

The
first is to develop our faith and build our moral character on a basis
of piety and certainty. Allah says about fasting: “O you who believe!
Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you,
that perhaps you may guard against evil.” [Sûrah al-Baqarah: 183]

About prayer, Allah says: “Indeed prayer restrains from shameful and unjust deeds.” [Sûrah al-`Ankabût: 45]

About the Hajj, He says: “And let there be no obscenity, wickedness, or wrangling in the Hajj.” [Sûrah al-Baqarah: 197]

Allah
says about paying Zakâh: “Take alms of their wealth, wherewith you may
cleanse them and purify them.” [Sûrah al-Tawbah: 103]

This
meaning can be seen in all acts of worship. They all seek to build a
person’s character and perfect his moral conduct, his beliefs, and his
faith. Our worship aims to cleanse and renew our hearts, making them
free from base qualities like deception, avarice, rancor, and unbridled
lust.

The
second purpose of our worship is to reform the relationship between the
person and others. By developing a person’s character and cultivating
within him certain values, a person’s worship results in his
safeguarding the rights of others on every possible level of
interaction.

This
includes the relationship between husband and wife, parent and child,
and likewise between neighbors and between the governed and the one who
governs them. Even the rights of animals and the environment are
safeguarded in this way. Islam brings with it values governing a
Muslim’s conduct towards everything that surrounds him.

All
the acts of worship that were prescribed to humanity n the previous
manifestations of the religion and in Islam are part of a single program
designed to fulfill these two purposes: to build the individual and to
develop his relationship with others.

What
meaning does fasting have for a person who merely eschews food and
drink and other pleasures that are lawful under normal circumstances,
only to engage in forbidden acts like speaking falsehood and mistreating
others? How much worse is it to engage in unlawful things in the month
of Ramadan, and possibly even during the day while fasting? How is it
for such a person who lives a dual life, his worship completely divorced
from his everyday life, having no effect on his dealings with others?

We
have a right to ask ourselves in earnest: When will our worship change
from being merely an outward act into a reality that is rich in meaning
and that carries with it a deep and noble purpose? When will our worship
start to affect our personalities, building us into people of integrity
who fulfill their duties, recognize their own shortcomings, and work to
improve themselves before rushing to judge others?

Only then will our worship take on its full meaning.

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» Every Limb of the Body Must Worship Allah
» The Journey of the Soul
» Muhammad: The perfection of soul and nobility