Candle Posts :: Motivational Gems for Higher Spiritual Enlightenment

:: Candle Post #36 :: What is the Relationship Between Faith and Intellect in Islam? ::

Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim
In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.

Ya Ali Madad. What is the relationship between faith and intellect in Islam. I found a fascinating answer by William C. Chittick:

'All spiritual discipline assumes faith on the part of him who practices it. In Arabic, the word "faith" (iman) derives from a root signifying "to become secure." In Muslim consciousness, faith is connected primarily with knowledge and only secondarily with the will and emotions. As we have already seen, Rumi describes the "believer" —mu'min, "he who has faith"— as dominated by the intellect and irradiated by the Light of God. So "faith" and "belief" have none of the overtones of irrationality connected with the word "belief" in English. What Moslems understand by it, as can be seen in the passages quoted below, is "becoming secure in the knowledge of God." It is the beginning of certainty.
A man of faith must practice his convictions. For Rumi, this practice is the "Greater Holy War," a term derived from the famous saying of the Prophet when he returned to Medina from one of the early battles: I have returned from the lesser holy war to the Greater Holy War." One should note that the close relationship between the following terms, all of which are derived from the same root: jihâd ("holy war"), mujâhadah ("spiritual combat"), jahd ("effort") and ijtihâd ("striving"")
Linguistically the second term bears practically the same meaning as the first, since they are two different forms of the same verbal noun. But as a technical term in Sufism "spiritual combat" is employed synonymously with "ascetic practice" (riyâdat) to denote all the practices the disciple undertakes on the way of self-purification and spiritual realization, whereas "holy war" refers to the outward and inward war against the unbelievers, or spiritual practice in a more general sense. The third and fourth terms denote in a still more general sense the striving and personal initiative necessary on the Way (of higher spiritual enlightenment).'"

(Source: William C, Chittick. The Sufi Path of Love: The Spiritual Teachings of Rumi. 1983. State University of New York Press, Albany, p.151]

In verse 60 of Kalâmê Mowlâ, NOOR Mowlana Murtazâ Ali (a.s.) has elaborated on the concept of struggle against one's lower self as follows:

Jêhâd karnâ kâfarsênthee, a kalâmmê hukam hay rabkâ, to badâ kâfar hay nafsê ammârâ, sahee bujo bandê sabkâ
To wage Holy War against an infidel is the command of the Lord. But a greater infidel is your lower self (nafs-i ammâra), Know this as true for all.
To jees bandênê nafsku(n) mârâ, usnê fatêh pâee donu(n) jahân, jo koee tâbê mankê rahyâ, to donu(n) jahânmê(n) huâ pashêmân	.....60
The one who has defeated the lower self, has indeed achieved success in both worlds. The one who surrenders to the lower self, is miserable in both worlds.	.....60

Here is NOOR Mowlana Murtaza Ali's (a.s.) definition of Islam:

'I define Islam for you in a way that nobody dare do it before me. Islam means obedience to God; obedience to God means having sincere faith in Him; such a faith means to believe in His Power; a belief in His Power means recognizing and accepting His Majesty; acceptance of His Majesty means fulfilling the obligations laid down by Him; and fulfillment of obligations means action.'
[Source: Nahjul Balagha: Sermons, letters and sayings of Hazrat Ali, Saying of Hazrat Ali number 124, p.286)

Applications of the Above Knowledge

NOOR Mowlana Sultan Muhammad Shah (a.s.) has taught us that faith is light (Iman chhe te Noor chhe). Note Rumi's definition of faith is based on intellect that is irradiated by the Light of God. Please link these concepts to NOOR Mowlana Hazar Imam's Dua to the global Jamat in his Holy Talika dated December 13, 2008: "I convey to all my beloved spiritual children individually ... blessings ... for spiritual enlightenment to guide you in your lives ...". From this, I conclude that we all have to practise our faith in such a way that we understand our faith at the highest form of intellect, which is light in the forehead!
Our faith is based on self-purification, self-realization and higher spiritual enlightenment. The Alid tradition of a thinking and spiritual Islam is defined as an Islam which leads to the development of the human soul to its highest level. Therefore each person should ask the following question: 'What steps should I take to create a greater awareness of my own soul and the Holy Imam's Soul in my consciousness?' Helpful knowledge can be accessed through the links listed below.
Let us do our best and fully participate in the Jamati Evening Mushkil Aasaan satado for a period of seven days; and
Let us have immense hope in the barakat of the 'Ya Ali tu Rahem Kar, Ya Mowla tu Fazal Kar' tasbi;

May Mowla's Light be with all of us, always, in everything that we do!

Ardent Supplications:

Ya Ali, Ya NOOR Mowlana Shah Karim Al-Hussaini Hazar Imam, create Sunshine in our hearts, light in our foreheads, and bless us all with the inner vision of the Truth!

Ya Ali, Ya NOOR Mowlana Shah Karim Al-Hussaini Hazar Imam, grant the global Jamat luminous (noorani) and spiritual (ruhani) tayid (help) to advance materially, spiritually and intellectually. Ameen.

Haizinda — Qayampaya
(Our Present Imam is Living and His NOOR is Eternal)

Rakh Mowla je Noor te Yaqeen (Certainly, we trust in Mowla's Light only),
Noorallah Juma
SalmanSpiritual.com
Saturday, April 18, 2009

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Article by Dr. Noorallah Juma

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