Taj al-’Arus al-Hawi li Tahdhib al-Nufus by Ibn ‘Ata Allah al-Sikandari (al-Iskandari)
The Bride-Groom’s Crown Containing Instructions on Refining the Self
“The master of nature is vainly believed to be an adequate substitute for self-mastery.” – Reinhold Niebuhr
In his work, Sufism For Non-Sufi’s, Dr. Sherman Jackson writes,
“…part of Islam’s essential struggle from the very beginning was to identify good, substantively sound spirituality and distinguish it from and elevate it over bad, misguided spirituality. In sum, not all spirituality was or is good.” – Sherman Jackson
What is the function or purpose of spirituality from a Muslim perspective?
- Inspire us: to do good, to do self-help, in all things which inspiration is required.
- Elevate our morals: the world pulls at us asking us to merely adapt, not to transform.
- Imbue us with “devotional confidence and resolve” to connect with God, worship God and put God front and center of our lives.
Spirituality and antinomianism:
- “one who holds that under the gospel dispensation of grace the moral law is of no use or obligation because faith alone is necessary to salvation”;
- one who rejects a socially established morality;
Spirituality in the Muslim tradition should also perform two functions:
- Affirm the supernatural.
- Eschew the superstitious.
Hikam #1
من علامة الاعتماد على العمل نقصان الرجاء عند وجود الزلل
“Amongst the signs of leaning on one’s own handiwork of deeds is the loss of hope in the presence of mistakes.”
“Amongst the signs of relying on deeds is the loss of hope in the presence of mistakes.”
