The Necessity of Safeguarding the Gift of Mindfulness

“Allah is the One Who has subjected the sea for you so that ships may sail upon it by His command, and that you may seek His bounty, and that perhaps you will be grateful. He ˹also˺ subjected for you whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth—all by His grace. Surely in this are signs for people who reflect.” (45:12-13). Pondering on Allah’s creation is a necessary act of worship for the believers to safeguard their mindfulness and awareness of the journey of life, its purpose and its challenges, and to uphold regard for the Creator with high esteem with which one can attain a high level of piety. When the Prophet Pbuh received the revelation of the last part of Ali-Imran, which invites reflection on the creation - Ayat (3:189-200) - said “Woe to the one who reads it and does not reflect on it” 

Thinking of Allah’s favor of subjecting the universe to the service of the human beings helps one to build an accurate understanding of the correlation between the creation, life, and one’s purpose in this journey of existence. It also helps remind one that the very essence of all the goodness and blessings in this universe and its sole origin is Allah (swt). The celebration of faith and the infinite favors of Allah in the Eid seasons comes to remind the believers of this necessary act of worship of reflecting, which is then followed by the glorification of the Bestower of all the favors, Allah (swt), and the profound gratefulness to Him. In fact, the praying, the fasting, the pilgrimage, the sadaqa (charity), the offering of the sacrificial animals, etc., are all a celebration and remembrance of the infinite bounties and blessings of Allah (swt), a celebration and a remembrance of the very reason upon which stands the whole existence; the Oneness of Allah, the “La ilaha illa Allah”. 

Therefore, to observe the honoring of Allah’s symbols in the Eid seasons helps one to be bestowed upon the gift of increasing piety, strengthening firmness on the path and safeguarding the mindfulness, focus and devotion. The Quran in Surat Al Hajj, when describing the rites appointed to the believers, concluded with the glad tidings proclaimed to the “Mukhbiteen”, the humble ones. A status one would be gifted if he/she has observed the season of the celebration of the oneness of Allah with sincerity and mindfulness. The Mukhbitun, are the ones who adore Allah with profound humility and whose actions are manifested with humbleness. It is they who are mindful of the necessity of constantly remembering the ultimate purpose of life to maintain the focus on achieving it. Their sole vocation in life is to always be connected with the Divine so their actions remain in the realm of servitude and are carried out with humbleness. They are, indeed, those whose hearts tremble at the remembrance of Allah, knowing He is The Master, the King, the Provider, the One Who decide all matters, and none can reverse His decision. They are those who are patient over what has afflicted them, knowing that the outcome of the rightful patience is the ultimate pleasure of Allah. They are those who are steadfast on their prayer, constantly connected to their Lord, seeking His nearness. They are those who share and give from what Allah has provided them, seeking more blessings and guidance from Him. Their life is lived for Allah; holding fast to Him, inquiring Him for help to be guided to success, longing always and forever for His pleasure. “For every community We appointed a rite of sacrifice so that they may pronounce the Name of Allah over the sacrificial animals He has provided for them. For your God is only One God, so submit yourselves to Him ˹alone˺. And give good news ˹O Prophet˺ to the humble: those whose hearts tremble at the remembrance of Allah, who patiently endure whatever may befall them, and who establish prayer and donate from what We have provided for them.” (22:34-35).

Striving to maintain and safeguard such status of mindfulness and humbleness, as a spirit guiding and ruling one’s way of life, is a necessity for the believer to shield oneself from two fatal aspects.

The first one is desensitization, whose effect is to alter perception, deform the balance between good and evil, and make fair seeming the path of crookedness. Mindfulness coupled with remembrance is the effective weapon to neutralize the invasion on one’s soul of desensitization, carelessness and negligence. “Indeed, those who fear Allāh - when an impulse touches them from Satan, they remember ˹their Lord˺ then they start to see ˹things˺ clearly.” (7:201). It is this mindfulness which guides one back to the path in situations of forgetfulness, “And never say of anything, “I will definitely do this tomorrow,” without adding, “if Allah so wills!” But if you forget, then remember your Lord, and say, “I trust my Lord will guide me to what is more right than this.” (18:23-24). It is also this mindfulness which helps one be consumed with regret after falling into a sin and hasten to repentance. Indeed “Allah only accepts the repentance of those who commit evil ignorantly ˹or recklessly˺ then repent soon after—Allah will pardon them. And Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.” (4:17). 

Therefore, the second fatal aspect is the blindness of the Basirah (insight). In fact, not being mindful of one’s Creator and one’s ultimate purpose of life, causes the development of a cover over the heart, obstructing the light of guidance to penetrate. Such a cover would cause the blindness of the insight, making one deaf, dumb and blind; a follower of whims, trapped in the evil doing realm. Note that an illuminated Basirah is the condition to be a true follower of the Prophet Pbuh, benefiting of the blessings of his guidance. “Say, "This is my way; I invite to Allāh with insight, I and those who follow me. And exalted is Allah; and I am not of those who associate others with Him.” (12:108).

With the gift of mindfulness, one would be able to persevere on the remembrance of Allah (swt) and maintain an illuminated Basirah. He/she would be able then to develop a sense of inhibition which makes the unseen into the seen, initiating the action and enduring challenges by foreseeing their outcome and their abode in the hereafter. Take for example, the unseen aspect of the sadaqa which is received by Allah. Being mindful of such an element helps one to hasten to give charity and become generous. “Do they not know that Allah alone accepts the repentance of His servants and receives ˹their˺ charity, and that Allah alone is the Accepter of Repentance, Most Merciful?” (9:104). This sense of inhibition would also help one honor the trust of the Deen (religion), the one which was offered to the heavens and the earth and the mountains, but they ˹all˺ declined to bear it, being fearful of it. 

The believer with Allah’s help would honor the trust of the faith, by abiding to the truth, standing for it and living by it, as the companions (May Allah be pleased with them) have done it before: “Certainly Allah was pleased with the believers when they pledged allegiance to you, [O Prophet], under the tree, and He knew what was in their hearts, so He sent down tranquility upon them and rewarded them with an imminent conquest, and many spoils of war they will gain. For Allah is Almighty, All-Wise.” (48:18-19).