Journal of Islamic Thought and Civilization (JITC)

Volume 11 Issue 1, Spring 2021

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A Critical Review of Shamsuddin Azeemi's "Murāqabah"
Article:
through the Lens of The Qur’ān and Hadīth
Author(s): Shazia Gulzar, Muhammad Amin
Published: Spring 2021
Article DOI: https://doi.org/10.32350/jitc.111.16

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Gulzar, Shazia, and Muhammad Amin. “A critical review of

Shamsuddin Azeemi's "Murāqabah" through the lens of the
Citation: Qur’ān and Hadīth.” Journal of Islamic Thought and
Civilization 11, no. 1 (2021). 301-317.
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Publisher Department of Islamic Thought and Civilization, School of Social

Information: Science and Humanities, University of Management and
Technology, Lahore, Pakistan
 A Critical Review of Shamsuddin Azeemi's "Murāqabah"
through the Lens of The Qur’ān and Hadīth
Iffat Khalid*
Shazia Gulzar
Department of Humanities,
COMSATS University Islamabad, Lahore Campus, Lahore, Pakistan
Muhammad Amin
Department of Islamic Studies,
University of Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan
Abstract
Meditation is an ancient practice that allows people to think about the existence and the
main purpose of their lives. It has various forms and is associated with the different
religions. Meditation in Islamic societies/cultures is linked with Sufism (Mysticism).
During meditation Sufis follow certain practices; most of which are common among
different Sufi Schools (Silsila) including Murāqabah. This research article critically
analyses the famous practice of Murāqabah, also presented by Khawaja Shamsuddin
Azeemi, in his manuscript “Murāqabah: The Art and Science of Sufi Meditation.” Azeemi
states that Murāqabah is one of the ways of achieving closeness to Allah and attaining
gnosis (maʽrifa Allah). Azeemi has presented Sufi rituals systematically covering the
fundamental aspects of meditation (mysticism) that comprises prayer (Du'a),
contemplation (Murāqabah), and invocation (Dhikr). Khawaja Shamsuddin Azeemi’s book
is a complete manual containing detailed guidelines regarding Murāqabah and its various
forms with emphasis that practicing Murāqabah will help “to attain closeness to Allah”.
According to the Holy Qur’ān and Hadith, closeness to Allah can be obtained by offering
Salah, Tahajjud and sitting for Itikāf in the month of Ramazan. The critical analysis through
the lens of the Holy Qur’ān and Hadith shows that neither is the term “Murāqabah”
mentioned in the Holy Qur’ān and Hadiths nor is there any evident proof for the diverse
rites and rituals associated with the practice of Murāqabah. It is a term coined specifically
by the Sufis, along with its various forms and rituals.
Keywords: Dhikr, Murāqabah, the art and science of sufi meditation, spirituality,
contemplation
Introduction
Murāqabah is a form of Sufi technique or meditation. Different religious scholars’
studies and professors’ researches show that there are various forms and techniques of Sufi
meditation. The purpose of Sufi meditation is to help in improving the focus of the mind
and its development. In fact, ‘Meditation' is a universal term that stems from the Latin word

*
Corresponding author: [email protected]

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meditatum, which means “to ponder.”1 It allows people to think regarding the existence
and the main purpose of their lives. Studying the history showed that meditation is an
ancient practice that was first developed in India around 5000 to 3500 BCE.2 The oldest
Buddhism text shows the terms Dhyāna or Jhāna used for mind training, are also translated
as meditation.3 The prehistoric origin shows that meditation was practiced by religious
people and wandering ascetics. In the 6th century B.C.E., Siddhartha Gautama started
meditation for attaining enlightenment. He shaped a methodology and practiced it under
the name ‘Buddha.’4 He was believed to have achieved enlightenment after spending a
decade of his life teaching meditation to a thousand people. Furthermore, three more
religions became part of mediation like Jainism, Taoism, and Confucianism, respectively.
These religions promoted purification, self-discipline, non-violence, and contemplation.5
In the 10th and 14th centuries, the Christians developed their form of meditation, based on
the silent contemplation of God. This form of meditation was known as Hesychasm.6 In
Judaism, the meditation is identified as Kabbalah, which means both reveal and receive.
This process is used for spiritual development.7
The ‘Sufism’ concept is associated with Islam and was founded 1400 years ago. Unlike
the most existing meditation techniques mentioned above, Sufi meditation is spiritual by
nature and the purpose of which is to attain Allah’s mercy.8 Many religious people and
scholars have practiced meditation in their lives such as Abu Talib al-Maki (d.386H), al-
Qushayrī al-Naysābūrī (d.464H), Al-Ghazālī (d.505H) and Shahāb ad-Dīn Suhrawardī
(d.632H), and many more. The various scholars’ teaching regarding Murāqabah shows a
basic concept and a techniques related to practicing it, but no in-depth analysis is available.
Nevertheless, Al Ghazali’s study of contemplation is nearest to the concept of Murāqabah.9
The primary objective of all Sufi practitioners is to remember Allah with the whole heart
and soul (rūḥ). On further research, many different orders of Sufism are found, each of
which follows different exercises and techniques.

1
Rathore Sangya, and U. V. Kiran, “Effect of Meditation among College Going Students,”
International Journal of Home Science, no. 4 (2018): 1
2
Giovanni, “The History of Meditation (A 5,000 Years Timeline),” Live and Dare,
https://liveanddare.com/history-of-meditation
3
Tilmann Vetter, The Ideas and Meditative Practices of early Buddhism (Brill Archive, 1988).
4
Peter Harvey, An Introduction to Buddhism: Teachings, History and Practices (Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press, 2012), 33.
5
Tammanna Kuberappa Tukol, Yoga, Meditation and Mysticism in Jainism (Shri Raj Krishen
Jain Memorial Lectures, 1978).
6
Seyyed Hossein Nasr, “The Prayer of the Heart in Hesychasm and Sufism,” Greek Orthodox
Theological Review 31, no. 1-2 (1986): 195-203.
7
Boaz Huss, “The New Age of Kabbalah: Contemporary Kabbalah, the New Age and
Postmodern Spirituality,” Journal of Modern Jewish Studies 6, no. 2 (2007): 107-125.
8
Shahzad Bashir, Sufi Bodies: Religion and Society in Medieval Islam (New York: Columbia
University Press, 2011), 75.
9
Abū Ḥāmid Ghazzālī, Iḥyā’ ’Ulūm Al-Dīn (Bayrūt: Dār al-Maʻrifah, 1980), 4:397-398.

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The current study discusses Khawaja Shamsuddin Azeemi technique of Murāqabah

through the lens of the Qur’ān and Hadīths. The work of Khawaja Shamsuddin Azeemi has
become a silsala today similar to the silsala of Naqshabandi, Qalandri, etc. Silsala10 is an
Arabic word, meaning chain, sequence or connection, used in the progression of the Sufi
order; where a master transfers his Khilafat to his descendent.11 The primary purpose of
choosing Khawaja Shamsuddin Azeemi’s work was that any analysis to this field and
silsala has been absent and none of the previous researches elucidate on his particular style
of mediation. With no research literature present regarding his work, most of the
information was obtained from his book, his website and social media. The collection
showed that the majority of the compliments were given by his son, who is a firm supporter
of his father’s preaching and teaching and a few comments and compliments were made
by his followers. The current article highlights whether the meditation techniques proposed
by Khawaja Shamsuddin Azeemi represent the real picture of Islam or not. The tenacity
behind this article is not to defame any personality or the work. With all due respect, the
in-depth analysis is conducted first, to find the reason and logic associated with these
Murāqabah techniques. Secondly, to present the Islamic teaching regarding this subject in
the light of the Qur’ān and Hadīth.
1.1 Khawaja Shamsuddin Azeemi
Khwaja Shamsuddin Azeemi is a famous religious scholar who has been active in the
field of Murāqabah. He was born in India, in the District Saharanpur on 17th October 1927
in the town of Anbaith Pirzadgan. He has been the chief editor of monthly Rohani Digest
Karachi and Rohani Digest International. His lineage traces back to Hazrat Ayub Ansari
(RA), the famous host, and companion of Prophet Muhammad (SAW). He has written many
books on spirituality (Murāqabah) and was involved in the establishment of fifty-three
eighty Murāqabah halls worldwide. He served under the spiritual master Qalandar Baba
Auliya for sixteen years. He has written more than 70 books that have been translated into
other languages: English, Thai, Arabia, Persia, Pashto, and Sindhi. He also compiled a
remarkable book on the life of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) Muhammad-ur-Rasol Allah
(SAW) and other notable books are Color Therapy, Ehsān-o-Tasawaf, Parapsychology,
Murāqabah (The Art and Science of Sufi Meditation) and many more.12 Azeemi states
“Muraqaba is the name of that contemplation (tafakkur) through which man is able to gain

10
J. Milton Cowan, and Hans Wehr, A Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic: Arabic-English
(Wiesbaden: O. Harrassowitz, 1979).
11
Riazul Islam, Sufism in South Asia: Impact on Fourteenth Century Muslim Society (London:
Oxford University Press, 2002).
12
Murāqabah Hall, “Khwaja Shamsuddin Azeemi,” (n.d), https://azeemis.wordpress.com/
khwaja-shamsuddin-azeemi/

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the knowledge (ilm), which is the primordial knowledge of his Ego, Self or Soul. After
gaining that knowledge, any man can gain access to his Ego or Soul.”13
1.2 Murāqabah and Qur’ān on attaining Ma’rifa Allah
Murāqabah (contemplation or meditation) is a discipline that is found in the field of
Sufisim (mysticism). It is a continuous process in which a Mumin (believer) trains himself
for achieving Ma’rifa Allah. Ma’rifa Allah (Gnosis) is a way to achieve full knowledge
about Allah Almighty, the Supreme one and the Creator of the World. Gnosis is to identify
the characteristics of Allah, which only belong to Allah and are only possible for Him to
display, like dhatiyya and ma’nawiyya.14 The believer observes every single deed or act
and calculates every second of his life to please Allah. The Holy Qur’ān is the final word
of Allah sent to provide guidance. “The revelation of The Book is from Allah, the Mighty,
the Wise.”15 There are several verses of the Qur’ān that provide guidance about achieving
‘ma’rifa Allah.’ Allah Almighty mentions tafakkur16 (thinking) several times in the Qur’ān.
These verses urge people to think about the universe, the creations within it and the purpose
of the creations. This will eventually lead man to think about his own purpose of life and
to find the ways to achieve it.
Allah asks, “Have they not seen birds above them spreading and closing their wings,
with none holding them except the Merciful One? He oversees everything.”17 Again Allah
mentions, “Do (these nonbelievers) not observe the camels: how they were created? And
the heaven, how it has been raised high? And the mountains, how they have been set firm?
And the earth, how it has been spread out?”18 Abul Alā Mawdūdī explains these verses as
follows:
How did the camel possessing precisely the same characteristics as needed for the beast
required by the desert dwellers of Arabia come into being? How did the sky come into
being? The sky whose atmosphere is filled with air to breathe in, whose clouds bring rain,
whose sun provides light and warmth in the day, whose moon and stars shine at night.'
How did the earth spread out on which man lives and passes his life, whose products fulfill
all his needs and requirements on whose springs and wells his life depends? How did the
mountains rise up from the surface of the earth, which stand fixed with earth and stones of
different colors and a variety of minerals in them? Has all this happened without the artistic

13
Khwaja Shamsuddin Azeemi, Muraqaba: The Art and Science of Sufi Meditation (Plato
Publishing Inc., 2005).
14
Rahimah Embong, S. H. Omer, and Faszli Adam, “Techniques of Practicing Muraqaba by
Sufis in Malay Archipelago,” International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social
Sciences 7, no. 5 (2017): 2222-6990.
15
Al Qurʼān: Az-Zumar 39:1.
16
tafakkur is to understand the greatness of Allah Almighty through observation of the universe,
which is a manifestation of God’s attributes. Intellectual development takes place when a believer
ponders over the Creator and His creation.
17
Al Qurʼān: Al Mulk 67:19.
18
Al-Ghashiya 88:17-22.

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skill of an All-Powerful, AI-Wise Designer? No one with an intelligent and rational mind
can answer this question in negative. They will have to acknowledge that each one of these
things was impossible, without an Omnipotent; an All-Powerful, Wise Being to create
these things, hence there is no reason to deny the Hereafter.”19
Another ayah in the Holy Qur’ān states: “You see the mountains, thinking them to be
firmly fixed, but in reality they (are in constant motion) and pass by (with the movement
of the earth) like the passing of the clouds. (And so will they be crumbled on Doomsday
so as to take on the form particular to the other world.) This is the pattern of God who has
perfected everything.”20 These verses again stress on observing the artwork and thinking
of the creator of the art. A person both requires and is forced to think wisely and apply
exemplary tafakkur (thinking deeply) about the Creator of the world’s architecture.
1.3 The Terminology of ‘Murāqabah’
The Arabic word ‘Murāqabah’ represents Sufi meditation. The purpose of this exercise
is to cleanse one’s basic character and develop a modest character in its place. The concept
of Murāqabah is usually found in Sufi order in the form of ṭarīqas.21 The terminologies
which are used for meditation are usually unfamiliar for the non-native persons, such as
Tadhakkur, Murāqabah, Taffakur, and Muhasabah. Ibn Al-Qayyim says that meditation is
an integral part of one’s preparation for the life hereafter by Tadhakkur (remembering),
Tafakkur (reflecting), Ta’amul (meditating), Istibsār (pondering), Tadabbur (deliberating),
I’tibār (contemplating), and Nathr (examining).22 These words represent different forms
and shades of meditation. Ibn Al Qayyim states, “It is called ‘reflection’ because it is the
utilization of thought and its procurement during it. It is called ‘remembrance’ because it
is the fetching of knowledge which must be considered after being distracted or absent
from it. It is called ‘meditation’ because it is repeatedly examined again and again until it
becomes evident and uncovered in one’s heart. It is called ‘contemplation’ — taking
lessons — because one takes a lesson from it to apply elsewhere. It is called ‘deliberation’
because it is examining the conclusion of matters, their endings, consequences, and
deliberating on them.”23
1.4 Murāqabah and Islamic Mindfulness
All these practices and types of meditation call the believers towards mindfulness of
Allah and remembering His blessings upon them. The objective of all these practices is to
free the heart and mind from threatening feelings and thoughts respectively. Islamic

19
Sayyid Abul A'la Mawdudi, Towards Understanding the Qur'ān (Tafhim al-Qur'ān), Vol.,
14: Juz Amma-Surah 78 (Al-Naba) to Surah 114 (Al-Nās). (Lahore: Kube Publishing Ltd., 2018),
168.
20
An-Naml, 27:88.
21
Ashraf ʻAlī Thānvī, A Sufi Study of Hadīth (London: Turath Publishing, 2010), 41.
22
Muḥammad ibn Abī Bakr Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawzīyah, Madārij Al-Sālikīn Bayna Manāzil
Īyāka Na’budu Wa Īyāka Nasta’īn (Bayrūt: Dār al-Kutub al-ʻArabī, 1996), 3:156.
23
Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawzīyah, Miftāḥ Dār Al-Sa’ādah, 1:182.

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mindfulness involves the awareness of basic Islamic creed, ethics, laws, and one’s
psychological make-up. In the Islamic framework, mindfulness is the virtue of Murāqabah,
a word derived from the base “to observe, and watching thoughtfully.”24 The basic ideology
of Murāqabah is that Allah, who is the master of resurrection, is watching the believer all
the time. A person is responsible to Allah for his/her own deeds, thoughts, inner states,
feeling, and actions. As Allah says in the Holy Qur’ān, “Remember that God knows what
is in your souls, so be mindful of Him.”25
Murāqabah is the contentment of worshipping Allah as per the proper understanding
of Allah’s name which conveys His Perfect Knowledge. Ibn Al-Qayyim writes in his
chapter of muraqabah. “Murāqabah is to be devoted to the names of the Watcher (Al-
Raqīb), the Guardian (Al-Hafith), the Knowing (Al-‘Alim), the Hearing (Al-Sami’), the
seeing (Al-Basīr). Thus, whoever understands these names and is devoted to fulfilling them
will acquire Murāqabah.”26
Murāqabah is a state in which the follower examines one’s relationship with Almighty
Allah in mind, body, and heart. The basis of Murāqabah is that Allah knows one’s action,
considerations, thoughts, feelings, and inner state of mind by watching one all the time. As
Allah says in the Qur’ān, “Remember that God knows what is in your souls, so be mindful
of Him.”27 The purpose of Murāqabah is to attain complete knowledge about al-Ihsān
(spiritual excellence). As Prophet Muhammad (SAW) defined in Hadith-e-Gabriel,
spiritual excellence is “to worship Allah as if you see Him, if you do not see Him,
remember He can always see you.”28
Sheikh Al-Tuwayjiri elucidates, “Spiritual excellence is the essence of faith, its spirit,
and its perfection by perfecting presence (al-hudūr) with Allah Almighty, and mindfulness
of Him (muraqabatihi), encompassing fear of Him, love of Him, knowledge of Him,
turning to Him, and sincerity to Him.”29 “The fruit of Murāqabah aside from the reward of
eternal Paradise in the Hereafter is a state of tranquil calmness leading to contentment in
this life, “The means leading to stillness (al-sakinah), produced by the servant’s acquisition
of Murāqabah for his Lord, glorious and exalted is He, to the point as if one can see Him.”

24
Hans Wehr, and J. M. Cowan, A Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic: (Arabic-English).
(Ithaca, N.Y.: Spoken Language Services, 1994), 408.
25
Al Qurʼān: Baqarah 2:235.
26
Ibn Qayyim al-Jawzīyah, Madārij Al-Sālikīn Bayna Manāzil ĪyākaNa’budu Wa Īyāka
Nasta’īn, (1975), 2:66.
27
Al-Baqarah 2:235.
28
Muḥammad ibn Ismāʻīl Al-Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī (Bayrūt: Dār Ṭawq al-Najjāh, 2002),
1:19 #50.
29
Muḥammad ibn Ibrāhīm Al-Tuwayjirī, Mawsū’at Fiqh Al-Qulūb (Ammān: Bayt al-Afkār al-
Dawlīyah, 2006), 2:1997.

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All positive spiritual and mental states derive from Murāqabah, “for it is the foundation of
all the deeds of the heart.”30
2. Research Methodology
The methodology used is qualitative with focus on the content analysis. A complete
in-depth reading of the Khwaja Shamsuddin Azeemi manual, Murāqabah: The Science and
Art of Sufi Meditation was conducted, followed by the extraction of the different techniques
and forms of Murāqabah stated by Khwaja Shamsuddin Azeemi. Moreover, their
association to Islamic teachings and whether they are mentioned in the Holy Qur’ān and
the Hadīths have been explored and discussed.
3. Analysis of Information
Shaykh Khawaja Shamsuddin Azeemi discusses Murāqabah in his book Murāqabah:
The Art and Science of Sufi Meditation. An excerpt from Azeemi’s book is, “When we try
to learn a new skill or try to gain knowledge about a specific subject, we follow a guideline
or a system, which demands that we pay attention to the subject to fully understand it. Our
mind becomes curious to know the where, how, and what of it.”31 Furthermore, he says that
“Murāqabah is the name of that contemplation (tafakkur) through which a man can gain
the knowledge (ilm), which is the primordial knowledge of his Ego, Self or Soul. After
gaining that knowledge, any man can gain access to his Ego or Soul.”32
He also mentions the people who claim that religion does not discuss Murāqabah. His
response is, “When we look into the teachings of Scriptures including the Qur'ān (Koran),
we find that their main message is for us to contemplate. Contemplation means to explore
with all the mental capabilities the numerous signs scattered all over the universe. The
second main institution of religion is prayer (salāt). Salāt is a very broad term, which
literally means to form a connection. Here it means that through contemplation a person is
able to form a connection with the Divine. Contemplation is Muraqaba. Through obligatory
religious acts, the most desired inward state is the station of ihsān (higher awareness).”33
Azeemi also quotes the Hadīth: “The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) has defined ihsān in these
words: When you perform Salāt, offer it in such a way as if you were beholding God or
that He were watching you.”34
Khawaja Shamsuddin Azeemi declares when someone achieves the highest level of
Ihsān (spiritual excellence) through contemplation, this is indeed the way of achieving

30
Ibid.
31
Khwaja Shamsuddin Azeemi, Muraqaba: The Art and Science of Sufi Meditation (Plato
Publishing Inc., 2005).
32
Ibid.
33
Khwaja Shamsuddin Azeemi, Muraqaba: The Art and Science of Sufi Meditation, 42-43.
34
Ibid., 43.

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gnosis of Allah. For more emphasis on his point of view, he quotes a few verses related to
contemplation from the Holy Qur’ān which are as follows.
Those who remember Allah standing, and sitting and on their sides and they reflect on (the)
creation (of) the heavens and the earth, "Our Lord, not You have created this (in) vain.
Glory be to You, so save us (from the) punishment (of) the Fire.”; 35 “And indeed, We
adorned the lowest heaven with ˹stars like˺ lamps, and made them ˹as missiles˺ for stoning
˹eavesdropping˺ devils, for whom We have also prepared the torment of the Blaze. Those
who disbelieve in their Lord will suffer the punishment of Hell. What an evil destination!36
In Surah Rahman, Allah Subhan wa Tallah mentions, “O’ throng of humans and Jins!
If you have the power to cross the boundaries of the universe, then do so. You could not
except through Sultan (spiritual ability).”37
All the verses above discuss the level of faith (Imān). This faith compels believers to
observe. Sufi Saints always recommend Murāqabah to attain the highest level of
observation. Shaykh Khawaja Shamsuddin Azeemi focuses and informs, “In human
cognition, there exists a light that can observe the inner dimension (bātin) of any outward
object (zahir) or the hidden state (ghayb) of a being. The observation of the hidden realm
(ghayb) could declassify any being of the outward (zahir). In other words, when we witness
the hidden reality of any being then its outward form could no longer be hidden from us.
Through this process, the limits of the outward are revealed to the human consciousness
and it becomes increasingly possible to learn where the outward had originated.”38
The concept of meditation is found in almost every religion around the globe, in
Hinduism, Judaism, Islam, and Christianity.39 There are several examples showing that
Allah's messengers used to perform contemplation for recognizing Allah’s signs
profoundly. Azeemi denotes the contemplation of Hazrat Abraham as follows: “When the
Prophet Abraham was growing up, there came a moment during the search for the truth
when he became deeply contemplative. During this gnostic phase of the search for the
Beloved, his mind at first turned to the outward objects and toward the very thought of who
his Creator was and where He was. That became a focal point of his quest. The depth of
the awareness finally created a way towards gnosis and he directly received the Divine
Guidance (hidaya).”40 In the Qur’ān (Koran), the quest of Abraham is mentioned in Surah
al An’ām.
Further he gives the example of Moses, he states “After freeing the Israelites from the
slavery of Pharaoh, Moses on his way towards the Promised Land spent some time in the

35
Al Qur’ān: Al’Imrān 3:191.
36
Al-Mulk 67:5-6.
37
Al-Rehman 33:55.
38
Azeemi, Muraqaba: The Art and Science of Sufi Meditation, 20.
39
Halvor Eifring, ed., Meditation in Judaism, Christianity and Islam: Cultural Histories (A &C
Black, 2013).
40
Azeemi, Muraqaba: The Art and Science of Sufi Meditation, 20.

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Sinai Desert. There he left his brother Aaron in charge of the community and went towards
what is known today as Mount of Moses (jabal al musa, koh-e-tūr) on God’s Will. There,
he spent forty days and forty nights and received the Torah.”41 Similarly, He quotes an
example of Cave of Hira, the excerpt from his book narrates, “A major turn in the life of
Prophet Muhammad (SAW) came when he started to retreat monthly for few days at a cave
around three miles away from the city of Mecca. After spending a few days there on his
own he would return to his home and family in Mecca. He would take with him food and
water as well. Food consisted of dates and crushed beans. Evidently, he was going there to
achieve mental concentration, as this happened before the declaration of Prophethood and
at that time there existed no system of prayer among the small number of monotheist Arabs
for praying to the True God. According to the Sufi point of view, he was using the retreat
to practice Murāqaba. During his stay, his mind would contemplate the mysteries of the
Universe and the Divine Essence. When that concentration reached its zenith, he started
witnessing the unseen.”42 These examples suggest that Azeemi relates these examples to
prove that the prophets of Allah practiced Murāqabah.
Furthermore, Khawaja Shamsuddin Azeemi discusses numerous techniques to perform
Murāqabah, the concept of kashf (reveal),43 spiritual journey, classification of
Murāqabah,44 posture style for Murāqabah, the timing and place for Murāqabah, materials
that can be helpful for Murāqabah,45 exercises to improve concentration and focus,46
Murāqabah of coloured lights47 and Tasawur (Imagination) during Murāqabah.48 The
Murāqabah experts also taught their students various methods of performing Murāqabah,
the Murāqabah of kashf ul quboor (vision of the grave). The purpose of this is to reveal life
after death. Similarly, students perform Murāqabah with different colours of light to
observe the effect of pure light, which is called nūr.49 Murāqabah is performed in stages
when a student completes one stage; he progresses to the next stage. The students practicing
Murāqabah of imagination are required to think about their shaykh. All these specialized
Murāqabah awaken the hidden abilities of the student, which enable the student to rise and
get better benefits from these abilities.50
He describes meditation as “Everyone from birth to death spends their life in two
conditions. In other words, in human consciousness, there are two types of conditions that
exist in every moment of our life. One of these states is waking up and the other is sleeping

41
Ibid., 49.
42
Azeemi, Muraqaba: The Art and Science of Sufi Meditation, 50.
43
Ibid., 84-90.
44
Ibid., 97.
45
Ibid., 99-102.
46
Ibid., 108.
47
Ibid., 117.
48
Ibid., 102.
49
Ibid., 136-139.
50
Ibid., 154-155.

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or dreaming. In a waking state, they are trapped in Time and Space, and during their sleep,
they are free from space-time constraints. This freedom of space and time is achieved
through Murāqabah by changing the state of sleep from dreaming to a waking state.
Because during the time of Murāqabah, a person experiences the same condition as in a
dream or dreams.”51 Furthermore, he says "it seems that the person performing the
Murāqabah is just sitting in a pose with their eyes closed. However, closing the eyes and
adopting a particular posture does not serve the purpose. In fact, Murāqabah is the angle of
perception through which a person performing Murāqabah frees himself from external
(zahir) feelings and begins his journey into internal (bātin) feelings.”52
Khawaja Shamsuddin Azeemi emphasizes colors; he states that colors play a pivotal
role in the field of emotion and feelings. Moreover, he adds “when the color of the room is
red, it creates a feeling of burden or heaviness but if the same room is colored blue then
peace and serenity is felt. Greenery and colorful flowers help us to get rid of mental and
physical fatigue. However, when the same trees become leafless during autumn our
feelings change as well.”53 Khawaja Shamsuddin Azeemi further states that, “In the
spiritual sciences, the color code is intentionally changed in a student so that his or her
mind could come close to the subconscious senses. Continued practice of Murāqabah also
helps in improving coloration in the senses. It is imperative that changes in the colors must
be done solely to improve or to awaken any specific skill.”54
Furthermore, he discusses the two stages of the spiritual journey. In the first stage, the
student witnesses the event and reaches the Divine Throne (Arsh Elahii)55, and receives
Sifaat Elahiya (Tajalli)56. According to Sufism, this concept is called Sayr Afaaq57 (journey
towards Heavens). When a student observes God’s enlightenment, then the journey of the
inner self starts, which is called Sayr Anfas (Journey of Self). At this level, the student sees
beyond the Divine Throne in the form of Tajalli. To add more emphasis to his point of
view, he quotes the following verse from the Qur’ān, “We will show them Our signs in the
universe and within themselves until it becomes clear to them that this Qur’ān is the truth.
Is it not enough that your Lord is a Witness over all things?”58
Another form of Murāqabah is Tassawar Rasūl; the student imagines that he is in
Masjid e Nabawi and feels the light from the city of Madina. The student imagines that he

51
Khwaja Shamsuddin Azeemi, Muraqaba: The Art and Science of Sufi Meditation, 7.
52
Ibid.
53
Ibid., 117.
54
Azeemi, Muraqaba, 118.
55
Ibid., 116.
56
Khwaja Shamsuddin Azeemi, Muraqaba: The Art and Science of Sufi Meditation, 88-90.
57
Ibid., 117.
58
Al Qurʼān: Fussilāt 41:53.

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or she is sitting with Prophet Muhammad (SAW.), and Prophet Muhammad (SAW.) is
watching him.59
The complete analysis includes excerpts taken from the book of Khawaja Shamsuddin
Azeemi. All these concepts of Murāqabah will be discussed one by one in the following
section.
4. Findings and Discussion
After studying the various Qur’ānic Verses and Hadiths quoted in the book. It
represents that not a single verse or Hadith has been found that mentions the word
“Murāqabah.” Islam does not deny seclusion, but the way the Khwaja Shamsuddin Azeemi
has presented Murāqabah is questionable. The Islamic teaching that can be assumed nearest
to Murāqabah might be Salah in the first place, followed by Dhikr (remembrance) and
Taddabur (prudence). Islam promotes both the concept and the objective of prayer to attain
Allah’s mercy and inclination. “Seek help with the Salāt and fortitude: no doubt, Salāt is a
hard task but not for those obedient servants.”60
It is essential to focus on the conditions and reasons behind the seclusion performed
by Prophet Muhammad (SAW) in the cave of Hira. The religious scholars have different
views regarding this: some say this was done before the Prophet-hood. After Prophet-
hood, the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) did not go for seclusion; instead, he preferred
Tahajjud. The highest form of prayer is Tahajjud which is highly recommended for
believers to attain closeness to Allah Almighty. After getting Nabuwwat (Prophet-hood),
Prophet Muhammad (SAW.) performed Tahujjud on a daily basis. As mentioned in the
Qur’ān, “And in some parts of the night (also) offer the Salah with it as an additional prayer
for you. It may be that your Lord will raise you to Maqām Mahmūd.”61
Several Hadīths describe the importance of the worship at night, reported by Abu
Hurayra (RA) that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said,
“Our Lord, the Blessed and Exalted, descends to the lowest heaven every night when a
third of the night remains. He says, 'Who is calling on Me so that I can answer him? Who
is asking Me for something so that I can give to him? "Who is asking Me for forgiveness
so that I can forgive him?”62
The phrase “Maqām Mahmūd”63 praiseworthy position” is used only one time in the
Qur’ān. Allah promises the believers about the most significant reward which can be
achieved through Tahajjud. It is a sort of trading with Allah. Offer Tahajjud, Allah will
raise your position. Each religion does meditate in its specific domain like Sufi do dhikr

59
Khwaja Shamsuddin Azeemi, Muraqaba: The Art and Science of Sufi Meditation, 156.
60
Al Baqara 2:45.
61
Al Isra 17:79.
62
Muḥammad ibn Ismāʻīl Al-Bukhārī, Jami as Sahih Bukhari, “Al-Adab al-Mufrad,” (Dar al-
Salam, 2003), hadīth no, 1145.
63
Al-'Isra' 17:79.

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(remembrance) of Allah. The Zen Buddhists perform meditation in their specific mystical
way. Majority of the Muslims perform Tahajjud, to connect with Allah. Sufis have various
forms of dhikr. Catholics have rosaries. The mainstream Muslims have Tahajjud, that they
use and can use to connect with Allah and spend long hours in His presence. Tahajjud
complies with Allah’s command when Allah says in the Qur’ān “And for part of the night,
prostrate yourself to Him, and glorify Him long into the night.”64
Another form of seclusion is Itikāf (isolation) in the last ten days of Ramazan. This
form of worship is associated with Ramazan, and it is contingent on the last ten days of
Ramazan in which, believers are not allowed to participate in worldly affairs instead, they
have to stay in the mosque and spend ten days according to Prophet Muhammad (SAW)
Sunnah. This seclusion form is also completely different from the form of Murāqabah
discussed in Khawaja Shamsuddin Azeemi’s book and shows that it was not practiced by
the Prophet Muhammad (SAW); hence, it is not a part of any Hadīths or Sunnah.
If any form of Murāqabah is used to cure a disease and people receive positive results
from it, then this act is considered as “Mubāh.” Mubāh are those acts which are religiously
permissible they do not come under the category of major sin.65 The Murāqabah of Colored
lights discussed by Khawaja Shamsuddin Azeemi declares that when a follower is asked
to sit in a position and imagine the blue light is falling from the sky and travelling into the
body spreading positivity. The performer of Murāqabah will get positive energy and will
be cured from depression and psychological issues. Such techniques that are used cure any
disease, are allowed, and come under the category of Mubāh (permissible acts).
The activities that come under Mubāh and from which a Muslim’s Imān is protected
are permitted. Currently, the techniques used for Murāqabah can be placed in the category
of Mubāh because these acts do not affect believer’s faith. It is essential to remember that
all these activities are not part of Islamic teaching and do not have any connection with
worship or the revealed knowledge of scripture (Holy Qur’ān). Additionally, such practices
should be considered as a therapeutic techniques rather than a part of Islamic practices. If
anyone associates these activities to Islam and takes them as obligations then, it must be
discouraged. Deen-e Islam was completed when the Holy Qur’ān was revealed and the
Prophet Muhammad (SAW) was declared the last messenger. Allah says in Qur’ān: “This
day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you and have
approved for you Islam as religion. But whoever is forced by severe hunger with no
inclination to sin - then indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.”66 When Allah says that
the Prophet (SAW) is a role model, it means we, the Muslims, have to follow his teaching
and way of worship. Allah declares in the Holy Qur’ān “Believers, do not advance before
Allah and His Messenger, and fear Allah. Verily Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing”67 and,

64
Ad-Dahr 76:26.
65
John Haywood, A Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic (Arabic-English). (1980), 246-248.
66
Al Mai’dha 5:3.
67
Al Hujurāt 49:1.

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“
O you who have believed, obey God and obey the messenger and those in authority among
you. And if you disagree over anything, refer it to God and the Messenger, if you should
believe in God and the Last Day. That is the best [way] and best result.”68
These verses indicate that believers are not allowed to add or deduct anything from the
teaching, which is celestial, and has been completed. The person who tries to damage the
real picture of Islam is actually committing Bid’ah (innovation). There are two types of
innovation, one is good innovation, and the second is not allowed. The innovations used
for the betterment of Islam as well as all Muslim of the world and are unanimously agreed
upon are categorized as good innovation. This innovation is allowed because the Muslims
derive benefits from it. On the other hand, innovations with ambiguity and not followed by
the majority of Muslims are categorized as the innovation that is not allowed. According
to Sahi Muslim, “Whosoever introduced a beneficiary action in Islam will be rewarded for
his practice as well as for the practice of the people who follow him, without lessening
their reward. Whosoever introduced a bad practice in Islam will take the sin for it as well
as the sin of the people who follow him, without lessening their sin.”69
Imam Shafiee (May God have mercy on him) explains that the meaning of innovation
according to Islamic law is, ‘that which contradicts the book of God and the Sunnah of the
Prophet Muhammad (SAW), the actions of the companions and those who came after them,
or what has been established by general agreement of the scholars. This is what is to be
known as an innovation that is falsehood. As to the second meaning of innovation, then [if
this form of innovation is] good and does not contradict any of the above mentioned, then
this is not an innovation that is blameworthy. It was said by Umar ibn Al-Khattab after he
established the Taraweeh as a communal affair that ‘the best of innovations is this,’
meaning that this innovation was not found prior to him, and if it had been found earlier
then there would be nothing in it to be rejected.70
Moreover, a Hadīth describes the meaning of innovation as, “The worst of things are
those that are newly invented; every newly-invented thing is an innovation and every
innovation is going astray, and every going astray is in the Fire.”71 This Hadīth clearly
defines that, all those techniques which are used for meditation (Murāqabah) cannot be the
part of Islam. If someone tries to give them the name of Islamic teaching, then they are
innovating which is not allowed.
Another marked point of contradiction observed in the manual was the use of Islamic
terminology for meditation. The different techniques were named as Arsh Elahii, tadjalli
Ellahi, Arshe Bareen, etc. This should be avoided as the use of Islamic terminology will
create misconceptions that these acts are religious acts. The non-Arab Muslims and people
who do not speak Arabic may affiliate these practices to be a part of Islam, giving rise to

68
An Nisa 4:49.
69
Muslim b Hajjaj, Sahih al-Muslim, “The Book of Faith,” Hadith no 431.
70
Fakhr al Din Razi, Manaqib al-imam al-Shafi‘i (Beirut: Dar 1993), 1/469.
71
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the mistaken belief that Islamic religion permits such activities. As they may not be having
a full understanding of the religion, such conception can be misleading. With this said, it
is the duty of every Muslim to read the Holy Qur’ān in Arabic and learn Arabic so that the
Qur’ān can be understood better. It is essential for people to question and analyze any new
theory, practice or technique that is not mentioned in the Holy Qur’ān.
5. Conclusion
Khwaja Shamsuddin Azeemi describes Murāqabah as an essential step to reach the
comprehensive state of Ihsān (spiritual excellence). The state of Ihsān shows the
relationship with Allah. As Allah mentions in the Qur’ān, “Surely in the remembrance of
Allah, do hearts find rest.”72 Another place He says: “So remember Me. I will remember
you.”73 When a person wants to polish his belief, he must look unto Allah. It is an essential
need of a Muslim to be mindful of Allah at all times by keeping track of every good or
evil deed. The believers have to learn to obey the commandments of Allah and show their
gratitude towards their Creator. Allah addresses believers: “I swear by the self-accusing
soul.”74 This verse clearly describes the pure soul. Muḥāsabah means self-examination,
criticizing oneself about his deeds. Developing a consistent practice of carrying out
Muḥāsabah can help a believer achieve a pure soul. Muḥāsabah supports Murāqabah
(meditation) because when a practitioner performs Murāqabah, they are inspecting
himself and doing Muḥāsabah. Muḥāsabah braces Murāqabah (meditation) because when
a practitioner performs Murāqabah, he/she is observing himself/herself and doing
Muḥāsabah. As a human, we have been created as servants of Allah. The servants are
always ready to follow their master without any negligence because they know that every
action they perform will be held accountable in front of Allah. Being a servant, it is our
utmost responsibility to follow the instructions given by Allah Almighty.
The article analysis shows that Khwaja Shamsuddin Azeemi has described Murāqabah
in great detail. Still, it cannot be considered worship in Islam, as it is not stated in the Holy
Qur’ān and was not practiced or mentioned by the Holy Prophet in any of the Hadiths.
Instead, as a whole or some forms and techniques of Murāqabah should be categorized
under Mubāh and should not interfere with the divine laws or the believers' faith. Secondly,
the terminology used for the techniques itself misguides the believers, especially non-Arab
Muslims, and might connect the practice to Islam. The Murāqabah mentioned can be used
as a means or a source to develop a sense of responsibility. It can be done to improve
concentration and focus in a believer. Still, it is essential to remember that the word
‘Murāqabah’ does not exist in the Holy Qur’ān or Hadīths. The purpose of Murāqabah, to
achieve the state of Ihsān, can be done in the form of Tahajjud, Itikāf, and Prayer (Salah)
as declared in the Holy Qur’ān by Almighty and practiced by Muhammad (SAW). Only

72
Ar Ra’d 13:28.
73
Al Baqarah 2:152.
74
Al Qiyamah 75:2.

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these forms of worships will be accepted, and the believers will be rewarded with the
superior rank in Jannah (Heaven).
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