Al-Muhasibi:
Of particular note is his frequent mention of al-muhasaba al-nafs ie self or introspective examination, which is probably the source of his own name of muhasibi, meaning examiner. Muhasibi was known as one who strenuously took account of himself for every aspect of his life.
He wrote extensively on knowing oneself and the failings in one’s soul ma’rifat al-insan nafsahu as a way to purification. He also describes “self-evaluation” muraja’at al-nafs of the soul, or “inspection” mufatashat al-nafs and “scrutininsing the soul” tafaqqud al-nafs.
That this idea of self-examination is central to Muhasibi is seen when he writes “The basis of obedience is scrupulousness (al-wara’) and the basis of scrupulousness is ‘God consciousness’ al-taqwa; the basis of God consciousness isexamining the soul, and the basis of examining the soul is hope al-raja’ and fear al-khawf.”
It is also evident that for Muhasibi self-examination is virtually synonymous with combatting the soul, and both phrases are merely the most common of a cluster of related terms. Mortifying the soul is for the purpose of drawing near to and even returning to Allah SWT. Muhasibi’s frequent use of the idea of return shows the influence of NeoPlatonic thought on his work.
He writes often using this image and devotes awhole work to it- Wayfaring to God and the return to him Al-Qasd wa‘l-Ruju’ ila Allah. This idea of the soul’s return back to its source became a popular image in Sufi thought, being a key element in the writings of eg Rumi etc. Muhasibi is indeedseen as a master of wayfarers.
Muhasibi was skilled at Islamic law, and several of his terms have a legal basis, (eg contradicting the soul mukhalafat al-nafs) or refuting it, and these terms are used extensively in Muhasibi’s works. Picken argues that these terms are virtually synonymous with combatting the soul. Overall, this briefly highlights how well thought-out Muhasibi’s schema was, drawing on concepts from many domains of life. His teaching on struggling with the soul is highly complex and comprehensive.
34 ways - Duas Seeing the Prophet (PBUH) in dreams: 1.One of the most tried and tested means of gaining the vision of the Noble Prophet (alayhi salat wa salam) during sleep, and even during wakefulness, is intense love for him, and occupying one’s thoughts with him night and day, along with faithful conforming with his noble sunnah, and frequent prayers of benediction (salawat) upon him in a continuous fashion, and complete uprightness on his way (istiqama) and great yearning towards seeing him (asws), and supplications for him, and carrying the cares of the Beloved (alayhi salat wa salam), namely, calling to Allah in secret and in public; and continual application of all of the foregoing, and the absence of despair and hopelessness in the mercy of Allah, the Generous Bestower, for He deals in a steady manner but does not neglect anything, nor does He ruin the hopes of anyone who supplicates Him and hopes in Him, and it might be that He has hidden the treasures within the “late” respon...
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