Muraqaba
(Sufi)
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Muraqaba (Arabic: مراقبة) is the Sufi word
for meditation. Literally it is an Arabicterm
which means "to watch over", "to take care of", or "to
keep an eye".Metaphorically, it implies that with meditation,
a person watches over or takes care of his spiritual heart (or soul),
and acquires knowledge about it, its surroundings, and its creator.
Stages
of Muraqaba
Following are the maqamat (Arabic: مقامات stages) in which sufis
have broadly categorised their journey of ascension. This categorization is an
arbitrary one, and each level is generally further divided into several
sub-levels. During the process ofenlightenment, some stages can merge or
overlap each other.
Gnosis of self
Ghanood (Somnolence)
This is the starting level of meditation. When a person starts
meditation, he enters into a somnolent or sleep state often. With the passage
of time, the person goes into a state between sleep and
wakefulness. So the person can remember that he saw something, but not
specifically what it is.
Adraak
(Arabic: إدراك - cognition) With continuous practice of meditation, the sleepiness
from meditation decreases. When the conscious mind is
not suppressed by sleep and is able to focus, the person can receive the
spiritual knowledge from hissubconscious mind. At this stage, the
person is unable to see or hear anything, but he is able to experience or perceive it.
Warood
(Arabic: ورود coming, beginning) When adraak (experience) becomes
deep, it is exhibited as sight. The stage of warood starts
when mental concentration
is sustained and somnolence is at its minimum. As soon as the mind is focused,
the spiritual eye is activated. The conscious mind is not used to see through
the spiritual eye, so concentration comes and goes. Gradually, the mind gets
used to this kind of visions and the mental focus is sustained. With practice,
the visions/experience becomes so deep that the person starts considering
himself a part of the experience rather than considering himself an observer.
Gnosis of the universe
Kashaf'
/ Ilhaam
Kashaf, or Ilhaam (Arabic:
كشف/الهام unveiling of arcane
knowledge) is the stage where man starts getting information that most people
are unable to observe. In the beginning, this condition occurs suddenly without
personal control. With practice, the mind gets so energized that it can get
this knowledge by will.
Shahood
(Arabic: شهود evidence) When a person can get any information about any
event/person with his will, this condition is called Shahood. This stage is
broadly categorized according to activation of the senses:
The person can see
things anywhere in the universe
The person can hear
things anywhere in the universe
The person can smell
things anywhere in the universe
The person can touch
things anywhere in the universe (hadith)
Fatah
(Arabic: فتح opening, victory) The peak of Shahood is called Fatah. At this stage,
the person doesn't need to close his eyes for meditation. Here the person is
freed from both space and time. He can see/hear/taste/touch anything that are
present anywhere in time and space.
Gnosis of the creator
Fanaa
(Arabic: فناء extinction, annihilation) Through a series of stages (maqamat)
and subjective experiences (ahwal), this process of absorbation
develops until complete annihilation of the self (fana) takes place and
the person becomes al-insanul-kamil, the "perfect man".
It is the disintegration of a person's narrow self-concept, social self- and
limited intellect (feeling like a drop of water aware of being part of the
ocean). The stage is also called Fana fit tawheed ("extinction with
the unity"), andFana fil Haq (Extinction in the reality).
Sair illallah
(Arabic: سيرٌ الى الله journey towards the God) Here the person starts his spiritual journey
towards the ultimate reality of the universe, i.e. God.
Also called Safr-e-Urooji
Fana fillah
(Arabic: فناء في الله Extinction of the self in God) One of the important phases of
mystical experience which is attained by the grace of
God by a traveller on the mystical path is the state of fana fi Allah,
"extinction of the self in God". This is the state where the person
becomes extinct in the will of God. It is important to mention that
this is not incarnation or union. Most Sufis, while
passing through this experience, have preferred to live in the greatest depth
of silence which transcends all forms and sounds, and enjoy their union with
the beloved.
The highest stage of fana is
reached when even the consciousness of having attained fana disappears.
This is what the Sufis call "the passing-away of passing-away" (fana
al-fana). The mystic is now wrapped in contemplation of
the divine essence. (Nicholson, The Mystics of Islam, p.60).
Since it is a state of
complete annihilation of carnal self, absorbation or intoxication in God, the
pilgrim is unable to participate in worldly affairs, he is made to pass into
another state known as Fana-al-Fana (forgetfulness of
annihilation). It is a sort of oblivion of unconsciousness.
Since two negatives make one positive, the pilgrim at this stage regains his
individuality as he was when he started the journey. The only difference is
that in the beginning he was self-conscious, but after having reposed in the
Divine Being, he regains that sort of individuality which is God-consciousness
or absorbation in God. This state is known as Baqa-bi-Allah —
living or subsisting with God. (Alhaj W.B.S. Rabbani, Gems of Sufi
Gnosticism)
Sair min allah
(Arabic: سير من الله journey from the God) Here the person comes back to his existence.
Also called Safr-e-Nuzooli.
No one can subsist with The Supreme Creator and to believe as such is
shirk. What really happens is the person's awareness of Allah increases so much
so that he forgets his own self and is totally lost in Allah's magnificence.
Baqaa billah
(Arabic: بقاء بالله eternal life in union with God) This is the state where man comes
back to his existence and God appoints him to guide the humans. This is a state
in which the individual is part of the world, but unconcerned about his or her
rewards or position in it. This doctrine is further explained in an authentic
tradition of the prophet which states that God said:
And the most beloved things with which My slave comes nearer to Me, is
what I have enjoined upon him; and My slave keeps on coming closer to Me
through performing Nawafil (praying or doing extra deeds besides what is
obligatory) till I love him, so I become his sense of hearing with which he
hears, and his sense of sight with which he sees, and his hand with which he
grips, and his leg with which he walks
There is another verse from Qur'an , that is used to explain this
concept.
We (Allah) are nearer to him (man) than his jugular vein.(50:6)
When Sufis have come out of the Fana fillah state and
enter Baqa billah, many of them have produced works of unsurpassed
glory, especially in the fields of philosophy, literature, and music. These
works have crowned the culture of the entire Islamic
world and inspired Sufis and non-Sufis for generations. As the
greatPersian Sufi poet, Hafiz of
Shiraz, who is fondly remembered as the "tongue of the unseen", said
centuries ago: "He whose heart is alive with love, never dies.". Allahsays
about these people in the Qur'an:
"Lo, indeed, the friends of God have no fear, nor are they
grieved."
Types
of muraqaba
There are many different kinds of muraqaba that are
practiced in various Sufi schools in different parts of the world. Following is
a list of the ones commonly practiced.
Beginner level muraqabas
Muraqaba of light These are usually used for beginners, or for cure of various
diseases.
Violet
Indigo
Blue
Torquise
Green
Yellow
Orange
Pink
Red
Haatif-e-Ghabi (Unhearable sound of Cosmos)
Allah (Proper name of God) -- Final level of Muraqaba of names of God.
InUniversal Sufism this concentration is on
their own panentheist concept of God.
Middle level muraqabas
Maot (Arabic: موت Death) -- For getting acquaintance with life after Death
Qalb (Arabic: قلب Heart) -- For getting acquaintance with Spiritual Heart
Wahdat (Arabic: وحده Unity) -- For getting acquaintance with the reason behind cosmic
unity i.e. God's will
La (Arabic: لا Nothingness) -- For getting acquaintance with material lessness, or
non-material universe Adam (Pre-existence) -- Next level of
Muraqaba of Nothingness.
Fana (Arabic: فناء Annihilation) -- Annihilation of Self, getting acquaintance with the
alpha and omega of universe.
High level muraqabas
Tasawwur-e-Sheikh (Arabic: تصور الشيخ Focusing mind on master) -- To facilitate the transfer of spiritual
knowledge from master to student.
Tasawwur-e-Rasool (Arabic: تصور الرسول Focusing mind on prophet) -- To facilitate the transfer of Faiz (arcane
spiritual knowledge) from prophet to student. This focussing of mind is done on Muhammad.
Tasawwur-e-zat-e-Ilaahi (Arabic: تصور الذات الإلاهي Focusing Mind on God) -- With the help of this Muraqaba, the student
experiences the Tajalli-e-Zaat of God.
References
Khwaja Shamsuddin Azeemi (2005) Muraqaba: The Art and Science of Sufi Meditation.
Houston: Plato, 2005, ISBN 0-9758875-4-8
Mushahida-e-Haqq by Captain Wahid Baksh Sial Rabbani
External
links
Several
Videos showing Naqshbandi Sheikh in Muraqba from Islah ul Muslimeen Naqshbandi Mujaddadi
Order in Allah-Abad Shareef, Nowshero Feroz Sind
http://11thstepmeditation.org/meditation_styles/sufi_muraqaba.php
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