Shakirah Hunter

We often understand our acts of Ibadah to be tied to only the physical acts ,like Salah or Siyaam etc. But one act of worship- that allows us to build a deep connection to Allah is that of Muraaqabah. This means to focus on creating a unique relationship with Allah in that you become aware of His presence in every moment. It is the development of the existence of Allah until you begin to drown in the Greatness of Allah and His Perfection. This ultimately leads to finding every comfort in His obedience and even the limbs find its relief and calm in submitting to Him. جل جلاله
Allah Ta’ala highlights this in Surah Luqmaan:
{ ۞وَمَن يُسۡلِمۡ وَجۡهَهُۥٓ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ وَهُوَ مُحۡسِنٞ فَقَدِ ٱسۡتَمۡسَكَ بِٱلۡعُرۡوَةِ ٱلۡوُثۡقَىٰۗ وَإِلَى ٱللَّهِ عَٰقِبَةُ ٱلۡأُمُورِ }
[Surah Luqmân: 22]
Whoever submits his whole self to Allah, and is a doer of good, has grasped indeed the most trustworthy hand-hold: and with Allah rests the End and Decision of (all) affairs.

The focus of Muraaqabah is to worship Allah Ta’ala in such a manner as if you are able to see him , and if this is not possible then with the certainty that Allah sees you.

The pious predecessors busied themselves constantly in developing this awareness of Allah Ta’ala.
Junaid Baghdadi (رحمه الله) was asked regarding lowering the eyes and not looking at strange women . He was asked how is it possible to do so , to which he replied: “By having the certain knowledge that the One who sees everything is gazing at you ,this will serve to turn your gaze away from the creation.

Abdullah ibnul Mubarak said to a man: “Make Muraaqabah of Allah oh so and so! So the man asked him regarding the understanding of Muraaqabah,to which Ibnul Mubarak replied: ” To constantly be in a state as of you are seeing Allah Ta’ala.”
Once Umar (Ra) was travelling with Abdullah ibn Dinar (Ra) to Makkah. On the way they met a shepherd,to whom Umar (Ra) said : ” oh shepherd sell us one of these goats.” The Shepherd replied that these all belong to their owner and he was merely the shepherd. Umar (Ra) said to him : “Tell your master that the wolf ate it-(and you sell it without letting him know). So the shepherd replied: ” Then where is Allah ?”.
Umar (Ra) began to cry at the response of this shepherd. The reality of the awareness of Allah meant that the Shepherd was aware of Allah even as he was far away from his master in the middle of the jungle. At this level of understanding who is Allah , Umar (ra) purchased him from his owner and set him free.
To further understand this we look at the story of Yusuf (as) and Bilqees. In the famous story of the moment when she intended to commit zina , she goes to her idol and covers it with a cloth ,so Yusuf (as) says to her : ” what are you doing?! Are you shy of a pillar whilst I am not shy of the King ,Allah Al Jabbar?!
To achieve this deep understanding of Allah we must constantly speak about Allah until the awareness of His greatness permeates our every moment and every breath.