Station of Ihsaan

Recite 100 times the Darood-Sharif and 100 times the Divine Name-Ya'Haiyu Ya'Qayyumu and then close your eyes and imag­ine you are watching God or that God is watching you. This Muraqaba helps create the link between you and God and keeps fear and grief away from you.

The Muraqba of Ihsaan is great for forming Salat (prayer; remem­brance of God). The prophet Muhammad has said," when you standing for prayer, imagine that you are seeing God or that God is seeing you." This Muraqaba creates the link with the Divine and the joy during prayer.

Saadia Khanum from Shah Kot, Pakistan wrote,

"With your permission I started the Muraqaba of Ihsaan. Here is the report:

During Muraqaba, I saw myself beneath the Divine Throne. The floor resembled mercury and there was a comfortable bed for me near­by. I was sitting in it comfortably. Divine Light was falling on me. A thought came that this is the light of Divine Vision and God is watching me. I saw in His vision great love and compassion. Ifelt like a little girl and I had a desire to see Him. I asked Him, 'When can I see You, O' Lord!"

He replied, `Thou art too young to see us. When thou art old enough then we will grant thee Our glimpse.'

I kept asking questions of when I would be old enough, when this would happen. Then a thought crossed my mind that though I could not see Him, He is watching me, and he understands me. Moreover, when I am older I will be able to see Him. That thought had a calming effect on me. Every cell of my body was feeling serenity and joy."

Rasheed Khan from DG Khan, Pakistan wrote,

"I started the Muraqaba with the permission of the Sufi Master (author). I saw myself standing under the Divine Throne (ur sh) and the Divine Light (nur) is fulling on me like a fountain. Its rays entered my head and then were absorbed into my eyes. I felt as if I had a binocular and I could see everything clearly. I saw the Divine Light was encom­passing me like a sheet. Every layer felt like a separate sheet as if one were wearing a sheet over another sheet. This clothing of light felt glued to my body. They looked great. There were in total thirty-five sheets all over me and for a long time the Divine Light kept shining into my eyes. Then my vision started seeing the Divine Throne (arsh), sud­denly the flow of the light stopped. Ifelt that God was on the Throne (arsh). I glanced at Him and was lost. Then Ifelt the Divine Light com­ing directly out of Him and entering me. This light was even brighter and more delicate than the previous one. With this light my face lit up like a star. Ifelt Him very close to me. In my mind, I had the echo of the following verse of the Qur'an (Koran):

"We are closer to thee than thy cerebral vein."

During the entire period of Muraqaba the thought of His nearness and His Light dominated my mind. Ifelt as though I were made of del­icate lights. My heart and mind felt likewise. I felt immensely the Divine Love. I wished I could always be near Him. At that moment besides longing for Him, I had no other thoughts in my mind."

NOTE: Seekers of the Truth are required to do this Muraqaba only after obtaining permission from their Spiritual Master (murshid).

We mentioned earlier that spirituality creates a condition through which the student is able to feel the Divine Presence to a point where they feel like they are watching God. The program of salat (prayer) is meant to reinforce the link with God and the idea that God is omnipresent wherever they may go. When they complete this exercise, the audience with the Divine becomes an observation. The prophet Muhammad has called this state the station of Ihsaan.

At least twenty minutes before Fajr prayers, sit in a comfortable position. Close your eyes and imagine you are at the Divine Court and God is in front of you. Keep this imagination for five to ten minutes and then form the Fajr prayer. During the prayer keep the imagination that God is in front of you. During prayer, imagine that you are praying in the Divine Court right in front of Him. This way the mind will be focused on God while the body will be performing the prayer. While reciting the Qur'an (Koran) during prayer, imagine that you are conversing with God. After completing the prayer, while still sitting keep the imagina­tion of Divine Presence for a few minutes.

If you are having difficulty in imagining God then imagine that you are present before Him and God is witnessing your every movement. Either of the two imaginations can be done. If in the beginning the imag­ination is not formed then do not worry. Keep practicing this consistent-IN, and God willing you soon will be able to establish the image and will feel the real closeness of God during prayers.

Before Zohr and Asr prayers, do dhikr (invocation) of Al-Lah Haziri (God is present) Al-Lah Naziri (God is seen) for a few minutes and imag­ine the presence of God. Then continue this imagination during the entire prayer. During Maghrib, prayers due to lack of time only do the imagination that you are present before Him.

In the I'sha prayer, imagine the presence of God five minutes before the prayer and then perform the prayer. At night before going to bed repeat the imagination of either seeing God or that He is seeing you for ten minutes and then go to sleep.

When you are not enthusiastic about the prayer or you miss it often then for forty days perform the Fajr prayer in the mosque with the con­gregation. God willing, no more prayers will be missed afterwards.