GLOSSARY OF SUFISM 12. Muraaqabah

"Watchfulness" is the servant's perpetual concious condition in which Allah is instructed [of everything], or the one who respects God's rights (huquuq Alllah) secretely and openly, keeping pure from all illusion, sincere in his veneration (ihtiraam).

She is the source of all goodness, and the contemplation (mushaahada) is at its level: whoever keeps an extreme watchfulness will attain an extreme contemplation.

To the exoterics (ahl al-zaahir), watchfulness consists in the preservation of the external organs from distractions (hafawaat); to te esoterics (ahl al -baatin), it consists in not letting the heart to be taken by self-propagating thoughts (khawaatir), and by distractions (ghafalaat); to the deepest esoteric ones, watchfulness consists in keeping the deep inner being (sirr) from resting in everything but the divine Presence.

Translated from Glossaire du Soufisme, by Iban Agibah, edited by A. Saleh Hamdan.



sufi masters,
sufi teachers,
glossary of sufism,
muraaqabah,
tasawwuf,
watchfulness,