Imam Shafee, leader of the Muslim community at the Albuquerque Islamic Center, speaks with passion and animation about Islamic spirituality.
“Islamic spirituality starts with the Creator and the relationship between the Creator and creation. In this relationship humans come to understand their purpose in life.”
He illuminates this purpose by retelling the story of how God created humans.
God created Adam (and all human beings) from clay. Then, “God breathed his Spirit into Adam, and this ruh, or soul, became the force behind Adam’s functioning and moved him from nonliving to living.”
What is the nature of this ruh, this soul?
Imam Shafee explains that Muhammad was asked this question. In Surah 17:85 it records, “And they ask you about the ruh. Say: The ruh is one of the commands of my Lord, and you are not given aught of knowledge but a little.”
Imam further notes, “Matters and affairs of the soul rest only with God. Even prophets and doctors don’t know much about the soul; no one can describe the soul.”
“Humans have only a little knowledge of the soul, which is that God breathed the soul into man; it is from God and returns to God. Understanding this relationship is the purpose of life. This is the beginning of spirituality for Islam.”
According to Islam, the soul governs the body. Imam says, “The soul is the planner, the supervisor, and the driver of the body.”
Abul Ala Maududi agrees and expands upon this: “Allah has appointed the human soul as His Khalifah (vicegerent) in this world. . . The body has been created with the sole object of allowing the soul to use it in the exercise of its authority and the fulfillment of its duties and responsibilities.” 1
And what is it that the soul must do in this life? Imam Shafee explains this in the next article of this series. You are invited to continue reading the Islamic teachings he explains.
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If you are interested in contacting Imam Shafee, you may get in touch with him at the Islamic Center, 1100 Yale Blvd. SE, in Albuquerque, or call him at (505)256-1450, or email him at info@icnmabq.org .
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Note: All quotes are from an interview with Imam Shafee on January 31, 2012, unless otherwise indicated.
Additional notes
1http://www.islam101.com/sociology/spiritualPath.htm
For more information on Islam, you may go to http://www.icnm-abq.org/ , http://www.islam101.com/sociology/spiritualPath.htm , and http://www.khilafah.com/index.php/concepts/belief/5660-islam-and-spirituality- .
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