Explore every episode of the podcast Marvels of the Heart - Tarjuma

In the fourth session of our second semester of our weekly class on Imam Abū Ḥāmid Muḥammad al-Ghazālī’s Exploring the Marvels of the Heart, we explore “Gaining Experiential Knowledge. This session covers pages 67-76 of the text.

In the second session of our second semester of our weekly class on Imam Abū Ḥāmid Muḥammad al-Ghazālī’s Exploring the Marvels of the Heart, we explore “How the Heart Relates to Knowledge”.

Centering around answering the questions “How does the heart access its treasures?” and “What is inspiration?”, this session covers pages 51-56 of the text.

“How does the heart access its treasures?”

The “treasures” of knowledge.

Knowledge is acquired through sense perception (study), which also involves insight (capacity to obtain knowledge) and reflexion (processing of knowledge)

Knowledge that is given as a pure gift by God. The method and/or cause may be known or unknown

• Method Known: Revelation through Angels to the Prophets (The Prophets perceive the Angels)
  
• Method Unknown: Inspiration / visions / intuitive sense or true dream obtained to the Righteous

Knowledge of the outward and knowledge of the inward must come together

It is not enough to focus on self purification, isolation, and the esoteric. It is necessary to embark on the journey with companionship and mentorship, and to attain knowledge of the Sacred creed and worldly responsibilities.

In the first session of our second semester of our weekly class on Imam Abū Ḥāmid Muḥammad al-Ghazālī’s Exploring the Marvels of the Heart, we explore “How the Heart Relates to Knowledge”.

Centering around answering the questions “How does the heart access knowledge?” and “What is the relationship between knowledge and spirituality”, this session covers pages 45-50 of the text.

“How does the heart access knowledge?”

Imam al-Ghazālī’s categorization of knowledge:

Knowledge pertaining to the intellect: 

• Axiomatic: An axiom is considered true innately or intuitively
• Acquired: Empirically / experientially obtained

Knowledge pertaining to the Divine Law:

• Do not have access to it except through revelation

“What is the relationship between knowledge and spirituality”

It is by purifying our hearts that we gain access to knowledge

You can also view detailed class notes, supplemental materials, and references for our first semester on Google Classroom. You can join our Google Classroom by using the code 9kfttk.

Join us in our weekly study of the text, Marvels of the Heart, every Saturday morning from November 9 to December 14 at 10 am, hosted at Amber Cafe! You are welcome to join us even if you didn't attend the first semester. You can catch up by reviewing last semester's class notes, supplemental materials, and podcast recordings. To access these materials and receive weekly class updates, please register for the second semester at tarjuma.ca/marvels.

In our fifth session of our weekly class on Imam Abū Ḥāmid Muḥammad al-Ghazālī’s Exploring the Marvels of the Heart, we explore “How the Heart Relates to Knowledge”.

Centering around answering the questions “What stops the heart from gaining knowledge?”, this session covers pages 35-44 of the text.

“What stops the heart from gaining knowledge?”

The heart is a mirror. When it observes the “image” of knowledge it can imbibe and reflect it. The heart then takes the form of what is put in front of it. It is the influences - what we put in front of the heart - that make it capable of receiving knowledge.

We discuss Imam Ghazālī's exposition of 5 types of mirrors (heart) that are limited in attaining knowledge:

• The mirror that has not being formed or fashioned properly: It cannot yet reflect the world around it, like the heart that is not ready to take on knowledge - like a child 
  
• The stained or dirty mirror: That heart is burdened by the darknesses of sin, failing to fulfill the right of God upon us
  
• The mirror facing the wrong direction: Analogous to the heart that is not turned towards the right "image" 
  
• The mirror that is veiled: Analogous to the heart that is preoccupied with the world
  
• The mirror that does not provide adequate perspective for what you are desiring to seek: Speaks to the capacity of the heart for putting knowledge in the right place
  

Take away: How do our hearts mirror the world around us? How is your heart mirroring the heart of your brothers and sisters?

Resources and References

In our fourth session of our weekly class on Imam Abu Hamid Muhammad al-Ghazali’s Exploring the Marvels of the Heart, we explore “Summarizing the Qualities of the Heart”. Centering around answering the questions “What forces compete for control of the heart?” and “What does the balanced heart look like?”, this session covers pages 29-34 of the text.

In our third session of our weekly class on Imam Abu Hamid Muhammad al-Ghazali’s Exploring the Marvels of the Heart, our teacher Mustafa Ghani delves into “The Special Characteristics of the Heart”. Centering around answering the questions “How does the spiritual heart cooperate with the body and the senses?” and “What makes the human being so special among creation?”, this session covers pages 13-28 of the text.

Intents

In our second session of our weekly class on Imam Abu Hamid Muhammad al-Ghazali’s Exploring the Marvels of the Heart, our teacher Mustafa Ghani delves into “The Domains of the Heart”. Centering around answering the questions “What are the components of the heart?” and “What is the difference between the ‘physical’ and the ‘spiritual’?”, this session covered pages 5-12 of the text.

Session Summary

Our scholars speak of three ‘Alam or realms:

• Mulk: The Physical realm - involves the physical things that we see/interact with 
• Malakut:  The Spiritual Realm, often ignored in the materialist framework.  
  • Jabarut: The Divine Realm
    We can experience the deeper, subtle layers of reality (Malakut and Jabarut) through the Heart
    

“What are the components of the heart?”

Imam Ghazali discusses the following Components of the Heart: 

1. Al Qalb - The heart: As the physical gives us physical life, the spiritual heart gives us spiritual life 
2. Rooh - The Spirit : The subtle element of our reality that is the basis for the interaction with the Lordly, our angelic aspect. It allows us to ascertain meaning from the spiritual realms 
3. The Nafs - The Spiritual Self. 2 aspects of the Nafs: i) What you mean when you say “I” and ii) The Lower self - associated with anger and passion
4. The ‘Aql - the Intellect. 2 meanings: i) Knowledge itself ii) The Faculty by which we know things

Over the course of this class and our spiritual journeys, we hope to move from understanding things at an intellectual level to experiencing them as a vehicle to arrive at the Divine.

Marvels

“Matters of the heart are what truly matters”

“Those deeply enriched see God before they see the creation”

“Allah does not address our brains, our stomachs, or limbs, but rather our hearts - the vehicle of our spiritual journey.”

“We can experience the deeper, subtle layers of reality (Malakut and Jabarut) through the Heart”

“As the physical gives us physical life, the spiritual heart gives us spiritual life”

Resources and References

Narrated al-Nu‘man b. Bashir: I heard God’s Messenger ﷺ saying, “Indeed, the lawful is clear, and the unlawful is clear, but in between them are doubtful matters that many people do not know. Whoever is wary of the doubtful saves his religion and his honour. Whoever falls into the doubtful falls into the unlawful—like a shepherd who pastures animals near a sanctuary, ever prone to graze therein. Well, every king has a sanctuary, and God’s sanctuary is what He has made unlawful. Indeed, in the body is a piece of flesh: when it is sound, the whole body is sound, but when it is corrupt, the whole body is corrupt. Indeed, it is the heart.” (Bukhari, Muslim, Ibn Maja)

“[He is] the One who created death and life to test you: which of you is best in deed? He is the August, the Forgiving.” (Q67:2)

“They ask you about the Spirit (ruh). Say: The Spirit is of my Lord’s affair, and of knowledge you have been given but little.” (Q17:85)

“Your worst enemy is your soul (nafs) that lies between your flanks.” (Bayhaqi, on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbas)

"The believer is the mirror of the believer." (Abu Dawud)

Detailed Notes

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In our first session of our weekly class on Imam Abu Hamid Muhammad al-Ghazali’s Exploring the Marvels of the Heart, our teacher Mustafe Ghani gives us an “Introduction to the Inner Reality of the Human Being”