Mindfulness in Islam
Mindfulness is defined as “the ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us.”
While it is a natural human ability, it can be enhanced by meditative exercises. It is used to reduce stress, enhance performance, gain insight and awareness of ourselves and others through observing our mind.
For those without belief in Allah, mindfulness is the goal. For those who have belief in Allah, mindfulness is a byproduct of belief in Allah. However, much of humanity, whether Muslim or non-Muslim, are in great need of increasing in mindfulness in their daily life. This is due to the present day onslaught on mindfulness from many angles. We live in a fast, consumerist and entertainment-driven digital age where being on auto-pilot is becoming more and more acceptable and even encouraged.
The concept of mindfulness is found in many traits that are praised in the Quran and Sunnah. It can’t be incorporated into one word. Below are some important Islamic concepts that can be included under the umbrella of mindfulness:
- Purpose and Intention النية
To live with purpose and intention is a great fundamental of Islam. Allah teaches us that our entire life was created for one purpose: His worship. Everything in life can be a form of worship when you make your intention for Allah:
قُلْ إِنَّ صَلَاتِي وَنُسُكِي وَمَحْيَايَ وَمَمَاتِي لِلَّـهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ
Say, “Indeed, my prayer, my rites of sacrifice, my living and my dying are for Allah, Lord of the worlds. (Quran 6:162)
As Muslims we know that Allah rewards us for everything if we do it for His sake, from the small instinctive things such as eating and sleeping, to the bigger things in life such as how we interact with other people and situations, etc. The Prophet ﷺ said:
وَلَنْ تُنْفِقَ نَفَقَةً تَبْتَغِي بِهَا وَجْهَ اللَّهِ إِلاَّ أُجِرْتَ عَلَيْهَا حَتَّى مَا تَجْعَلُ فِي فِي امْرَأَتِكَ
“You will never spend on someone, seeking by that the pleasure of Allah, except that you will be rewarded for it — even the bite of food that you put in your wife’s mouth.” (Sahih Bukhari and Muslim)
By taking the time to bring to mind and affirm our intention before any action, small or big, or to renew our intention, we are engaging in and practicing mindfulness.
- Awareness and Consciousness التقوى
To live with awareness is to be a Muslim. A believer’s awareness comes from many things, but the greatest type of awareness for the believer is taqwa. Taqwa is to have awareness or be conscious that Allah is watching you — which then makes you stay away from what displeases Him and do what pleases Him. It transforms our life because it shifts our perspective to live for Allah, with Allah. This leads us to live every moment of our lives in a way that is best for our deen and dunya. It leads us to be successful in our relationship with our Creator, as well as our relationship with the creation, as mentioned in the Hadith:
The Prophet ﷺ was asked:
مَا أَكْثَرُ مَا يُدْخِلُ الْجَنَّةَ؟
”Which deed enters people into Paradise the most?”
He replied:
تَقْوَى اللهِ، وَحُسْنُ الْخُلُقِ
“Taqwa of Allah and good character.” (Sahih At-Tirmidhi)
- Perfecting what you do to the best of your ability الإحسان
Ihsaan is perfecting one’s outward and inward deeds. The Prophet ﷺ explained it by saying:
أن تعبد الله كأنك تراه ، فإن لم تكن تراه فإنه يراك
“It is to worship Allah as if you can see Him — if you cannot see Him then know that He sees you.” (Sahih, Sunan An-Nasai)
When you know Allah is watching you, you are keen to carry out your actions with as much perfection and excellence as possible.
This perfection of all of one’s actions is such an important and praiseworthy deed in Islam that our Prophet ﷺ taught us to practice it in all acts, even when slaughtering an animal:
إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى كَتَبَ الْإِحْسَانَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ فَإِذَا قَتَلْتُمْ فَأَحْسِنُوا الْقِتْلَةَ وَإِذَا ذَبَحْتُمْ فَأَحْسِنُوا الذَّبْحَ وَلْيُحِدَّ أَحَدُكُمْ شَفْرَتَهُ وَلْيُرِحْ ذَبِيحَتَهُ
“Indeed Allah the Blessed and Exalted has decreed ihsaan (perfection) in all things. So if you kill (an animal) then kill well; and if you slaughter, then slaughter well. Each of you should sharpen his blade and spare the animal he slaughters from suffering.” (Sahih Muslim)
- Deliberation الأناة
To be deliberate and intentional in every action and not react on impulse is a highly praised trait in Islam. Our Prophet ﷺ noticed that when a group of Muslims came to him and rushed to kiss his hand, Al-Mundhir al-Ashajj waited calmly for his turn and did not rush into the crowd. Our Prophet ﷺ told him:
إنَّ فيك خصلتين يحبُّهما الله: الحِلْم، والأناة
“You possess two traits which Allah loves; حلم/forbearance and الأناة/deliberation.” (Hasan, Sunan Abi Dawud)
The Arabic word الأناة is defined as “to not rush impulsively into something, or “to approach things with gentleness and purpose.”
The Prophet ﷺ advised us to act with purpose and deliberation in all acts except one:
التُؤْدَةُ في كلِّ شيءٍ، إلا في عملِ الآخرةِ.
“One should not be impulsive or rush in all things — except for the (good) deeds done for the Hereafter.” (Sahih Abi Dawud)
- Living in the Present
In Islam, we are taught to live and focus on the present and make the best of every single moment we have:
The companion Abdullah Ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, said:
إذا أمْسَيْتَ فلا تَنْتَظِرِ الصَّباحَ، وإذا أصْبَحْتَ فلا تَنْتَظِرِ المَساءَ، وخُذْ مِن صِحَّتِكَ لِمَرَضِكَ، ومِنْ حَياتِكَ لِمَوْتِكَ.
“When it becomes evening do not anticipate (that you will live to see) the morning, and when it becomes morning, do not anticipate the evening. Benefit from your health before you become sick and benefit from your life before your death.” (Sahih Bukhari)
Allah revealed the blueprint for the believer’s success in both worlds in Surah Al-Asr. In it He describes the successful person as the one who benefits from his life, saying:
وَالْعَصْرِ ﴿١﴾ إِنَّ الْإِنسَانَ لَفِي خُسْرٍ ﴿٢﴾ إِلَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالْحَقِّ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالصَّبْرِ
“By time — Indeed, mankind is in loss, except for those who have believed and done righteous deeds and advised each other to truth and advised each other to patience.”
Ibn Kathir reports in his tafsir that Imam Ash-Shafi’ee commented about this surah:
لَوْ تَدَبَّرَ النَّاسُ هَذِهِ السُّورَةَ، لَوَسِعَتْهُمْ
“If people reflected over this Surah, it would be sufficient for them.”
Making the best of every moment of the present means to also not keep thinking over the past and to not grieve over it. Our blessed Prophet ﷺ said:
احْرِصْ عَلَى مَا يَنْفَعُكَ وَاسْتَعِنْ بِاللَّهِ وَلاَ تَعْجِزْ فَإِنْ أَصَابَكَ شَىْءٌ فَلاَ تَقُلْ لَوْ أَنِّي فَعَلْتُ كَذَا وَكَذَا . وَلَكِنْ قُلْ قَدَّرَ اللَّهُ وَمَا شَاءَ فَعَلَ فَإِنَّ “ لَوْ ” تَفْتَحُ عَمَلَ الشَّيْطَانِ
“Strive for that which will benefit you, seek the help of Allah, and do not feel helpless. If something befalls you, do not say, ‘if only I had done such and such.’ Rather, say ‘Qaddara Allahu wa ma sha’a fa’al (Allah has decreed and whatever He wills, He does).’ (Saying) ‘if’ opens (the door) to the deeds of Satan.”
(Sahih, Ibn Majah)
Following this guidance, as well as all of Allah’s guidance, is a means of being able to let go of one’s sadness over the past and fear over the future. Allah says in the Quran:
فَمَن تَبِعَ هُدَايَ فَلَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ
“…And whoever follows My Guidance, there shall be no fear on them, nor shall they grieve.” (Quran 2:39)
The scholars of tafsir have explained this ayah to mean that those who believe and follow Allah’s guidance will not fear the future, nor grieve over the past.
In summary, truly following Islamic guidance produces a mental and emotional state that brings about a far more superior and comprehensive version of mindfulness than that which is commonly known.