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The Ascent of the Soul
Author : Mufti Anas Khasasbeh
Date Added : 06-10-2026

The Ascent of the Soul

 

In the sanctuaries of blessed times, the soul is freed from the captivity of clay to taste the sweetness of its own elevation. There, pleasure transcends the limits of the perishable senses and becomes a luminous outpouring that floods the inner being. True joy lies not in attaining base desires, but in that majestic intimacy in which the effort of obedience blends with the glad tidings of acceptance.

This divine bliss shows itself at its most radiant in moments the memory never loses, as if etched upon the innermost chamber of the heart. Which of us does not feel his heart flutter with longing when he recalls the hour when the sun nears its setting on a day of Ramadan? Who is not stirred with yearning for the last hour of the Day of `Arafah, with its tears shed on that pure plain, whether one was present there or not? And who has not heard the whisper of the night's stillness in its last hours, before dawn, with the intimacy of nearness to Allah, the Exalted?

The Sunset of a Ramadan Day: The Hidden Joy of the Soul

As twilight is born and the sun's disc sinks toward the horizon on a day of Ramadan, hearts reach the peak of their anticipation. In those minutes an overwhelming joy sweeps through the soul and shakes its foundations, raising a profound question: is it the joy of food and drink after long hunger and thirst, or something deeper and loftier that touches the very core of the soul?

The nature of the pleasure: It is certainly not the joy of clay in water. It is the composite joy articulated in the Prophetic statement: "The fasting person has two joys: when he breaks his fast he rejoices, and when he meets his Lord he rejoices because of his fast." [1] It is the soul's joy at its victory over the desires of the body and its pride in completing an act of obedience. It is also the joy of the soul slipping free from its material bonds, at ease in the hope of divine acceptance.

The presence of the soul: The bodily effort of abstaining from food and drink, which weakened the body by the end of the day, turns into nourishment of another kind, by which the strength of the soul flourishes. Tranquility pours into believing hearts, together with certainty of receiving the precious reward promised by the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, who said: "Three whose supplication is not rejected: the fasting person until he breaks his fast…" [2] In those moments, fasting is transformed from the hardship of the body into an ascent of the soul.

The Eve of `Arafah: The Great Serenity and the Outpouring of Mercy

When the sun of the ninth of Dhū al-Ḥijjah prepares to depart, a majestic stillness settles over the plain of ʿArafāt and over the hearts of believers in the East and West of the earth. Hands raised in supplication race the tears in the eyes in those blessed hours.

The nature of the pleasure: The pleasure that fills the soul as it is released from its burdens on the eve of ʿArafah is the pleasure of a "new birth." It is the joy of a prisoner whose night was long and whose shackles are suddenly struck off. On that day, the believer keeps before his eyes the words of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him: "There is no day on which Allah frees more servants from the Fire than the Day of ʿArafah…" [3] He hopes to be among those set free. The weight of years dissolves beneath the downpour of forgiveness, and horizons open before a soul untouched by sin. The true pleasure of that day lies not merely in the removal of fear of punishment. It lies in the deep relief that wraps the inner being when the servant feels the garment of purity clothing his soul again, washed of the hardships of the world. The soul returns to its original nature (fiṭrah): radiant, free, and enveloped in divine pleasure.

The Last Part of the Night: The Intimate Converse of the Near Ones

When the night settles into its final stretch, the gates of heaven open to a warm call that fills the horizons: "Is there anyone seeking forgiveness? Is there anyone repenting? Is there anyone asking? Is there anyone supplicating?", until dawn breaks. [4] In the hour before dawn, the soul detaches completely from the clamor of life and prostrates itself in the sanctuary of servitude, where neediness becomes glorification.

The nature of the pleasure: The pleasure the soul tastes in these hours, hidden from people's eyes, is the pleasure of "absolute privacy." It is the joy of freedom from showing off for reputation, and of being alone with the King of Kings, Glorified and Exalted is He.

When the soul settles into the station of pure servitude, neediness in asking turns into the richness of certainty, and the seclusion of the pre-dawn becomes a manifestation of intimacy overflowing with contentment. That seclusion then becomes nourishment for the soul on its wearying journey through this life. Here we may reflect on the Prophet's guidance in his words, peace and blessings be upon him: "Seek help through the morning journey, the afternoon journey, and something of the night journey (al-duljah)." [5][6] The reality of this pleasure lies in the quiet ease that flows through the depths when the broken servant senses that he is as close to his Lord as he can be. His hidden converse then becomes, in the tongue of his state, a personal ascent that lifts him above every worry. It brings him back to the reality of this world, reminding him of its transience, so that his heart is washed of the world's murk before the darkness of the night is lifted.

When the times of divine gifts are folded away, they depart only after the souls have been stilled with them. The soul's share of these acts of worship is a liberation that renews itself and a certainty that grows firm. It is the soul's return, filled with the joy of nearness, having cast from its shoulders the burdens of clay and the sins of travelling the paths of the world. Obedience was never a shackle for bodies. It is a true ascent in which souls taste the sweetness of peace. The soul's need of worship is like the body's need of food: we need worship so that our souls may resume their journey through life with a loftier spirit and a purer heart, enveloped in beautiful contentment and the glad tidings of divine acceptance.

 

Sources and References

[1] Agreed upon: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī (3/26) and Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim (2/807).

[2] Narrated by al-Tirmidhī (5/578), who said: "This is a ḥasan ḥadīth"; and by Ibn Ḥibbān in his Ṣaḥīḥ, chapter: "Mention of the hope that the fasting person's supplication will be answered at the time of breaking his fast" (8/215).

[3] Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim (2/982).

[4] Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim (1/522).

[5] Ibn Rajab, may Allah have mercy on him, said: "He means that these three times are the times of work and of journeying to Allah: the beginning of the day, its end, and the end of the night." Fatḥ al-Bārī by Ibn Rajab (1/152).

[6] Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī (1/16).

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Summarized Fatawaa

What are the conditions governing the portion that must be distributed to the poor from a voluntary uḍḥiyyah (sacrificial offering)?

 
 
 
 
 
 

All praise is due to Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
The following conditions apply to the portion distributed to the poor from the sacrificial animal:
First: It must be meat — it isn`t valid to give the poor organs or offal such as the liver.
Second: It must be given raw — cooked meat does not fulfil the requirement.
Third: It must amount to no less than half a kilogram. And Allah Almighty knows best.

What is the correct point at which to raise the hands when standing up for the third rak‘ah (after the middle tashahhud)?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
Raising the hands while saying the takbīr [when rising for the third rak‘ah] is a recommended sunnah, and omitting it does not affect the validity of the prayer. The proper time for this is after rising from the middle tashahhud, once one has fully stood up.
It is stated in I‘ānat aṭ-Ṭālibīn (Vol.1/P.158): "His statement, 'and rising from the first tashahhud' — meaning, this manner [of raising the hands] is also a sunnah when he rises from the first tashahhud, that is, when he stands upright from it.
Consider [the question]: when precisely does the raising of the hands begin? Is it at the very start of rising from the first tashahhud, or after he has reached the minimum position of rukū‘ [i.e., once fully upright]? The apparent, [correct] view is the latter — even though the outward wording [of the text] might suggest the former — because at the very start of his rising, he is still relying on both hands [to push himself up, and therefore cannot yet raise them]."
It is stated in ‘Umdat as-Sālik (p. 53): "If his prayer extends beyond two rak‘ahs, he sits after them in the iftirāsh position, recites the tashahhud, and sends blessings upon the Prophet ﷺ alone, without [mentioning] his family [at this point]. He then stands while saying the takbīr, supporting himself with his hands; and once he has stood upright, he raises them level with his shoulders." And Allah, the Exalted, knows best.

Is it permissible for a menstruating woman to recite the Quran from the computer without actually touching the Quran?

It is not permissible for a woman in her menstrual period, or in postpartum to recite the Quran, even by heart, or without actually touching the Quran itself. Recitation itself is what is prohibited on her regardless of how it is done. However, it is permissible for her to surf through the Quran by her eyes, or to recall it in her head without uttering the words. There is no harm for her to look at the Quranic verses on the computer without touching it, or to utter the words as this is called looking not reciting or reading.

What is the ruling of Islamic Law on purchasing a home through conventional commercial banks for those living in the West?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
The ruling of Islamic Law on purchasing a home through usurious/interest-bearing loans was previously detailed in Fatwa No. (760). Its summary affirms the prohibition of purchasing homes through interest-bearing loans, based on the general foundational principle of the strict prohibition of Riba (usury). This is the position we hold in devotion to Allah Almighty, and it is the religious edict we convey to the people.
 
As for considering the specific circumstances of a particular country or individual, the questioner must personally consult scholars whom they trust within their country of residence. And Allah Almighty knows best.

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