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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 is the wisdom behind legislating the Udhiyah?

The Muslim must know that through the Uḍḥiyah, he complies with the command of Allah, the Exalted, and performs a worship that brings him closer to Allah and distances him from the Fire.
 
The Uḍḥiyah holds profound wisdoms and noble meanings, including:
 
1-Reviving the Sunnah of Abraham, peace be upon him: He complied with Allah's command when He ordered him to slaughter his son Ishmael. Abraham, peace be upon him, succeeded in the test, and when he was about to slaughter his son, Allah sent down a ram to ransom Ishmael and commanded him to slaughter it instead. Allah, the Exalted, says {what means]: "And when he reached with him [the age of] exertion, he said, 'O my son, indeed I have seen in a dream that I [must] sacrifice you, so see what you think.' He said, 'O my father, do as you are commanded. You will find me, if Allah wills, of the steadfast.' And when they had both submitted and he put him down upon his forehead, We called to him, 'O Abraham, You have fulfilled the vision.' Indeed, We thus reward the doers of good. Indeed, this was the clear trial. And We ransomed him with a great sacrifice." [Al-Ṣāffāt/102-107]. Thus, the sacrificial offering became an enduring Sunnah until the Day of Judgment, and Muslims offer their wealth as sacrifices, drawing closer to Allah, the Exalted, reviving this great Sunnah.
 
2-Providing abundance for people on Eid day and the Days of Tashrīq: Among the wisdoms of the Uḍḥiyah is that the Muslim provides generously for his family, neighbors, relatives, and the poor during these days. The Muslim is encouraged to eat from his sacrifice, give charity from it to the poor, and gift from it to his wealthy neighbors. Thus, goodness spreads throughout the entire community. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "The Days of Tashrīq are days of eating and drinking." (Narrated by Muslim). Allah, the Exalted, says {what means}: "And the camels and cattle We have appointed for you as among the symbols of Allah; for you therein is good." [Al-Ḥajj/36]. This good includes the good of both this world and the Hereafter.

What should the one performing the slaughter say at the time of slaughtering the 'aqīqah?

All praise is due to Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
It is Sunnah to say the following supplication at the time of slaughtering the 'aqīqah:
"Bismillāhi wallāhu Akbar, Allāhumma laka wa ilayka, hādhihi 'aqīqatu fulān."
("In the name of Allah, and Allah is the Greatest. O Allah, this is for You and unto You — this is the 'aqīqah of [the child's name].")
This is based on what al-Bayhaqī narrated in Al-Sunan al-Kubrā (Vol.9/P.511), that the Prophet ﷺ said: "Slaughter it in his name and say: In the name of Allah, and Allah is the Greatest. O Allah, this is for You and unto You — this is the 'aqīqah of so-and-so."
And Allah Almighty knows best.

Is it permissible to give Zakah (obligatory charity) to one`s poor sister, or brother?

It is permissible for one to give the Zakah to his poor sister, or brother if providing for them isn`t due on him, and the sister doesn`t receive sufficient provision from whomever that is due on. And Allah 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.

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