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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 ruling on selling sacrificial animals (udhiyah) described with specific attributes and authorizing an agent to slaughter them?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
Selling sacrificial animals (udhiyah) that are described with specific attributes is permissible. This falls under the category of a salam sale (forward sale) if conducted using the terminology of salam, and under the category of a regular sale if not using the terminology of salam.
 
As for authorizing the seller to slaughter the sacrificial animal, the basic principle is that it is permissible, because the agent (wakil) stands in the place of the principal (muwakkil) in achieving his objective. This is a contract that the principal (the buyer) is entitled to perform himself, so authorizing another (the seller) to do so on his behalf is valid.
 
However, it is a condition for authorization to slaughter that the intention (niyyah) is present either at the time of slaughter or at the time of handing over the sacrificial animal to the agent. The basic principle is that the sacrificial animal must be specifically designated, as it is an act of worship. It is not required to designate it at the time of slaughter; rather, it is valid to do so before that.
 
It is permissible for the principal either to delegate the intention to the agent or to formulate it himself when authorizing the agent to slaughter. However, the sacrificial animal must be designated, even if at the time of slaughter, by the agent.
 
It is obligatory to designate the sacrificial animals so that each person offering a sacrifice receives his own specific animal. Therefore, charitable organizations and companies must take this into consideration and establish a specific mechanism that ensures no mixing of sacrificial animals occurs, so that each person offering a sacrifice receives his own designated animal. And Allah Almighty knows best.

I`m in love with a certain man, and want to marry him in particular, but my family refused that, what should I do?

The father should know what is in the best interest of his daughter and consider her situation. On her part, the daughter should trust her father`s view point as far as suitors are concerned. Moreover, it is prohibited for any woman, or girl to get involved in a relation with a non-Mahram (Marriageable man).

What is the ruling on offering a sheep as a sacrifice (Udhiyah) if its fat-tail is sound, except that when it was young, the tip of its fat-tail was cut so that it would grow larger? And what is the ruling in case of doubt regarding the amount that was cut?

 
In the Name of Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
Cutting a minor, insignificant portion from the tip of an animal's fat-tail (al-alyah) to encourage it to grow larger is not considered a defect, and it does not prevent the animal from being valid for sacrifice (Udhiyah).
 
It is stated in Tuhfat al-Muhtaj (Vol.9/P.352): "There is some scholarly deliberation regarding the common practice of cutting the tip of the fat-tail so that it grows larger. It could potentially be likened to a partial cut of the ear—supported by the jurists' general rule: 'even if it is a small amount.' On the other hand, if it is an exceptionally minor cut, it might have no effect on validity. This is explicitly clarified by the juristic exception to the general rule, which states that cutting a tiny piece from a large limb causes no harm. This latter view is more well-founded.
 
Furthermore, I found that some scholars investigated this matter and concluded: 'It should not affect validity if a custom-sanctioned portion of its fat-tail is removed during its youth to make it grow larger and look better, just as castrating a male animal causes no harm.' However, applying this unconditionally contradicts the established texts of the jurists, as understood from what I have laid out; thus, the restriction I specified is what must be relied upon."
 
Similarly, it is mentioned in Nihayat al-Muhtaj (8/135): "If a small piece is cut from the fat-tail to help it grow larger, the most well-founded view is that the sacrifice remains valid, as was given in a formal legal verdict (Fatwa) by my father [Shihab al-Din al-Ramli], may Allah be pleased with him. This is proven by the jurists' maxim: 'The loss of a tiny piece from a large limb causes no harm.'"
 
In cases where there is doubt as to whether the portion cut was large or small, the animal is still deemed valid for sacrifice. It is noted in Hashiyat al-Shubramallisi ‘ala Nihayat al-Muhtaj (Vol.8/P.135):
 
"This matter requires careful consideration, but the closer and more correct view is that it is valid. This is because soundness is the default state for the animal from which the piece was cut, and it aligns with what usually occurs—namely, that the part removed to help the fat-tail grow larger is naturally very small." And Allah the Almighty Knows Best.

What is the ruling on someone who possesses gold with the intention of saving/hoarding it, and owns nothing else — is he obligated to sell a portion of it in order to pay the zakāh due on it?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
Zakāh becomes immediately obligatory on cash, and likewise on gold — that which is not designated for a woman's personal adornment— once both reach the niṣāb (minimum threshold liable for zakah) and a full ḥawl (lunar year) has passed over them. It is not permissible to delay payment when it is genuinely possible to pay — meaning, when the wealth and the eligible recipients are both available. It is stated in Mughnī al-Muḥtāj (Vol.2/p.129): "Zakāh is obligatory immediately once it becomes feasible to pay it, meaning when the wealth and the eligible recipients are both present."
The one paying zakāh must discharge the obligatory zakāh due on saved (hoarded) gold either from the gold itself, or from its equivalent monetary value, in the event that no other funds are available — since paying from the gold itself is the original default (al-aṣl). It becomes permissible to pay from other funds instead only because zakāh is built upon the principle of ease and leniency, as stated in Asnā al-Maṭālib (Vol.1/p.366): "When a full ḥawl has elapsed on wealth other than trade goods... zakāh attaches to the actual asset itself (al-‘ayn), and the poor effectively become partners in it — even, for example, [becoming partners] in camels through the value of a sheep [owed as zakāh on them]... Paying from other wealth is permitted only because zakāh is built upon the principle of ease and leniency."
Accordingly: the one paying zakāh must discharge it either from the actual saved gold itself, or by selling a portion of the gold equal to the amount of zakāh owed. He may also borrow money to pay the zakāh, or pay the zakāh in installments before the ḥawl is complete [as an advance payment]. And Allah, the Exalted, knows best.

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