mujāhadah

mujāhadah

▪ Ṣūfism
      (Arabic: “striving”), in Sufism, struggle with the carnal self; the word is related to jihad (struggle), which is often understood as “holy war.” The Sufis refer to mujāhadah as al-jihād al-akbar (the greater war) in contrast to al-jihād al-aṣghar (the minor war), which is waged against unbelievers. It is one of the major duties that a Sufi must perform throughout his mystical journey toward union with God.

      All acts of penance and austerity, such as prolonged fasts and abstinence from the comforts of life, have become part of the mujāhadah practice. Some Sufis have gone beyond mere bodily torture to the extreme of self-immolation. Such excesses, however, are frowned upon by most Sufis. The purpose of mujāhadah is to conquer the temptations of the self in order to purify one's soul and bring one's soul to a state of readiness to receive the divine light.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать курсовую

Look at other dictionaries:

  • maqām — Spiritual stage that serves as a milestone on the path followed by Muslim mystics (Sufis) as they strive to reach the vision of and union with God. The Sufi progresses through his own spiritual efforts and through the guidance of sheikhs. In each …   Universalium

  • mushāhadah — ▪ Ṣūfism Arabic“witnessing” or “viewing” also called  shuhūd (“witnesses”)        in Sufi (Muslim mystic) terminology, the vision of God obtained by the illuminated heart of the seeker of truth. Through mushāhadah, the Sufi acquires yaqīn (real… …   Universalium

  • Shaṭṭārīyah — ▪ Ṣūfī order       Ṣūfī (Muslim mystic) order deriving its name from either a 15th century Indian mystic called Shaṭṭārī or the Arabic word shāṭir (“breaker”), referring to one who has broken with the world.       Most Muslim mystics emphasize… …   Universalium

  • mujaheddin — mu|ja|hed|din [ˌmu:dʒəheˈdi:n] n [plural] [Date: 1900 2000; : Arabic; Origin: mujahadah fighting, making a great effort ] Muslim soldiers with strong religious beliefs …   Dictionary of contemporary English

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”