Ramadan’s role in spiritual elevation

In his third column, Abd el-Hafid Benchouk addresses the theme of Spiritual excellence in Islam. It is based in particular on the famous hadith of Jibril, which exhibits the three levels of the faith: theIslamL’Iman and theIhsan. He particularly insists on this last level, which represents the culmination of the spiritual path of the believer. Author of the book “The little book of Sufism”, published by Hachette editions, Abd el-Hafid Benchouk is spiritual master and guide of the Sufi house in Saint-Ouen

The three levels of faith

Jibril’s hadith, second of 40 hadiths in Imam An-Nawawi, defines three stages of the faith:

1. Islam : It is based on Five pillars (Shahada, prayer, fasting, alms and pilgrimage).
2. Iman : It consists in believing in Six pillars of faith (God, his angels, his books, his prophets, last day and fate).
3. IHSAN : This is the Quest for spiritual excellencedefined in the hadith by: “It is that you love Allah as if you saw him, because if you, you don’t see him, see him.” »»

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IHSAN: an objective of constant progression

The speaker insists that theIhsan is a quest that does not know an end. Every Muslim must strive to progress in his relationship with God. He emphasizes that the month of Ramadan is an ideal period to question yourself and assess the quality of its religious practices. It is a privileged moment to identify and correct its habits, whether it be harmful behaviors (such as cigarettes) or a mechanical religious practice and devoid of sincerity.

The importance of concentration in prayer

Abd el-Hafid Benchouk highlights a crucial point : the need to be completely present in prayer. He invites the faithful not to consider it as a simple obligation to send quickly, but rather as a Moment of spiritual elevation. To achieve this, he offers several methods:

• Imagine standing in front of the Kaaba when praying.
• Getting aware that when you pray in a sacred place, the value of prayer is multiplied, and that with a sincere concentration, this effect can be felt everywhere.
• Make Surerogatory prayers before and after compulsory prayers, which allows to enter a deeper state of meditation.

Ramadan’s role in spiritual elevation

The month of Ramadan is conducive to this quest for excellencebecause it pushes believers to refocus on the essentials. The speaker also highlights the importance of night prayerswhich take on a particular dimension during this period. In winter, long nights allow these moments of meditation to be extended.

Conclusion

Abd el-Hafid Benchouk concludes by recalling that the divine presence is always accessible to those who sincerely seek spiritual elevation. He encourages everyone to make theIhsan A daily objective, by cultivating sincerity and mindfulness in its acts of worship. Thus, each prayer, each invocation, each act of devotion can become a means of achieving spiritual excellence.