Tafakkur – From Awareness to Gratitude: The Power of Pondering (Part 1)
What is Tafakkur?
By the inspiration of Allāh ta‛ālā and the blessings of my Shaykh, I wish to say something about the reality of tafakkur. Tafakkur means to think and ponder.
Allāh Ta‛ālā says:
These are the parables which Allāh expounds for mankind so that they may reflect.
Allāh ta‛ālā provides examples and parables in the Qur’ān so that man may ponder and reflect over them. Once he ponders and reflects, he will be able to recognize what is beneficial to him and what is harmful. May Allāh ta‛ālā bless us with concern, and that too, of the Hereafter.
There are two things which are of utmost importance in this path, viz. dhikr wa fikr. A person must become engrossed in dhikr. He continues remembering Allāh ta‛ālā, and then sits down and thinks to himself: “My Allāh has showered me with so many favours…He has given me so many bounties!” Once he becomes fully settled in these thoughts, he automatically starts to remember Allāh ta‛ālā again. If he experiences any weariness after this continuous dhikr, he must revert to fikr. This was instructed to us by Hadrat Masīh al-Ummat dāmat barakātuhum [rahimahullāh].
The Importance of Tafakkur
Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‛alayhi wa sallam said in a Hadīth:
Ponder and reflect over the bounties of Allāh.
Every favour of Allāh ta‛ālā makes a demand on us, saying: Look! What are you thinking about me? Who is it who sent me to you? What is the manner of using me?
Pondering and reflecting are most essential. A person cannot be grateful without reflection; he cannot truly recognize Allāh ta‛ālā. There are many benefits in reflection. When a person reflects, he saves himself from matters which are harmful to him, he saves himself from things which would cause him loss, he safeguards himself from people who would harm him, he will do things which are beneficial to him, he learns the essence of what is beneficial. Pondering and reflecting over the bounties and favours of Allāh ta‛ālā is indeed a very great bounty in itself.
