God-remembrance

Many places in the Quran talk about the psychology of God-remembrance / awareness.

What I mean about God-remembrance/awareness is including God in the equation of everything. In the efforts we make, the situations we’re in, successes, failures, good times, bad times, and everything that happens to us. 

The connection between God-remembrance and our psyche

In connection with God-remembrance, every person has different states and responses toward their given situation. However, the Quran specifically says that the majority of human beings have linear co-relation between their God-remembrance and the situations they’re in, as you can see in the graph below:

Whenever things are going according to plan, everything is easy, most people are in a state of heedlessness. Most people’s state of mind is that success is only because of themselves. It’s because of their hard work, their skills, their brilliance, their physique, etc. God has nothing to do with it. However, when things are not going according to plan, whenever they’re put in difficult situations where there seem to be no solutions or escape routes, they begin to remember God. In fact, in many cases, they start blaming God because of their mishaps. 

So for many people, everything good comes from themselves, while everything bad comes from God. This kind of mentality is something that we need to watch out for and avoid.

What Muslims should strive for is a steady level of God-remembrance no matter what the condition is, as shown in the figure above. Because in reality, there is nothing that happens without God’s will. Whatever attributes we have are from Him. Furthermore, the good and the bad that happen to us are supposed to happen, and we just need to find the best response to them. 

Effect of God-remembrance

There is a void in the human heart that we try to fill in. Some fill it with money, some with fame, some with food, some with pursuing a career, etc. But that void can never truly be filled with worldly items. The Quran tells us that the filling of the void, achieving tranquility of the (spiritual) heart, can only be through the remembrance of God.

In the Islamic tradition, remembrance of God is key to religiosity. And at the practical level, according to this study, there is a positive correlation between religiosity and well-being. Well-being is also improved through beliefs, worship, and prayer. 

But to reach a high level of certainty in the effects of God-remembrance is difficult. Moreso for the modern man who is disconnected from his spiritual self. However, experiential knowledge of it can be obtained. There is a specific branch of science in the Islamic tradition to achieve it, the science of ihsan/tasawwuf.

Conclusion

In reality, the levels of God-remembrance will fluctuate, and maintaining stability is very difficult, impossible even. And it’s in our nature to become heedless and forget about God from time to time. Difficulties and sadness can actually be blessings for certain people, as they force us to remember God and put us back on the right track. In fact, when we take a look at the life of the Prophets, most of them had difficult and challenging lives. 

Perhaps when we’re constantly facing difficulties and challenges in doing what we think is good and right, God is helping us to remember Him, and God-remembrance is such a treasure, especially in this time and age. God’s plans are the best of plans. 

God knows best.

Reflections of Surah Ar Rum Verse 30

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