The Form of Tazkiyah

Worship is an external manifestation of the spirit of tazkiyah. If the spirit of tazkiyah is produced within one, in the real sense, then inevitably one will become God’s worshipper.

There is no visible form of tazkiyah. Had there been a fixed form of tazkiyah, man would think, consciously or unconsciously that, by observing that form, he had completed the course of tazkiyah. In this way, he would become content. But the feeling of contentment in this matter is very harmful. It is essential for the attainment of tazkiyah that one should always have a certain feeling of inadequacy. Such a feeling makes one continuously strive to undergo the process of tazkiyah, whereas any feeling of contentment blocks the incentive to make unremitting efforts.

Tazkiyah and the Islamic way of worship are closely interrelated. Neither can be separated from the other. No one can say that he has completed the process of tazkiyah and is therefore no longer required to perform the acts of worship ordained in Islam.

But this does not mean that the performance of the form of worship in itself is sufficient to serve the purpose of tazkiyah. The correct position is that worship is an external manifestation of the spirit of tazkiyah. If the spirit of tazkiyah is produced within one, in the real sense, then inevitably one will become God’s worshipper.

Worship cannot be separated from tazkiyah. But full emphasis should be laid upon producing the spirit of tazkiyah, rather than upon the external form of worship. It would be true to say that, without worship, the claim to have attained tazkiyah is false. But it is also a fact that the outward form of worship cannot automatically produce the spirit of tazkiyah.