Mushahadee : Observing with the heart
Mushahadee is a tasawwuf concept that is related with an special stage for the “areef” ones. The areef is the one who is occupied with knowing himself to know more about Allah(j.j) in better way. Naturally, this doesn’t mean about “self-actualization”, since tasawwuf studies is exempt from such egoistic and narcissistic terms. A sufi doesn’t observe himself to “polish up” his character or to express himself in a flamboyant way. All kinds of “self-knowing” in tasawwuf has only one aim, that is to obtain more knowledge about our creator.
Mushahadee’s meaning is related with seeing, watching and observing. Depending on the context it can mean all three but it is more like “observing with the heart” or in popular terminology “seeing with the third eye open”
One can engage in Mushahadee for the entire universe only through the scope of “tahweed”, oneness and uniqueness of Allah(j.j). Usually a sufi reaches this stage only after certain “veils” are removed from the eyes.
Such veils are usually related with mundane activities and concerns. Once they are removed “by the grace of Allah(j.j), the soul will start to observe the universe from a different point of view and such view is closely related with “knowing Allah(j.j)”
One can perform every kind of scientific observation in life, if this series of “knowledge production process” doesn’t teach him anything “meaningful” about the existence of humankind, then such observation is in vain. Mushahadee is the kind of observation modern-man especially need since every form of mundane layers are usually encrusting the true meaning of “living things”.
In the history of tasawwuf, mutasawwufs have defined three stages for Mushahadee. In the first stage the soul starts observing existence by witnessing the wonders and virtues behind it.
In the second stage their heart will be cleansed of every trace that is not related to Allah(j.j)
In the final stage, they will observe only Allah(j.j) if though their physical eyes are “watching” many different formations of existence, however, wherever they look at or whatever they witness, they see Allah(j.j) only.
Baris Tarimcioglu/islamoformation.com
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