Tafakkur Meditation is an Islamic worship technique that requires combining one’s spirit, emotions, and the rational mind(1). The aim of Tafakkur is spiritual contemplation. The technique involves worshiping Allah and appreciating the creations of Allah that exist in the universe(1).
What you seek is seeking you.
-Rumi
In general, Reflection Meditation is a mental process that requires the practitioner to think on a specific theme(2). It is a simple method that is perfect for beginners and advanced meditators alike. While regular methods of Reflection Meditation can involve multiple objects for contemplation, Tafakkur requires the practitioners to reflect specifically on Allah(2)(1).
History/Origins
‘Tafakkur’ is an Arabic word that originates from “fikr”, which literally means “to think”(3). In Islam, ‘Tafakkur’ means to reflect upon an object. It refers to the intellectual faculty of thought, and its practice can also be observed in Sufism, a form of Islamic philosophy(3).
Tafakkur has been used to denote a specific kind of reflective meditation, since the Persian Sufi period(3). The technique has close relation to another Sufi practice of remembering Allah, known as “dhikr.” There are a number of Quranic passages where both terms have been mentioned together, indicating that both are treated as equally reliable methods for contemplating on Allah(3).
Divine sound is the cause of all manifestation. The knower of the mystery of sound knows the mystery of the whole universe.
-Hazrat Inayat Khan
Ihya Ulum al-Din by al-Ghazali detailed the description of Tafakkur in its “Chapter on Meditation(3)”. According to al-Ghazali, unlike ordinary reflection that is a purely logical exercise, Tafakkur is a method of reflecting on Allah’s creations(3) using faculties of the mind, heart and emotions.
Benefits of Tafakkur Meditation
A research article published in The Journal of Positive Psychology(5)informs that reflection-based techniques like Tafakkur have the potential to develop personal growth, self-acceptance, autonomy and purpose in life. Research also shows that the method can have positive effects on psychological well-being. Another research paper by Alan Nelson(6) suggests that similar meditation practices can also help with spiritual and psychological growth.
References
1. Mahya Yayıncılık | Contemplation: An Islamic Psychospiritual Study by Malik Badri
2. Universal Publishers | Alternative States of Consciousness in Shamanism, Imaginal Psychotherapies, Hypnotherapy, and Meditation Including a Shamanism and Meditation Inspired Personal and Professional Training Program for the 21st Century Psychotherapist: A Cognitive, Intrapsychic, Experiential, and Transpersonal Research Project and Program by Allen Holmquist
3. Brill | Reading Islam: Life and Politics of Brotherhood in Modern Turkey by Fabio Vicini
4. Lulu.com | God Speaks Through the Holy Spirit – Reflective Meditations by Susan Kramer
5. The Journal of Positive Psychology | Volume 10, Issue 4 | The effect of contemplation and meditation on ‘great compassion’ on the psychological well-being of adolescents by Jennifer M. Bach and Tharina Guse
6. Journal of Humanistic Psychology | Volume 24, Issue 3 | Prayer for Peace: Meditation, Contemplation, and Nonviolence in Our Nuclear Age by Alan Nelson
7. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences | Volume 8, Issue 11 | Experts’ View within Fatwa Production in Malaysia by Khairuldin, Anas, and Embong
8. International Journal of Civil Engineering and Technology | Volume 9, Issue 7 | The Application of Technology in the Dissemination of Fatwas: A Study on Religious Institutions in Malaysia by Khairuldin, Embong, Anas, H. Mohd, and D. Ismail
9. International Journal of Mechanical Engineering and Technology | Volume 10, Issue 4 | The Challenges of Fatwa Institutions in Malaysia in Facing the Progress of Science and Technology by Khairuldin, Anas, Embong, D. Ismail, and M.S. Hanapi
