Ismaili.NET - Heritage F.I.E.L.D.

The word award-burd means controlling of the breath. The Koran says, "I swear by the breath of the morning" (81:18). The Prophet said, "Do not abuse the wind, for the wind is the breath of God" (la tasubbur riha fa innaha min nafsir rahmani). The control of the breath was an early characteristic to practice irk in the Sufism. Abu Yazid al-Bistami (d. 874) is reported as saying, "For Gnostics, worship is observance of the breaths." Abu Bakr ash-Shibli (d. 945) says that, "The tasawwuf is control of the faculties and observance of the breaths." Breath control was firstly imparted in Islam by Khizar to Khwaja Abdul Khaliq Ghujduwani (d. 1220). Shah Karimullah Jahanabadi (1650-1730), a Chishtiyya saint in India writes in his Kashkul-i Kalimi (comp. 1690) that, "The breath control are of two types: habs-i nafs (breath suspension) and hasr-i nafs (breathing below the normal rate). In habs-i nafs the breath is drawn from the stomach and the naval to the chest, or to the brain; the stomach and the naval move closer to the spine during the movement. This technique is most effective and generates intense heat. Hasr-i nafs, or respiration below the normal rate of breathing generates less heat in the body."

Among the Indian mystics, the practice of pranayama is common, which controls over the emotions, calmness of mind and improving nervous system. It increases the alpha waves in the brain. For its practice, relaxation is essential. First the body, neck and shoulder should be relaxed. In the beginning, the pranayama exhorts to do the practice of 4-16-8. Close the right nostril with right thumb, exhale through the left nostril, and then inhale through the left nostril to the count of four. Close the left nostril with the ring and little finger. Hold the breath to the count of sixteen. Open the right nostril and exhale to the count of eight. Now inhale through the right nostril and repeat the process in reverse. This should be no more than six rounds daily for the first six months. It should be made on an empty stomach. Breathe only through nose, and take time to relax after each pranayama. It should not be done by the persons of high blood pressure. Any sitting pose, in which the spine is straight. The Indian mystics believe that pranayama destroys the illusion, and procures calmness and one-pointedness of mind. It eliminates carbon dioxide, making proper absorption of oxygen. It also control the restless of mind and increases awareness. The controlling of the breath during worship is however forbidden in the Ismaili tariqah.