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

Meditation is a deep religious thought over a particular subject. It is a strenuous spiritual exercise requiring composure of mind, internal quietitude, abstraction from sense and persistent concentration of attention. It can also be defined briefly as devotion or contemplation in a particular pious direction. The term is invariably used in an esoteric sense and associated with human indulgence in establishing communion with the Divine. It is also understood as the seeker's involvement in certain prescribed physical austerities for attainment of moral and spiritual heights, and suppression of carnal desires inherent in human nature. Worship in Islam requires concentration of mind as well as the discipline of the body, but cannot be regarded as a synonym for meditation. The other terms used in the context of meditation are fikr (reflection), mushahida (contemplation), mujahida (self-mortification), isteghraq (absorption), tawajjuh (concentration), tark (abstinence), taqwa (piety) etc. All these may be accepted as the several types of acts characterized by meditation. In Sufi parlance such acts are called ashghal or occupations, which require guidance of a perfect preceptor for acquiring the maximum spiritual benefit from them.