Contemplation [Fikr]
Contemplation (fikr or tafakkur) is an important aspect of the methodology of Islam in general and Tasawwuf in particular. In both the Qur’an al kareem and the sunnah, people are instructed by Allah to contemplate. In surat al-Nahl, Allah [Almighty is He] states;
Similarly, in surah al ‘Imran, we read,
“Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the succession of night and day, there are indeed signs for all who possess [awakened] hearts, those who remember Allah [Exalted is He] when they stand, sit, and lie down and contemplate the creation of the heavens and the earth” [Qur'an 3:190-91].
One hadith that clearly expresses the significance of contemplation in the sunnah was cited by Imam al Ghazali,
“An hour’s worth of contemplation is better than a year’s worth of worship.”
