The Form and Spirit of Religion

The Form and Spirit of Religion it his sole concern, that while going to bed he should think of maarifah, while getting out of bed he should think of maarifah. He should engross himself in it to the point of starting to dream of it. The price of maarifah is total surrender. One who does not totally surrender to maarifah, will find that the doors of maarifah will never be opened to him. The Form and Spirit of Religion T here are two aspects of the knowledge of religion— one is the knowledge of the form (masail) of religion, and the other is the knowledge of the maarifah of religion. Commands or laws relate to the form of religion, whereas maarifah is related to the spirit of religion. To become religious both are essential. Knowledge of the commands and laws does not give man knowledge of maarifah, but if one acquires a knowledge of maarifah, he will certainly grasp the commands of religion. The journey of religion begins from maarifah and arrives at the commands and the laws. On the contrary, knowledge of the commands does not lead one automatically to maarifah. What is maarifah? Maarifah, in fact, is man coming to discover the reality of life, finding the answer to his internal quest, and the right ideology of life. Maarifah, in a word, is internal revolution. When this internal