MAJALAH AL-HIKMAH EDISI 8 | 2020

10 Said Hawwa and the Importance of Spiritual Development Dr. Marina Munira Abdul Mutalib (USIM) Dr Asadur Rahman (IIUM) Short Biography of Said Hawwa Sa’id Hawwa (1935-1989) was a prominent ideologue and a leading scholar in the Muslim Brotherhood of Syria who had authored many books. Most of his books dealt with the organizational principles and structures for Islamic organizations, including the spiritual and practical training, particularly for the members of the Muslim Brotherhood and the Muslim masses in general. The followings are some of the excerpts from one of the chapters (13 th Chapter) of his magnum opus on spirituality, titled “ Tarbiyyātuna al- Rῡhiyya ” or “Our Spiritual Development”. Getting Connected with Allah SWT Sa c īd Ḥawwā had constantly encouraged the Muslims to know Allah and to communicate with Him in many meaningful ways. In the context of reaching out to Allah SWT, he quotes Ibn c Atā that the attainment of Allah SWT and communicating with Him barely mean to acquire the knowledge about Allah SWT. He also confirms three remarkable signs along the process of knowing Allah SWT. According to Sa c īd Ḥawwā it is to know Allah SWT in such a way that (1) the intellect gives its consent, (2) the heart accepts Him (3) and the soul affirms. However, one must be constantly cautious that nothing can be assumed or imagined about His form, His essence, or similarity, contact, involvement, position and any association. At the same time, it is gaining such a feeling in which man perceives the closeness of Allah SWT to him and his closeness to Allah SWT. Allah says: (O Prophet!) When My servants ask you about Me, (you tell them) I am so close to them that when someone calls me, I respond to his call. (Surah al-Baqarah, 2: 186) A