ʿIbra
Definition
ʿIbra — taking a lesson, drawing a moral from what one sees — is the specific fruit that beneficial tafakkur is meant to produce. The word shares a root with ʿabara, meaning 'to cross over' — the idea being that the contemplating heart crosses over from the surface of what it observes to the deeper meaning beneath. Al-Ghazali teaches that every phenomenon in the world contains ʿibra for those who will look: the ruins of past civilizations speak of the fragility of worldly power; the death of every living thing speaks of the certainty of one's own death; the dependence of every plant on sun and water speaks of one's own dependence on God. ʿIbra is contemplation that changes how one lives.
As understood in the classical tradition of Imam al-Ghazali and the scholars of his school.
How the scholars use ʿIbra.
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"Among them is the safety of meeting Him by meeting Him... and the separation from every unjust companion. If there were no other good in death except that it is the gateway to this life and a bridge to cross over to it, it would suffice as a gift for the believer. May اللّٰه reward death well on our behalf, for it is kinder to us than any kindness and more gentle."
— Ibn al-Qayyim, Volume Three
Appears in
2 books in the library
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Every book above uses ʿIbra the way the classical scholars meant it. Listen with the full Study Kit in the app.