Muḥāsaba
Definition
Muhasaba is the disciplined practice of regularly examining one's inner and outer life — checking the state of the heart, reviewing one's actions, identifying patterns of strength and weakness, and making corrections before small errors solidify into character flaws. Al-Ghazali draws on the merchant metaphor: the self-accounting person treats each day as a business ledger, reviewing their spiritual profit (acts of obedience, moments of God-consciousness, purified intentions) and their spiritual loss (sins, heedlessness, wasted time, corrupt intentions). The Prophet ﷺ said: 'Hold yourselves accountable before you are held accountable.' Muhasaba is the practice of taking that command seriously every single day.
As understood in the classical tradition of Imam al-Ghazali and the scholars of his school.
Appears in
4 books in the library
Hear the term in context.
Every book above uses Muḥāsaba the way the classical scholars meant it. Listen with the full Study Kit in the app.