Introduction

Ascending to the heavens to approach God is a phenomenon observed in many religions and mystical traditions. Those who embark on this spiritual journey are primarily prophets, as well as distinguished people known as awliya’, saints, and even certain kings. Among the prophets, Hazrat Muhammad, Idris, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus are attributed with having ascended to heaven. Likewise, Zoroaster, Mani, Buddha, and St. Paul recount experiences of such an ascension in various religious texts.

The concept of the Mi’raj, the event where Prophet Muhammad ascended through the seven layers of the heavens, is associated in Sufism with the process of transcending the seven levels of the self to attain spiritual perfection. This inward journey, called sayr-i suluq, aims to build the self through moral virtuosity. However, this inward journey differs from a Sufi’s journey to the metaphysical realm at the level of contemplation. The Prophet Muhammad’s (pbuh) experiences during al-Mi’raj, where he witnessed paradise, hell, and al-A’raf as he ascended to the highest station to receive divine directives and prohibitions and subsequently convey these revelations to humanity, have significantly influenced the mystical journey of Sufis into the metaphysical realm. Indeed, figures such as Bayezid al-Bistamī (d.234/848 or 261/875) and Ibn al-’Arabī (d.638/1240) expressed having undertaken such a spiritual journey.

Al-Muhāsibī and Kitāb al-Tawahhūm

Hārith al-Muhāsibī (d.243/857) was an important theoretician of Islamic Sufi thought. He made significant contributions to his era through seminal works delineating the tenets of virtuous conduct and Muslim identity and influenced subsequent scholars and intellectuals. While his most famous work is Al-Riāyah, his most elegant work is Kitāb al-Tawahhūm, which stands out for its eloquent prose reminiscent of poetry.

The term al-tawahhūm (مهوتلا) as elucidated in dictionaries conveys the act of imaginatively conceiving of something, whether real or hypothetical, and shaping it within the confines of the mind. In a broader context, al-tawahhūm entails the imaginative contemplation of thoughts arising within the heart. Hārith al-Muhāsibī also evaluated the term al-tawahhūm within this framework and constructed an imaginary journey about the afterlife. In his work, he vividly narrates a spiritual journey to the metaphysical realm, presenting it in a unique and original manner. However, this journey must be distinguished from the inward journey of self-construction known as sayr-i suluq in Sufi terminology, because the journey in al-Muhāsibī’s work takes place beyond the human being, more precisely in the realm of imagination.

On the other hand, Kitāb al-Tawahhūm can also be seen as a reaction to the pressure, marginalization, and societal isolation policies imposed by Ahmad ibn Hanbal (d. 241/855) and his followers against those who did not share their views. It can also be considered a silent outcry against injustice and a ray of hope for the oppressed.

 Al-Muḥāsibī exhibited an influence on al-Ghazālī (d.505/1111) regarding the subject of death and the afterlife. As Margaret Smith, (2002) emphasized in her work “The forerunner of al-Ghazali”, al-Ghazālī had assimilated various sections of Al-Durrat al Fāhirah and the chapter titled “Kitāb al-Zikr al-Mawt wa mā Ba’dehū” in the tenth book of the Ihya based on al-Tawahhūm. Al-Muhāsibī employed the term tawahham [imagine] to captivate the attention of the interlocutor, whereas al-Ghazālī generally preferred the word tafakkar [think], only occasionally using tawahham. Hence, akin to his other literary contributions, al-Muḥāsibī had substantively enriched al-Ghazālī’s intellectual perspective through Kitāb al-Tawahḥūm.

Experiences During and After Death

In the work Kitāb al-Tawahhūm, al-Muhāsibī eloquently describes with an aesthetic perspective the journey of human life that begins with death and ends in heaven or hell. He presents the stages of human existence (i.e., birth, worldly life, death, the grave, resurrection, sirat [the bridge], and hell or heaven) as phases of a journey. Grounded in Qur’anic verses and hadiths, he skillfully portrays the terrors and joys of death and the afterlife. His narrative encapsulates the moment of death, wherein he vividly describes the encounter with the angel of death and portrays the pain of death as if he himself were experiencing it. Subsequent to interment, al-Muhāsibī vividly describes the arrival of the angels of interrogation, and the opening of a door leading to either heaven or hell depending on the individual’s answers. He then depicts lively scenes of the resurrection and the Day of Judgment, portraying everyone’s preoccupation with their own troubles as the sky splits open and the sun approaches people. He beautifully conveys people’s desire for a quick reckoning in order to get rid of this troublesome situation. Al-Muhāsibī captures the psychology of those crossing the bridge, the cries of those cast into hell, and the unanswered pleas for help, inviting the reader to contemplate on these difficult situations. He depicts the blissful lives of those who overcome this difficulty and enter paradise and its various flowing rivers, depicting the joy-filled existence in the splendid palaces promised to them. The narrative delicately balances the emotions of fear and hope while describing the afterlife and emphasizes the importance of having an honest personality while still in the world.

Al-Muhāsibī artfully embellishes the imaginary journey into the metaphysical realm, immersing the reader into the events and providing a sense of living through them. Starting from the moment of death, al-Muhāsibī narrates the events to be encountered  in the grave, the resurrection, crossing the bridge, and experiencing hell and heaven by drawing inspiration from ayahs and hadiths. Rather than merely enumerating these sources, he integrates them seamlessly into the narrative, infusing each element with profound meaning. His examples illustrating the challenges of the events after death are particularly compelling. After the great reckoning, the swift passage of those whose deeds are favorably acknowledged from the right through the bridge and leading them to happiness in paradise enhances the hope for mercy. Meanwhile, the punishment of falling in to hell for those individuals whose deeds are presented from the left and behind encourages a reflection on rectifying one’s actions and on becoming an honest individual during one’s earthly life. The attainment of the promised magnificent blessings by the inhabitants of paradise and the confrontation of the damned with the dreadful torment they were warned about instill an understanding of the importance of not hurting anyone’s feelings during the life of this world.

Conclusion

Islamic Sufi thought has established a relationship between the seven layers of the heavens through which the Prophet ascended during al-Mi’raj and the seven levels of the soul traversed by a spiritual aspirant (Salik). The practice of sayr-i suluq, undertaken with the aim of attaining closeness to Allah, is considered a spiritual journey of ascent. However, this is an inward journey. In addition to this, it also involves an outward journey through the metaphysical realm using the power of contemplation, which is recognized as another manifestation of the spiritual journey of ascent. As a matter of fact, esteemed figures such as Bayezid al-Bistamī, the Sultan al-Ārifin, and Shaykh al-Akbar Ibn al-’Arabī have asserted their personal experiences with this spiritual journey of ascent. Hārith al-Muhāsibī, through his enthusiastic narrative in Kitāb al-Tawahhūm, also aligns himself with the ranks of the sage scholars who’ve embarked on an imaginative journey into the metaphysical realm. Al Muhāsibī’s Kitāb al-Tawahhūm is also among the sources that nourished al-Ghazālī’s ideas.

In Kitāb al-Tawahhūm, al-Muhāsibī takes his companion on a tour of heaven, hell, and al-A’raf (purgatory, a place between heaven and hell). These themes have also been explored in the works by Ardāviraf, Maarrī, Ibn al-’Arabī, Dante, Milton, and Iqbal regarding the spiritual journey of ascent. While al-Muhāsibī adhered to a method grounded in the Qur’an and hadith, others incorporated astrological and mythological elements. Nevertheless, all of them employed a rich array of symbols and metaphors. Notably, all these thinkers are worth mentioning as having embraced a life of asceticism, leading to accusations of being innovators in religious matters or heretics and resulting in their ostracization from society due to their unconventional thoughts.

As a consequence, the death that marks the beginning of the journey to the metaphysical realm is an experience every living being in every age encounters. People of today are endowed with the capacity for contemplation and understanding and cannot ignore the religious and moral values highlighted by al-Muhāsibī and others. Their aim was to reconstruct moral values within society, as emphasized by Iqbal, and to educate youths with both the practical and spiritual knowledge of the time. Hence, by drawing lessons from those who have passed away, the virtuous individual refrains from infringing upon the rights of servitude and avoids causing harm to others. By structuring their life between fear and hope, such individuals contribute to the cultivation of moral virtues such as love, sincerity (ikhlas), chastity, taqwa [piety], vera [truth], and justice within society