#27 Ramadan: A Journey of Consciousness with Dr Fawzia al-Rifai
Guest:
Dr. Fawzia Al-Rawi is a renowned Sufi scholar, teacher, and author specializing in the inner dimensions of Islam. With extensive expertise in Islamic mysticism, she explores how traditional Sufi insights can be applied to modern spiritual practice—especially during the sacred month of Ramadan. Dr. Fawzia is celebrated for her poetic yet deeply scholarly approach, guiding listeners and readers toward a transformative journey of self-purification and God-consciousness (taqwā).
Her work, notably exemplified in her book The Call of Allah: The Companion to the Month of Ramadan, reflects a commitment to bridging classical teachings with contemporary life. On The Hikmah Project podcast, she offers reflections that weave together Quranic wisdom and the insights of mystics like Ibn ʿArabī, illustrating how acts such as fasting serve both as an act of devotion and as a means to purify the heart and elevate the soul.
Dr. Fawzia’s teachings invite both Muslims and spiritual seekers to deepen their connection with the Divine through disciplined practice, self-reflection, and an appreciation for the timeless spiritual heritage of Islam. Further details can be found on her website
Introduction
In this illuminating episode of The Hikmah Project, host Saqib Safdar engages in a profound conversation with Dr. Fawzia Al-Rawi, a distinguished Sufi teacher and scholar. As Ramadan approaches, Dr. Al-Rawi invites listeners to explore the deeper meaning of fasting beyond mere physical abstention – unveiling it as a journey of the soul toward the Divine. The dialogue is imbued with a mystical, poetic atmosphere: imagery of inner dawns breaking and hearts being polished to mirrors, drawing from Sufi expressions and the Qur’an. In gentle tones, Dr. Al-Rawi shares insights into how sacred practices like fasting cultivate taqwā (reverent God-consciousness) and purification, how the Prophets serve as guiding lights, and how the Qur’an itself is a living wellspring of divine mysteries. Listeners are invited to witness reflections of the Divine Face in both East and West – a reminder of the One Light shining through every direction, every moment.
Key Discussion Points
- Fasting as a Sacred Purification – Dr. Al-Rawi delves into the inner purpose of fasting, portraying it as a sacred act of love and discipline. Beyond denying the body food and drink, fasting becomes a purification of the self that weakens the nafs (ego-driven desires) and redirects one’s focus to the inner spiritual world. In this abstention, the heart becomes an empty cup waiting to be filled with divine grace. Fasting, she explains, is a practice done solely for God – a secret between the lover and the Beloved that nurtures sincerity and patience. Indeed, as the Qur’an reveals, fasting was prescribed to believers “so that you may become al-muttaqūn” – people of profound God-consciousness. In the light of this verse, fasting is more than a duty; it is a means of attaining taqwā, a way to kindle the lamp of awareness of Allah in the heart.
- Taqwā – The Inner Radiance of God-Consciousness – Building on that theme, the conversation illuminates taqwā as the inner light that fasting and remembrance ignite within. Taqwā is described in poetic tones as a shield of light woven from reverence and love – a protection of the soul from wrongdoing and a guide towards all that is pure. Dr. Al-Rawi paints taqwā as an ever-present mindfulness of the Divine, a state of the heart alive to the presence of Allah in each breath and sight. This reverent consciousness is likened to a compass pointing the soul toward true north, ensuring that one’s intentions and actions remain aligned with divine will. In the Sufi tradition, cultivating taqwā is a lifelong fasting of the ego and nurturing of the spirit: when the eyes of the heart are opened, one perceives the signs of the Beloved everywhere. Such God-consciousness imbues even ordinary moments with sacred significance, transforming daily life into an ongoing act of worship. Taqwā, the group reflects, is ultimately the fruit of fasting and all spiritual practice – a radiant quality of the heart that the faithful carry beyond Ramadan, into every season of life.
- Purification of the Heart – A central thread in this episode is the notion of tazkiyah (purification). Dr. Al-Rawi emphasises that all external practices – fasting, prayer, charity – serve to cleanse the heart and soul, polishing the rust from the spiritual mirror so that the Divine Light may be reflected within it. The discussion takes on a contemplative, almost lyrical tone as it describes the heart undergoing purification: anger, greed, and envy are gradually washed away like dust, revealing the soul’s primordial clarity. This inner cleansing is likened to a alchemical transformation or an alchemy of the spirit, turning the “base metal” of ego into the “gold” of a pure heart. The Qur’an itself promises success for those who undertake this inner work: “Successful indeed is the one who purifies their soul”. At the highest level of this purification, the conversation notes, one approaches what the Sufis call gnosis (ma‘rifah) – intimate knowledge of Allah. Dr. Al-Rawi echoes the wisdom of great mystics like Ibn ‘Arabi, who spoke of a “purification of the gnostics,” an even subtler refinement of the soul known only to those drawn very near to the Divine. In such purified hearts, the divine mysteries (asrār) are quietly revealed; the heart itself becomes a polished mirror that “knows what it sees” – able to witness the traces of the All-Merciful in every phenomenon.
- Prophetic Guidance – Lights on the Path – The role of the Prophets (anbiyā’) emerges as a guiding light throughout the conversation. Dr. Al-Rawi reminds us that the Prophets were sent to humanity as living examples of perfected character, mercy, and devotion. They are described as lamps (sirāj) that illumine the way for those journeying toward God. In the stories shared, we hear how Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and those before him embodied fasting, prayer, and patience to the highest degree – teaching by example how to sanctify every action. The Qur’an is clear about the mission of these messengers: God sent them to “recite His revelations and purify” their people, guiding them to wisdom. Through gentle anecdotes, Dr. Al-Rawi highlights the humility and taqwā exemplified by prophets like Ibrahim (Abraham) and Musa (Moses), each of whom faced trials that purified their souls and deepened their reliance on the Divine. The Prophet Muhammad – the Seal of the Prophets – is portrayed in Sufi terms as al-insān al-kāmil, the perfected human who reflects the Divine attributes like a flawless mirror. By following in the footsteps of such beings, we too begin to cultivate prophetic qualities and consciousness within: compassion, trust in God, and the courage to surrender our ego. The prophets’ lives are rich with symbols and lessons; in their stories we find guidance on purifying our own hearts and maintaining hope and balance on the spiritual path. Ultimately, their legacy is one of mercy and enlightenment – a reminder that the Divine hand has never left humanity without guidance, and that through emulating these luminous souls, we draw nearer to the Divine Beloved.
- The Qur’an – A Living Ocean of Wisdom – Central to the discussion is a reverence for the Qur’an itself, depicted as far more than a scripture to be recited. Dr. Al-Rawi describes the Qur’an as a living, breathing message – a divine conversation unfolding between the Creator and the seeker. Its verses (āyāt) are likened to stars in the night sky or jewels in an endless ocean, each one carrying layers of meaning that speak to the outward mind and the inward heart alike. We are reminded that the Qur’an was revealed in Ramadan, further illuminating why the month is so holy: it is a time when the gates between seen and unseen are opened and the “Qur’anic ocean” pours forth guidance and mercy. In a Sufi-inspired metaphor, the Qur’an is an ocean without shore, an inexhaustible sea of divine wisdom in which the believer can dive again and again, always finding new pearls of insight. Dr. Al-Rawi encourages approaching the Qur’an with a purified heart and a humble spirit, for then its words transform into personal revelations. The recitation (tilāwah) of the Qur’an is presented as a form of dhikr (remembrance) that nourishes the soul – each syllable a wave carrying the seeker closer to the Divine Presence. The conversation touches on how the Prophet Muhammad is the living embodiment of the Qur’an’s teachings (as ʿĀ’ishah said, “his character was the Qur’an”), and thus the text and the prophetic example together act as a compass for those yearning for closeness to God. In reflecting on various Quranic stories and parables, Dr. Al-Rawi reveals how even the simplest surah can unveil intimate glimpses of God’s attributes for the one who listens with the ear of the heart. The mysteries of the Qur’an – its allegories, its clear verses and ambiguous ones – are shown to beckon the seeker into a lifelong journey of contemplation. Like a lamp of guidance and a healing for hearts, the Qur’an meets each reader at their level, and as one’s understanding deepens, the same verses reveal ever more profound light. By the end of this segment, the listener can feel the Qur’an not just as a book on a shelf, but as a living friend and guide on the path, a rope of light linking the human heart to the infinite Divine.
Conclusion
In conclusion, this episode emerges as an immersive spiritual reflection – a tapestry of wisdom interwoven with Qur’anic verses, prophetic stories, and Sufi metaphors that speak to the soul. Dr. Fawzia Al-Rawi’s gentle yet powerful insights guide us to understand that the outer forms of worship are doors to an inner sanctum of divine love. Whether one is in the East or the West, the journey of faith is universal: it is about emptying oneself in fasting to be filled with the light of taqwā, about purifying the heart to make it a throne for the Beloved, and about following the prophetic path to become a vessel of mercy. The reader (or listener) is left with a sense of serene awe, as if having traversed a small portion of that boundless ocean of wisdom. We are invited to carry these insights into our own lives – to fast not only with our bodies but with our hearts and tongues, to remember God in every breath, and to seek the Divine in all that we encounter. Ultimately, as the Qur’an beautifully reminds us, “wherever you turn, there is the Face of God”
In this realized vision, all of creation becomes a mirror reflecting the One – and the spiritual traveler, armed with fasting, taqwā, and a heart illumined by the Qur’an, walks in the world as a witness to the Divine Presence shining through every horizon.
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