Imam Ghazali’s six (6) Steps Toward Change (Musharatah, Muraqabah,

Muhasabah, Mu’aqabah, Mujahadah And Mu’atabah) In The Prevention

Of Drug Abuse.

Sapora Sipon (PhD)

Roslizawaty Ramly
Marina Munira Abdul Mutalib

Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia

The power of religion has played an important role in

healing for many people as there is a growing recognition
that religion is an aspect of recovery. Thus encouraging
prevention in using religious aspect is much applauded.
Imam Ghazali (450-505 AH, 1058-111CE) in his “Ihya
Ulum ud Din” has identified the following 6 steps one can
take in the process of change and growth. They are
musharatah (contract), muraqabah (guard), muhasabah
(evaluate), mu’aqabah (consequence), mujahadah (effort)
and mu’atabah (return). This paper is the writers attempt
to look into how these six steps can help address one of
the most critical problems facing our nation, the drug
addiction by using them as part of prevention of drug
abuse. In doing so, the paper will explore how these
steps using the analogy of a business partnership in
which a business is done to make profit and to gain
something from it can be used in the prevention of drug
abuse

Introduction

The power of religion has played an important role when it comes

to drug abuse prevention. Research shows that faith plays a critical role
in preventing substance abuse and other risky behaviors. For example,
the most widely recognized 12-step program, Alcoholics Anonymous,
which has at its core an inherent reliance on religion, has successfully
supported many people from recovering from alcoholism and other
addictions.

Another study published by the American Psychological

Association found that adolescent who viewed religion as a meaningful
part of their life and as a way to cope with problems were half as likely to
use drug than adolescent who didn’t view religion as important. A study
done by Griffith, Heinen & Sheeley (2001) supported the importance of
religion in the drug prevention which stated that teens and adults who

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consider religion or personal spirituality important are far less likely to
abuse alcohol and drugs than non-believers. Adults who don’t consider
religious beliefs important are four times more likely to be involved in an
illicit drug other than marijuana, and more than 1 and ½ times likelier to
drink or smoke. A considerable body of literature on the relationship of
personal religiousness, spirituality and substance abuse exists.

Though, faith plays a powerful role in preventing youth drug

abuse, few faith communities have active youth drug prevention
programs. A survey of clergy Columbia researchers showed that only
12.5 % of ministers and rabbis had any training on how to address the
issues with members of the congregations. In addition, less than half of
health care professionals said they would advise their clients to seek help
from their religious leaders (Minnesota Institute of Public Health, 2004).

In relation with the power of religion in the prevention of drug

abuse, this paper will use Imam Ghazali (450-505 AH, 1058-111CE) six
steps toward change which are musharatah (contract), muraqabah
(guard), muhasabah (evaluate); mu’aqabah (consequence), mujahadah
(effort) and mu’atabah (return) (Ghazali M, 1978). The paper will also
explore how these steps using the analogy of a business partnership in
which a business is done to make profit and to gain something from it
can be used in the prevention of drug abuse.

Situation on Drug Users and Injecting Drug Users

Like most other countries, Malaysia has for a long time been plagued
with the drug abuse problem (Vong Poh Fah, 2004). The Malaysia
Government recognizes the importance and urgency in dealing with the
drug problem in the most effective way possible. In 1996, the National
Drug Agency (NDA) was established under the Ministry of Home Affairs
to take over the functions of the Narcotic Force and the Department in
charge of treatment and rehabilitation of drug offenders.

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Table 1: The estimates for the number of drug user is 897, 624, the estimates for injecting
Drug Users is 117 955 in Malaysia 2002.

State Total Addicts Total Population Ration of Drug

Addict to
Population
(1:1 000)
Johor 24,965 2,783.8 9
Kedah 12,605 1,689.6 9
Kelantan 15,297 1,344.9 11
Melaka 7,304 648.5 11
Negeri Sembilan 11,348 878.5 11
Pahang 13,537 1,319.3 10
Perak 26,941 2,157.7 12
Perlis 2,256 209.1 11
Pulau Pinang 26,941 1,337.4 20
Sabah 8,422 2,716.8 3
Sarawak 2,144 2,119.0 1
Selangor 27,488 4,270.0 6
Terengganu 10,092 919.3 11
WPKL 30,783 1,401.4 22

Source : NADI, NDA, 2002

Al-Ghazali, Abu Hamid (1058-1111)

Ghazali Man (1978) states that Al-Ghazali is one of the greatest

Islamic jurists, theologians and mystical thinkers. Al-Ghazali learned
various branches of traditional Islamic religious sciences in his home
town of Tus, Gurgan and Nishapur in the northern part of Iran. He was
also involved in Sufi practices from an early age. Being recognized by
Nizam al-Mulk, the vizir of the Seljuq sultans, he was appointed head of
the Nizamiyyah College at Baghdad in AH 484/AD 1091. As the
intellectual head of the Islamic community, he was busy lecturing on
Islamic jurisprudence at the College, and also refuting heresies and
responding to questions from all segments of the community. Four years
later, however, al-Ghazali fell into a serious spiritual crisis and finally left

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Baghdad, renouncing his career and the world After wandering in Syria
and Palestine for about two years and finishing the pilgrimage to Mecca,
he returned to Tus, where he was engaged in writing, Sufi practices and
teaching his disciples until his death. In the meantime he resumed
teaching for a few years at the Nizamiyyah College in Nishapur

The Revival of the Religions Sciences (Ihya' 'Ulum al-Din)

It is widely regarded as the greatest work of Muslim spirituality,

and has, for centuries, been the most read work after the Qur’an in the
Muslim world. It is divided into four parts each containing ten chapters.
The first part deals with knowledge and the requirement of faith such as
ritual purity, prayer, charity, fasting, pilgrimage, recitation of the al-Quran.

Part two concentrates mostly on people and society that is the

manners relating to eating, marriage, earning a living, friendship etc.
Meanwhile part three and four are dedicated to the inner life of the soul
and discuss first the vices that people must overcome in themselves and
then the virtues that they must strive to achieve.

Imam Ghazali’s Six Steps Towards Change In The Prevention Of

Drug Abuse

Imam Ghazali identifies the following 6 steps one can take in the
process of change and growth. They are musharath, muraqabah,
muhasabah, muaqabah, mujahadah and muatabah. The paper will
explore how these steps using the analogy of a business partnership in
which a business is done to make profit and to gain something from it
can be used in the prevention of drug abuse.

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 Mu’atabah Musyaratah

Mujahadah N Muraqaba
h

Muhasabah
Mu’aqabah

Imam Ghazali’s six steps towards change

Source: Uzma Mazhar (2002)

(1) Musharatah (Self Examination and stipulation)

The first and foremost condition for change according to Imam

Ghazali is musyaratah (self examination and stipulation). According to
him, self-examination and self-conditioning are essential pre-requisites
for a seeker (mujahid) of truth who is battling with his self. Self-
conditioning or stipulation means binding oneself with the resolve not to
do anything against God’s command such as “I will not violate the Law of
God today”. As in the case of drug prevention, one can resolve not to do
something that will lead to drug abuse. In this step, one must identity
and set standards, conditions, limits and terms and guidelines for one’s
own thoughts, feelings and actions one is trying to achieve. To prevent
drug abuse, one has to set limits and guidelines for not getting involve
drug abuse.

(2) Muraqabah (Guarding Against Evil)

After musharatah, the next step a man should enter in the

process of growth and change is the muraqabah stage. It is essential that
throughout the period of stipulation, the mujahid struggling against his

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own self should constantly concentrate upon his actions. If at any time
any idea of violating Divine commands occurs to him, he would tell
himself that he would not go against God’s commands. Thus, any idea of
doing something that will lead to drug abuse; he will quickly guard himself
against this evil idea.

( 3) Muhasabah (self-criticism or self-interrogation)

Muhasabah involves self-examination and one takes account of

one’s own actions. Muhasabah (self-criticism) is that a believer always
reviews whatever he says and does every day or even every hour, good
or bad, right or wrong. He also thank God for the good he has done and
tries to erase his sins and deviations by asking God to forgive him and he
amends his errors and sons by repentance and remorse. Muhasabah is
the very important and serious attempt of a believer to assert himself in
his loyalty to God. In relation of drug prevention one should always
examine himself of not doing something that will lead to drug abuse.

A Muslim cannot be indifferent to self-criticism. On the other hand,

he tries to revive his ruined [past with the breezes of hope and mercy
blown by Divine calls such as Repent to God (24:31) and turn to your
Lord repentant (35.54)

Self-criticism opens for man the door to spiritual peace and

tranquility. It also causes him to fear God and His punishment in awe of
Him. Self-criticism which gives rise to both peacefulness and fear in a
man’s heart, continuously inspires in him the anxiety of those who live
doubled up with the heavy responsibility they feel.

When it is evening every day, he calls himself to account for what

he has done through the day and when it is morning, he begins his day
with a resolution not to commit a sin. (Meaning, he spends every moment
of his life in self-criticism and constant awareness of what he says and
does). He will always remind himself to be free from drugs.

(4). Mua’qabah: to punish, to control

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 Mua’qabah is to punish and to control. Man will always have to
punish himself when he has done something wrong and fail to keep the
stipulation he has agreed to uphold. He has to punish himself when he
has done something that will lead him to drug abuse.

(5) Al-Mujahadah or effort for the best led

In this step one is fighting against one’s own lower self and
inclinations. This is the stage of continuous and consistent struggle to
overcome one’s nafs. Man will always have to fight against any desire to
use drugs

(6) Mu’atabah (blame and punishment)

When man notes that he scrupulously did not respect the commitment
which he had undertaken in front of himself, he must then blame and
reprimanded to inflict some punishments on him and himself.

Imam Ghazali in his Ilya Ulumudin explains these six steps using
the analogy of a business partnership. He further explains that a
business is done to make profit and to gain something from it. In a
business partnership man starts by setting guidelines and make an
agreement for conducting the business, rules and stipulations are
established for what to do and what to expect.

The next step for man is to guard and honor that contract and to
keep a watchful eye on the process to ensure its success. Man need to
continually evaluate all his thoughts, actions, decisions and choices.
Usually in a business there are consequences when the contract is not
honored. If man do not honor his own contract to change, he must set
some consequences for himself for failure.

Finally, when there are mistakes, man must correct them, make
amends and try to turn the business around so it will become profitable.
In the same manner man must correct his errors and make amends as
soon as he recognizes the error.

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 Imam Ghazali suggest that man must take a few minutes in the
morning and make contract with himself about how he did during the day,
he will then live with more awareness and will be able to improve the
quality of our life.

Conclusion

The power of religion has played an important role in healing.

.Imam Ghazali in his “Ihya Ulum ud Din” has identified the following 6
steps one can take in the process of change and growth. They are
musharatah (contract), muraqabah (guard), muhasabah (evaluate),
mu’aqabah (consequence), mujahadah (effort) and mu’atabah (return).
This paper has looked into how these six steps can help address one of
the most critical problems facing our nation, the drug addiction by using
them as part of prevention of drug abuse. This paper has explored how
these steps using the analogy of a business partnership in which a
business is done to make profit and to gain something from it can be
used in the prevention of drug abuse.

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References

Ghazali, M. 1978. Imam Ghazali's Ihya 'Ulum-id-din. 4 vols. Book Lovers

Bureau, Lahore, Pakistan.

Grrifith.K.l, Heinen, T & Sheeley, D. (2001). Faith can help fight drug
abuse. Journal Sentinel.

http:’’www.crescentlife.com/spirituality/muhasabah.htm

http://www.crescentlifr.com/spiritulaity/muraqabah.htm

http://www.mapine.org/drugnews/v01/n1933/a08.html

Minnesota Institute of Public Health.2004. Interfaith Centre for Health

Issues

National Drug Information (NADI) of National Drug Agency. 2002.

Uzma Mazhar. 2002. Ghazali’s 6 steps toward change. Islamic

Reflections.

Vong Poh Fah. (2004). Drug Abuse and Its prevention in Malaysia. 124 th
International training Course participants papers.