Qabdh and Bast

أعوذ بالله من الشيطان الرجيم

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

In a question regarding one’s reliance of feelings during worship, the following has been said by Hazrat DB:

“In the nomenclature of the people of tazkiyah, this is known as qabdh and bast. Bast mean to expand. So when in this state, a person’s heart is expanded and they are able to retain more goodness, Iman, and in general a good feeling. Like to feel an enjoyment or a type of sweetness when making zikr or praying etc…The feeling like your floating in the air after performing good deeds is to be in a state of bast.

“Qabdh is the the exact opposite. A person feels no enjoyment in carrying out the good deeds. This state of qabdh can be brought upon due to many factors. Sometimes because of one bad action, Allah remove the enjoyment one would get in the good actions. Another reason could be that Allah wants to test you to see whether this servant of mine is doing good deeds for me or for the enjoyment and spiritual high they feel? My Shaykh always says, “Be ‘Abdul Lateef (The servant of Allah, Lateef being one the 99 names of Allah) and don’t be ‘Abdul Lutf (The servant of pleasure or enjoyment).

“Qabdh doesn’t necessarily mean that your Iman is at a low level and Allah is upset with you. Sometimes it is like an injection that pierces your body, which hurts, but the medicine administered is to help you gain more strength. For example, you are involved in many good deeds, all of a sudden you feel really down even though you are doing those deeds. This is a safety net from Allah to protect people from pride, conceit. It could also be a means to elevate your rank because when Allah wants to elevate some one and their actions fall short, Allah puts them in an uneasy state. If you remain steadfast with your good deeds and be patient, Allah will give you that high elevated rank and maqaam. Hazrat Haji Imdadullah Sahib (RA) our great grandfather shaykh said, “O Saalik, when you are put in a state of qabdh, don’t despair, because this for your own islaah.”

“Qabdh has benefits also, its not all bad. In fact, Hazrat Thanwi (RA) has written that there are more benefits in qabdh than there are in bast albeit they aren’t apparent while in the state of qabdh or even they are apparent at anytime, but nonetheless they are there and benefit is derived. The attainment of benefit for our spiritual uplifting is maqsood and should be our goal. Even if you feel down, the ‘Ulema have written that Allah says, “ana ‘inda munkasiratil quloob” “I am with the broken hearted.” So sometimes even through an apparent bad feeling of Qabdh and its’ manifestation which are many, in your case your Iman being low, you are getting Allah Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aala, what a wonderful trade-off!!!”

“At the end of the day, these are involuntary matters which are not in your control, so really you shouldn’t worry about them. The solution to all this is go through this phase completing all your faraaidh, waajibaat, and sunan mu’akkadah, and abstain from sin as best as you can, and immediately make sincere taubah if you happen to slip up. Your feeling good or not isn’t really important at this juncture. Qabdh is like cloudy day, once it passes, the light of sun seems to be much brighter, similarly, insha Allah when your qabdh will pass the noor of bast will illuminate your mind, body, and soul. The best thing is to still be punctual in your A’amaal. Try to keep good company. The effect of suhbat is so evident like the light of day.”

http://noorofnobility.wordpress.com/2008/08/16/being-sociable/#comment-669