"Risālat al-Mustarshidīn" (Treatise for the Seekers of Guidance) by Imam al-Ḥārith al-Muḥāsibī (RA) -Shaykh Jamaal Diwan- The Majilis- 8/17/2025

YouTube Video:

https://www.youtube.com/live/0JLWLlbfaPA?si=VV4FwfXeIT4GDy2K

Join us on a transformative journey through "Risālat al-Mustarshidīn" (Treatise for the Seekers of Guidance) by Imam al-Ḥārith al-Muḥāsibī, one of the earliest scholars of Islamic spirituality and introspection. In this series, we explore timeless insights into: Sincerity in intention and action Guarding the heart and purifying the soul Cultivating humility, patience, and trust in Allah Practical steps toward deeper taqwa (God-consciousness) Whether you're a student of knowledge or seeking spiritual clarity in your daily life, this series offers profound guidance rooted in the Qur'an, Sunnah, and the wisdom of the early generations. 

About Imam al-Muhasibi: A pivotal figure in early Islamic thought, Imam al-Muhasibi (d. 857 CE) was known for his deep understanding of the inner dimensions of worship and character. His teachings continue to inspire seekers centuries later.

Amazon: Treatise for the Seekers: Risalah al- Mustarshideen: Zaid Shakir

https://www.amazon.com/Treatise-Seekers-Guidance-Zaid-Shakir/dp/0979228131

The translation, notes, and commentary of Imam al-Harith al-Muhasibi’s Risala al-Mustarshidin (Treatise For The Seekers Of Guidance) by Zaid Shakir is intended to serve as a layman’s guide to Islamic spirituality. Al - Muhasibi presents most of the major ideas that would both serve as the basis for a full program of spiritual development and comprise an insightful overview of a system of Islamic moral psychology. He examines in great depth and penetrating insight the psychological motivations and justifications for moral thought and action and correspondingly the associated bases of immorality. In so doing, he has provided a road map that any person can follow to overcome the guiles of his fundamental enemies: the world, the ego, the whims of the soul, and Satan.

Amazon: Spiritual Purification in Islam: The Life and Works of Al-Muhasibi - Gavin Picken - Routledge Sufi Series
https://www.amazon.com/Spiritual-Purification-Islam-al-Muhasibi-Routledge/dp/0415548225

Purification of the soul is a principle that is central to understanding Islamic spirituality but despite this, relatively little has been written explicitly in the Islamic tradition regarding this discrete method of spiritual purification. This book examines the work of a scholar of this discipline, al-Hārith al-Muhāsibī, who lived and worked during the classical Islamic period under the Abbāsids.

Although al-Muhāsibī was well known for his skills in many disciplines, including the Qur’ān, Prophetic narration and scholastic theology, it is his mastery in the field of Islamic spirituality and moral psychology for which he is best remembered. Assessing the extent to which the political, social and economic factors played a part in his life and work, Gavin Picken provides a comprehensive overview of his work and its great significance in the development of Islamic spirituality. Reconstructing his life in chronological order and providing the most comprehensive appraisal of his works to date, it explores a facet of al-Muhāsibī’s teaching which as yet has not been studied, namely his understanding, concept and methodology regarding the purification of the soul within the Islamic paradigm. As such, it will be of great interest not only to researchers and students of Sufism but also to scholars of comparative spirituality and mysticism.