By: Eesar Hussain kharkovi

Introduction:

In Sufism, the term is referred to as wajad and the experience is referred to as either jazbah or majzoobiyat.

Ḥāl, (Arabic: “condition”, )plural Aḥwāl, in Ṣūfī Muslim mystical terminology, a spiritual state of mind that comes to the Ṣūfī from time to time during his journey toward God. The aḥwāl are graces of God that cannot be acquired or retained through an individual’s own efforts. When the soul is purified of its attachments to the material world, it can only wait patiently for those spiritual gifts of God, which, when they come, fill the Ṣūfī with the desire to continue his journey with new energy and higher expectations.

The aḥwāl are distinguished by most Ṣūfīs from the maqāms (spiritual stages) in two main aspects. First, the aḥwāl are usually transitory; like flashes of lightning they come into the heart and disappear. Second, while aḥwāl denote a gratuitous favour of God, maqāms are granted solely on merit and efforts.

Though the Ṣūfīs spoke of hundreds of aḥwāl, the following are among those most often referred to. (1) The ḥāl of murāqabah(“watching”) fills the Ṣūfī with either fear or joy according to the aspect of God revealed to him. (2) The ḥāl of qurb (“nearness”) is a state that enables the Ṣūfī to become unconscious of his own acts and to see God’s acts and bounties toward him. (3) The ḥāl of wajd(“ecstasy”) is a state described by the Ṣūfī as a sensation that encounters the heart and produces such varied effects as sorrow or joy, fear or love, contentment or restlessness. (4) In the ḥāl of sukr(“intoxication”) the Ṣūfī, while not totally unaware of the things that surround him, becomes half-dazed because his association with God dims his sight of other things. The overpowering sense of the beloved in this state destroys the mystic’s ability to distinguish between physical pain and pleasure.

hazart shah Abdul Latif Batai wrote in his book

Mawlana Jalal al-Din al-Rumi said

(The souls that have clung to water and clay, Are pleased on being freed from them, And begin to dance in the air and breezes of love, Becoming perfected like the full moon)

In classical Greek literature it refers to removal of the mind or body “from its normal place of function. It is a state of very great happiness and extreme delight.

Total involvement with an object of interest is not an ordinary experience because of being aware of other objects, thus ecstasy is an example of an altered state of consciousness characterized by diminished awareness of other objects or the total lack of the awareness of surroundings and everything around the object. The word is also used to refer to any heightened state of consciousness or intensely pleasant experience. It is also used more specifically to denote states of awareness of non-ordinary mental spaces, which may be perceived as spiritual (the latter type of ecstasy often takes the form of religious ecstasy).

In pharmacology Ecstasy an illegal drug that is used to produce a feeling of excitement and pleasure.

From a psychological perspective, ecstasy is a loss of self-control and sometimes a temporary loss of consciousness, which is often associated with religious mysticism, sexual intercourse and the use of certain drugs. For the duration of the ecstasy the ecstatic is out of touch with ordinary life and is capable neither of communication with other people nor of undertaking normal actions. The experience can be brief in physical time, or it can go on for hours. Subjective perception of time, space or self may strongly change or disappear during ecstasy. For instance, if one is concentrating on a physical task, then any intellectual thoughts may cease. On the other hand, making a spirit journey in an ecstatic trance involves the cessation of voluntary bodily movement.

Ecstasy can be deliberately induced using religious or creative activities, meditation, music, dancing, breathing exercises, physical exercise, sexual intercourse or consumption of psychotropic drugs. The particular technique that an individual uses to induce ecstasy is usually also associated with that individual’s particular religious and cultural traditions.

In everyday language, the word ‘ecstasy’ denotes an intense, euphoric experience. For obvious reasons, it is rarely used in a scientific context; it is a concept that is extremely hard to define.”

 

Rational:

The man reasons of writing this scholarly paper is to define term ecstasy from different point of view because in everyday language, the word ‘ecstasy’ denotes an intense, euphoric experience. For obvious reasons, it is rarely used in a scientific context; it is a concept that is extremely hard to define. “We also try to find out what effect of ecstasy on behaviour.

Jamss Roout write in his book (introduction of organize psychology) about types of ecstasy

Natural Ecstasy: This type of ecstasy involves a deep interest leading to concentration enfeebling man’s perception of the world around him. It is a psychological process caused by man. The individual’s natural talents help him to achieve the state of ecstasy. Kinds :Artistic, scientific, religious (originating from faith)

Supernatural ecstasy :Supernatural ecstasy means infused observation during which suppression of sensorial perceptivity of the surrounding world may occur, or such a state as physical stiffening. Both of these elements are secondary; primary is the observation itself.

Positive ecstasy means mystical (instilled or infused) observation caused by God’s activity.

Negative ecstasy means observation caused by an evil spirit, drug or pathological mental state (especially in psychologically sensitive people), as a consequence of exercise (Buddhism, Hinduism) or as the case may be by the influence of passionate agitation or intoxication.

Effects during positive ecstasy:

The ecstatic cannot leave his state at will (only by order of the superior). He can neither move nor express himself in some other way – at least not voluntarily (this also concerns oral prayers, which he cannot say at will). He cannot occupy himself with anything else but what was given to him in ecstasy by God.) (Roout, J 2001)

In 1925, James Leuba wrote: “Among most uncivilized populations, as among civilized peoples, certain ecstatic conditions are regarded as divine possession or as union with the Divine. These states are induced by means of drugs, by physical excitement, or by psychical means. But, however produced and at whatever level of culture they may be found, they possess certain common features which suggest even to the superficial observer some profound connection. Always described as delightful beyond expression, these awesome ecstatic experiences end commonly in mental quiescence or even in total unconsciousness.” He prepares his readers “… to recognize a continuity of impulse, of purpose, of form and of result between the ecstatic intoxication of the savage and the absorption in God of the Christian mystic. (Leuba,J 1925)

According to Plotinus, was a major Greek-speaking philosopher of the ancient world ecstasy is the culmination of human possibility. He contrasted emanation (prohodos) from the One—on the one hand—with ecstasy or reversion, epistrophe) back to the One—on the other.This is a form of ecstasy described as the vision of, or union with, some otherworldly entity (see religious ecstasy)—a form of ecstasy that pertains to an individual trancelike experience of the sacred or of God.

(Kapleau, 1970, 32) state in his article Breathing exercises have been used as an ecstasy technique. But also in zen, the counting of inhalations or exhalations has been used as a meditation technique. As mentioned earlier, Huxley thought that breathing exercises could cause religious experiences by increasing the amount of CO2 in the brain. This is highly unlikely-breathing CO2 is a very unpleasant experience, which anyone knows who has been in a room with extremely bad air.

Book review of Marghanita Laski ( by Anthony Campbell. Copyright © Anthony Campbell (2000).)  At the outset Laski distinguishes two kinds of ecstasy, which she calls Intensity and Withdrawal.  From her survey Laski reached a number of conclusions about ecstasy. It is typically rather brief, usually lasting a few minutes, occasionally up to an hour. When it seems to last longer than this the effect may be due to what Laski calls “afterglow”. There is a tendency for intensity ecstasy to be associated with feelings of light and upward movement, and for withdrawal ecstasy to be associated with dark and downward movement. Ecstasy may be accompanied by physical sensations of various kinds, usually pleasurable but sometimes painful.  Ecstasies may be of various kinds. In some, the person feels that life is joyful, purified, renewed; Laski calls these Adamic.  Some people have what appear to be the obverse of ecstatic experience, which Laski calls desolation experiences. Laski does not feel that she has been able to deal with these adequately and they are not discussed in detail. Laski uses the term “trigger” to describe the circumstances that can induce or precipitate ecstasy. The circumstances in which ecstatic experience occur are variable. Childhood is often thought to be a time when ecstasy is common or even semi-permanent, but Laski presents evidence which suggests that this may not really be the case. Women may experience ecstasy in childbirth, although, perhaps surprisingly, this does not seem to be related to whether the birth was easy or difficult, painful or relatively pain-free. Sexual love may precipitate ecstasy, and people were clear about the difference between “ordinary” orgasm and ecstasy.

According to one Excerpt from Novel Peer-e-Kaamil (S.A.W.W) by Humera Ahmad”What comes next to ecstasy?” uss ney gerdun more key Imama sey poocha. woh kuch dair ussey dekhti rahi, phir uss ney madham awaz main kaha- “Pain””And what comes next to pain?” Salaar ney bila-tawquf sawal kiya- “Nothingness””What is next to nothingness?” Salaar ney ussi andaz mein sawal kiya – “Jahannum” Imama ney kaha”And what is next to Jahannum?” iss baar Imama khamoshi sey uss ka chehra dekhti rahi. “What is next to Jahannum?” Salaar ney apna sawal dohraya”tumhey khouf nahi aata-” Salaar ney Imama ko kadre ajeeb andaaz sey poochtey suna. “Kis Cheeze sey”: Salaar hairaan ho k”Jahannum sey…. uss jaga sey jis key agey aur kuch bhi nahi hota…sub kuch uss key peechey reh jata hai… maatoob aur makhzoob ho janey key baad baqi kia bajta hai jissey jananey ka tumhey tajasus hai”- Imama ney qadre ufsoos sey kaha”Mein tumhari baat samjh nahi saka…. sub kuch merey upar sey guzra hai” Salaar ney jaisey ailaan kerney wale undaaz mein kaha.”fikr maat karo…. aa jaye gi…. aik waqat aye ga…. jub tumhey her cheeze samjh mein aa jaye gi, phir tumhari hansi khatam ho jaye gi…. tub tumhey kauf aaney lagey ga… Maut sey bhi or doozaq sey bhi… Allah tumhey sub kuch dekha aur bata dey ga… phir tum kisi sey nahi poocha karo gey. “What is next to ecstasy?” Imama ney bohat rasaniat sey kaha..

Ecstasy can be deliberately induced using religious or creative activities, meditation, music, dancing, breathing exercises, physical exercise, sexual intercourse or consumption of psychotropic drugs. The particular technique that an individual uses to induce ecstasy is usually also associated with that individual’s particular religious and cultural traditions. Sometimes an ecstatic experience takes place due to occasional contact with something or somebody perceived as extremely beautiful or holy, or without any known reason. “In some cases, a person might obtain an ecstatic experience ‘by mistake’. Maybe the person unintentionally triggers one of the, probably many, physiological mechanisms through which such an experience can be reached. In such cases, it is not rare to find that the person later, by reading, looks for an interpretation and maybe finds it within a tradition.”People interpret the experience afterward according to their culture and beliefs (as a revelation from God, a trip to the world of spirits or a psychotic episode). “When a person is using an ecstasy technique, he usually does so within a tradition. When he reaches an experience, a traditional interpretation of it already exists.” The experience together with its subsequent interpretation may strongly and permanently change the value system and the worldview of the subject (e.g. to cause religious conversion). (Roout, J 2001)

Ecstasy is the unexpected overflowing of a heart which has been equipped with belief, knowledge and love of God, and with spiritual pleasures, with yearning, zeal, spiritual joy and the Divine gifts. It is the main topic being discussed here, and is the state which is based on the hadith: “There are three things which show that one who has them has tasted the pleas­ure of belief: loving God and His Messenger more than any­thing else, loving for God’s sake, and being careful with the things that lead to Paradise and Hell.” [Al-Bukhari, “Iman,” 9; Al-Muslim, al-Jami‘ al-Sahih, “Iman,” 67.]

Ecstasy manifests itself also in the form of spiritual pleasures and zeal, or amazement and astonishment. These feelings pervade the whole being and arouse in the person feelings of awe, tearfulness, and crying. This kind of ecstasy is mainly witnessed in circles where people recite God’s Names togeth­er. These feelings arise unintentionally in the hearts of peo­ple. Enraptured by the sounds of the hammer used by Zark­ubi in Konya, Mawlana Jalal al-Din al-Rumi said: The souls that have clung to water and clay, Are pleased on being freed from them, And begin to dance in the air and breezes of love, Becoming perfected like the full moon.

Constant ecstasy is the state in which the heart is favored with a continuous spiritual tension, with spiritual experiences, and varying, uninterrupted Divine gifts by virtue of the depth of its relationship with the Necessarily Existent Being and the Giver of Life, and the heart’s committed search for the ways of nearness to Him. The verse (18:14), We made firm their hearts and they rose, proclaiming: “Our Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth. We will never call anyone apart from Him God!” expresses this sort of love and excitement.

Conclusion:

From a psychological perspective, ecstasy is a loss of self-control and sometimes a temporary loss of consciousness, which is often associated with religious mysticism, sexual intercourse and the use of certain drugs. For the duration of the ecstasy the ecstatic is out of touch with ordinary life and is capable neither of communication with other people nor of undertaking normal actions. The experience can be brief in physical time, or it can go on for hours. Subjective perception of time, space or self may strongly change or disappear during ecstasy. For instance, if one is concentrating on a physical task, then any intellectual thoughts may cease. On the other hand, making a spirit journey in an ecstatic trance involves the cessation of voluntary bodily movement.

The circumstances in which ecstatic experience occur are variable. Childhood is often thought to be a time when ecstasy is common or even semi-permanent, but Laski presents evidence which suggests that this may not really be the case. Women may experience ecstasy in childbirth, although, perhaps surprisingly, this does not seem to be related to whether the birth was easy or difficult, painful or relatively pain-free. Sexual love may precipitate ecstasy, and people were clear about the difference between “ordinary” orgasm and ecstasy.

It seems like Ecstasy is everywhere. People are either preparing for it’s use by way of scheduling activities that will allow them to exert their newly gained energy, or they are desperately trying to get their hands on it for the upcoming weekend. At first sight it makes sense, who wouldn’t want an energy booster for a night on the town? However, Ecstasy can be fatal. Giving into temptation just once could change things forever.

Ecstasy almost always takes place after contact with something regarded as beautiful or valuable or both.” “Ecstatics often claim to see bright light, whether as a flash or as sustained brightness, during their experience; and they often claim that afterwards everything seems brighter, as if they were looking at the world with a newly cleansed vision (Laski, M,1990 )

Criteria of supernatural ecstasy:

Signs of positive ecstasy behaviour

Great enrichment of spiritual life

Regular and well-ordered life

Perseverance in doing one’s duties

Selflessness and readiness to asceticism

-Growth in virtues and in loving one’s neighbours

Signs of negative ecstasy behaviour

Arbitrariness of the origin of ecstasy (ecstatic enters the state of ecstasy whenever he wants)

Ecstasy is often without logical sense

Lack of modesty

Occurrence of ecstasy in case of “beginners” in spiritual life

Effects on behaviour during positive ecstasy:

The ecstatic cannot leave his state at will (only by order of the superior). He can neither move nor express himself in some other way – at least not voluntarily (this also concerns oral prayers, which he cannot say at will). He cannot occupy himself with anything else but what was given to him in ecstasy(Roout, J 2001)

Recommendation:

Everybody wants to have a good time. The problem with this is that sometimes ‘having too good of a time’ can be dangerous.Everything should be in limit extreme sadness, joyless and happens are all harm for physical, psychological and spiritual health. Everything that against ha nature is danger.

 

Reference:

(Roout, J)( 2001) (organizational psychology) ,4^th ed,(pg 212 to 214)

(Ahmat ,U)(2002) (Novel Peer-e-Kaamil (S.A.W.W) pg 113 to 114

(Laski,M)(1990)Retrieved.from

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk%3AEcstasy_(emotion)

(Laski,M)(2ooo)Retrieved,from

https://web.archive.org/web/20080119130851

http://www.accampbell.uklinux.net/bookreviews/r/laski.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecstasy_(emotion)

https://web.archive.org/web/20040914183254/

http://www.ex-premie2.org/papers/religious_ecstasy.htm

https://www.youubet.com/watch?v=TKxQUcHa3ZI

http://www.cs.utexas.edu/users/vl/notes/kundera.html

http://www.slife.org/spirituality/sufism/2570-wajd-and-tawajud–ecstasy-and-willful-rapture-