Mokhtar Stork
INTRODUCTION
The notion that life comes to an end with death in Islam is a misconception. One is physically dead but spiritually alive. The soul (actually, spirit) or ‘ruh’ continues to survive you in another world. I have written on this subject in several articles on my blog [http://marathonsoul.blogspot.com].
The Sufees, through their practices offer an insight to many spiritual dimensions and it would be enlightening to view them with an open mind. However, to practice these ‘amals’ one needs to have a ‘Perfected Shaykh’. You may possess a manual to build an airplane but it takes far more than a manual to really get the plane going safely.
ALAM BARZAKH AND NISBAT
The word Barzakh literally means "barrier," "partition," or "separation." It is the intermediate stage of life that happens after death but before the Day of Judgment. Think of it as a "waiting room" or a bridge between this world and the hereafter. It starts the moment a person dies.
The soul stays in this state until the resurrection. It is not a place of final judgment (like Paradise or Hell), but rather a place where the soul gets a "preview" of its final destination. For a righteous person, it is described as a place of peace and a "garden of Paradise." For those who did evil, it can be a place of trial and discomfort.
The word Nisbah literally means "attribution," "connection," or "relationship." Depending on the context, it is used in two main ways. In Names (Identity): It refers to the part of an Arabic name that shows where someone is from, their tribe, or their family line. For example, in the name "Al-Bukhari," the Nisbah is "Al-Bukhari," which connects the person to the city of Bukhara.
However, in a spiritual context, it refers to the bond or connection between a person and Allah. When someone is said to have a "strong Nisbah," it means they have a very close, constant, and loving relationship with Allah through the Remembrance of Allah (Zikr) and obedience. In Mathematics, it simply means "ratio". [Do not confuse Nisbah with Nisab. Nisab is the specific "minimum amount of wealth" a person must own before they are required to pay Zakat (alms).].
THE BASIS OF NISBAT
Nisbat refers to a spiritual connection, affinity, or bond between a seeker and the Divine, or between a disciple and their spiritual guide (Shaykh). While the technical word "Nisbah" is not used in the Quran to describe this mystical bond, Sufi masters derive the theological basis for it from several key verses that describe the "nearness" and "link" between Allah and humanity.
Sufees believe that every human has an inherent Nisbah to Allah because of the soul, but this connection must be "activated" through spiritual practice. They point to these verses:
- The "Jugular Vein" Verse: "And We are closer to him than [his] jugular vein." (Surah Qaf, 50:16). Sufees view this as the ultimate "Nisbah of Essence"—an ontological connection that exists regardless of a person’s awareness.
- The "Face of Allah" Verse: "So wherever you turn, there is the Face of Allah." (Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:115). This is used to describe the Nisbah of presence—the idea that the seeker can maintain a constant connection by seeing Allah's attributes in everything.
- The Covenant of 'Alastu bi-Rabbikum': "Am I not your Lord?" They said, "Yes, we bear witness." (Surah A'raf, 7:172). Sufees call this the Nisbah of the Primordial Day. They believe the goal of Sufism is to return the heart to the state of this original, direct connection with Allah.
I avoid speaking about Nisbat because Traditional Islam, considers the demise of a person the end of his existence. That individual then moves on to Alam Barzah. I am of the view that this is not a fixed rule based on several personal experiences I have had involving invocations in dire need. I keep this understanding to myself. It is personal and private. I do not propagate it.
Most people have dreams of their parents, grandparents, religious teachers and shaykhs occasionally. Some convey a message, others a warning of impending danger, or when seriously ill. All these indicate a bond, a relationship that cannot be just brushed aside. The Sufees, can point out to you a range of ‘alams’ (worlds), different states and stages, and how these interact. Ibnu ‘Arabi is a renowned scholar well-versed in this field of science.
GHOSTS, SPIRITS, JINN, QARINS
In Christianity, we have purgatory but in Islam, it is just Alam Barzakh. There are shady areas here that are filled up with opinions. The College of Psychic Studies (UK), founded in 1884 is dedicated to the study of consciousness, spiritualism, and the ‘intuitive arts’. Education & Training include:
- Mediumship & Psychic Development: Training to communicate with the deceased or harness intuition.
- Divination: Classes on Tarot, Palmistry, Numerology, and Dowsing.
- Healing & Wellness: Courses on Reiki, Shamanic healing, and Chakra work.
- How to become a psychic medium
https://www.collegeofpsychicstudies.co.uk/enlighten/messages-from-beyond-how-dead-communicate-with-living/
From an Islamic perspective, what we call a "ghost" of an evil person is usually interpreted as the vibration of their suffering (energy) or a Jinn lingering in that spot, impersonating the person, rather than the soul wandering around. The soul is "preoccupied" with its own account.
According to the Qur’an, every person has a Jinn companion (Qarin) who lives as long as they do. When the human dies, the Qarin doesn't. Sometimes, people "see" the dead person, but theology suggests it is actually the Qarin mimicking the deceased's voice and appearance because it knew them so well. A haunted house due to its murdered owner, is known to terrorise the premises, and is recognised in Islam by some as either ‘energy’ left behind by an injustice or a Jinn impersonator or the individual’s Qarin.
The Federal Territory Mufti’s Office issued a statement of clarification saying that it is understood that every human has his own Qarin of each an Angel and a Devil (Satan). An Angel Qarin, encourages people to do good while the Satan Qarin, leads people towards sins and transgression. The only exception is that the qarin of the Prophet (s.a.w.) was made subservient to him, leading to goodness only. [https://www.muftiwp.gov.my/en/artikel/al-afkar/4248-al-afkar-102-the-definition-of-qarin]
On January 16, 2026, the High Court dismissed GISBH bid to challenge Perlis fatwa. On Sept 20, 2024, the Perlis Mufti Datuk Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin announced in a statement that a special meeting of the Perlis State Fatwa Committee held on that date had concluded that the beliefs and teachings propagated by GISBH contained elements of deviant doctrine, particularly inner or esoteric teachings. The mufti was also quoted as saying that these teachings were a continuation of the al-Arqam movement, which had previously been declared deviant. [https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2026/01/1358377/high-court-dismisses-gisbh-bid-challenge-perlis-fatwa].
Incidentally, one can also acquire a Jinn from Indonesia through the Internet. There are various categories and prices. I found it quite unsettling. It’s not something a Muslim should indulge in. Many have traveled there to acquire one from a ‘master’.
THE UNSEEN
We coexist with Jinns and Angels. You could say that we live in a multi-dimensional world. Every culture is connected in some way or form spiritually. It is common for an ‘afflicted’ person, whether by accident or through Sihr (sorcery), to seek the aid of a medium or healer, or a person, commonly referred to as a bomoh in Malay society.
This is a lengthy subject, which involves ‘entities’ of various types and forms, and what they can and cannot do. What is important here is that Adam was created above these creatures and any relationship according to the Shari’ah is discouraged. However, we do not that Allah bestowed up the Prophet Solomon, the ability to govern them. The Jinns were his servants, not his companions. Most obtain or keep Jinn as companions to serve them, and most are known to go astray.
As a student of Islam in Karachi, Pakistan, I had the opportunity to get to know a family of Jinns through an incident involving the male servant of a senior murid of my Shaykh, Shahidullah Faridi. All that I had learnt at class about Jinns from the Qur’an and Ahadith were true: what they were, how they looked, lived and ate, and of course their disturbing behaviour.
In life, I have lived through many encounters, met many Practitioners of the Arts, learned many secrets from them, and can honestly say to you, keep to the Straight Path of Allah. Develop Tawakkul in Him and build up your knowledge base on how to handle these situations. Its very challenging. Do not indulge in Shir; do not harm people using it as a short-cut to settle accounts or to achieve goals; You will suffer in the long run. Such practices are an abomination, an unforgivable sin. Place your Trust in Allah (Tawakkal) and only do good. Allah is ar-Rahman, nir-Rahim (Most Gracious, Most Merciful).
Only advise a victim, never involve yourself directly, because you will be slandered and will have to face the entity, who is annoyed over your involvement. You can only do so if you have the backing of Allah Almighty.
ASSUMED ASSUMPTIONS OVER 'AMAL'
Muslims in general, assume that the recitation of some Qur’anic verse or Hadith will produce results. It may and may not work. People have this notion that have several Qur’anic verses in frames around one’s house with provide protection. Some even have Qur’anic tapes and DVD played, believing that they will be protected. They will not because the sound frequency does not match the frequency of Jinn speech. To train a dog, one needs to purchase a high-frequency whistle.
Traditionally, any Amal or Dua has an approach and application. If you lack a foundation of Tawheed, Iman and Taqwa, your effort is a ‘touch-and-go’ one, meaning that it may or may not work. This depends to a great extent on you state of submission and surrender to Allah. “And when My servants ask you, [O Muḥammad], concerning Me - indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me. So let them respond to Me [by obedience] and believe in Me that they may be [rightly] guided.” (Surah Baqarah 2:168).
This is a clear indication that our relationship with Allah is a ‘two-way’ affair. You really have to be in a position of ‘Nearness to Allah’ to enjoy His blessings, otherwise, it may have to depend on His generosity rather than on your credibility. On the authority of Abu Hurairah (r.a.), who said that the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) said: “Allah (mighty and sublime be He) said: Whosoever shows enmity to someone devoted to Me, I shall be at war with him. My servant draws not near to Me with anything more loved by Me than the religious duties I have enjoined upon him, and My servant continues to draw near to Me with supererogatory works so that I shall love him. When I love him, I am his hearing with which he hears, his seeing with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes and his foot with which he walks. Were he to ask [something] of Me, I would surely give it to him, and were he to ask Me for refuge, I would surely grant him it. I do not hesitate about anything as much as I hesitate about [seizing] the soul of My faithful servant: he hates death and I hate hurting him. (Bukhari).
CONCLUSION
The objective of this article is to create a degree of awareness. The information that has been gathered from various sources including Gemini A.I. may not necessarily be correct. You derive your own conclusions. Everyone occupies a plot of land on demising, and needs to ensure he reaches his destination in the best possible way, as prescribed or preordained. I am merely expressing an opinion rightly or wrong with a sincere heart. Everyone has dreams. Everyone experiences phenomena, and it is a natural outcome to seek answers. However, the Shari’ah defines Islam, and it is important to remain withing these boundaries. There are no short-cuts in life nor quick-fixes. As you sow, so shall you reap. [Mokhtar Stork. 19 Jan 2026]
