The Applied Spirituality Project

What is “Applied” Spirituality?

Applied spirituality is a lifelong commitment to self-scrutiny, character development, and worshipful devotion, leading to increasing closeness to Allah.

The core tenets of spirituality are best captured in the metaphor frequently used in this tradition, which analogizes the care of the soul to the care of the physical body.

Just as our ‘outward form’ (khalq) is shaped by our diet and exercise, our ‘inward form’ (khuluq) is likewise shaped by its “diet” of spiritual nourishment (ʿilm) and ongoing spiritual exertion (mujahada).

Excessive Focus on the Theoretical

We often treat knowledge as an end in itself, becoming preoccupied with acquiring it at the expense of personal introspection about how that knowledge applies to ourselves and our communities today. While theories on the experiential dimensions of nearness to God can provide helpful tools and inspire our spiritual pursuit, they must not replace the hard work of disciplining the ego, refining character, and cultivating daily devotional habits.

Poor Adaptation of Spiritual Teachings to Modern Realities

The spiritual tradition we have inherited was developed in and for people, places, and times markedly different from our own. Its written texts also operate with unspoken premises, assume background knowledge, and employ conventions lost on an uninitiated reader. When we read spiritual texts in a contextual vacuum, we can feel confused or discouraged. We may even consider the teachings irrelevant, impossible, or even harmful. When classical sources are not sufficiently situated in their historical contexts or explained in a way that distinguishes the timeless from the context-bound teachings, we might implement spiritual teachings that are ineffective or even harmful for our spiritual growth, or popularize and institutionalize practices that harm others in the community.

Belonging and Exclusion in Spiritual Communities

Belonging to a spiritual community can be deeply rewarding and support our personal growth. However, it can also give rise to secondary challenges. Socially, these include cultures that promote cult-like behaviors, exclusionary practices, or conduct that causes spiritual harm or abuse. Even when these pitfalls are avoided, being part of a spiritual community can give the ego a false sense of superiority or reassurance, leading us to absolve ourselves rather than take full responsibility for our character, behavior, and personal development.

The Applied Spirituality Project is a long-term and constructive contribution for spiritual learning and development that seeks to avoid these pitfalls and translates our spiritual teaching through an adaptive and responsive approach that addresses our needs today.

Principles of Applied Spirituality

Grounded in tradition

I draw on my extensive experience and immersion for over two decades in Islam’s spiritual teachings. This has included close companionship with spiritual guides, personal experience in diverse spiritual communities, intensive study and review of spiritual texts with subject masters, personal reading of hundreds of books, over a decade of teaching Islamic spirituality in formal and informal communities - online, in person, and in university classrooms, and insights from my own ongoing spiritual journey.

Empowering believers to grow, discern, and flourish

Our goal is to provide believers with the confidence and tools to take ownership of their spiritual growth. It also provides a critical framework to help individuals distinguish between Islamically legitimate and illegitimate teachings and practices, as well as those that best serve them at their current stage of life and development.

Adapting and applying knowledge to meet our needs

This project helps participants implement Islam’s spiritual tradition in everyday life by identifying the knowledge and practices most relevant today and adapting them effectively to address real-world challenges. It relies on iterative discussion, case studies, and a commitment to ongoing, lifelong inquiry into the evolving self and best practices for its rectification.

Traveling and growing in and through community

Allah grants insights and experiences to diverse hearts. We are all enriched by engaging with the perspectives and proposed solutions to shared problems of others in our community.

Applied Spirituality Thematic Areas

The Applied Spirituality Project is organized into six core areas, each of which draws on the oceans of the ummah’s spiritual knowledge and contemplation of the Quran, Sunnah, and spiritual experience.