By Zulfikar

May what is written guide and inspire those who read it to deepen their connection to Allahﷻ.

The anticipation begins as we prepare to depart our homes, and we start to feel a sense of quiet excitement.

It feels distinct; this eagerness feels less like packing for a trip and more like preparing for a sacred rendezvous, a date with the Divine.

Having carved out precious time and dedicated energy exclusively to this purpose.

All this for just one intention: to draw nearer to Allah ﷻ, our Lord. Nothing compares to this profound sense of purpose as we gather our things, hearts already turning towards the retreat.

The ordinary world begins to recede; our focus narrows to the path leading closer to Him.

Arriving at Masjid Kampung Sembawang feels like stepping into a different reality. Nestled away from the relentless pulse and concrete sprawl of the city, this rustic mosque emerges as a sanctuary.

It stands as a deliberate retreat, a haven purposefully distanced from the daily demands, the incessant pings of technology, and the weight of worldly stressors.

Ironically, it is in this place, seemingly removed from the usual goings-on
of “life” that we begin discovering what life is truly about.

The purpose deepens as we dedicate this seclusion solely to seeking nearness to Allahﷻ, to cultivate that intimate connection that defines our ultimate existence.

The Sweetness of Sincere Seclusion

This is the essence of Khalwat-Dar-Anjuman – a retreat centred on khalwat, spiritual seclusion. When undertaken with profound sincerity, solely for the sake of drawing closer to Him, a remarkable transformation unfolds. Everything starts to align gracefully.

The intention itself becomes the compass, guiding experiences and smoothing the path.

What might otherwise be minor inconveniences dissolve, replaced by a pervasive sense of contentment and divine favour (barakah).

The simple meals provided, eaten with the conscious awareness that they are sustenance ordained by Allah ﷻ, taste unexpectedly rich and flavorful.

The weather, often a source of complaint, becomes a comforting embrace throughout our stay.

The hard floor where we sleep, lacking mattresses or pillows, inexplicably feels soft and welcoming.

Our rest, taken in the open air without air conditioning, becomes serene and profoundly peaceful.

Despite sleeping only a few hours each night, we awaken
remarkably refreshed, carrying a lightness that defies the brevity of our repose. This is the tangible fruit of sincere intention for Allah ﷻ’s sake: a path of least resistance opens.

When we wholeheartedly accept every circumstance — the food, the weather, the sleeping arrangements as precisely what Allahﷻ has decreed for us in His perfect wisdom, knowing it is ultimately for our benefit, everything becomes infused with barakah. Acceptance of the Divine Decree unlocks ease.

Safar dar Watan: Journeying Inward Within the Homeland

Our days within this sanctuary followed a beautifully simple, yet deeply resonant, rhythm: acquiring sacred knowledge (Ilm), establishing the prayers (Solat) with presence, immersing ourselves in the remembrance of Allahﷻ (dhikr), raising our voices in devotional hymns (qasidahs), eating, and sleeping. On the surface, it appears minimalistic.

Yet, performing these acts exclusively for Allahﷻ, surrounded by sincere companions striving towards the same goal, imbued them with profound meaning.

It felt right, intrinsically correct, as if we were finally engaging in the very purpose for which we were created: to worship Allahﷻ (Ibadah).
This structured environment, deliberately stripped of worldly distractions, became a potent catalyst for inner focus.

The practice of Hosh-Dar-Dam – maintaining constant awareness, particularly mindfulness of breath as a bridge to divine presence, starts to flow with ease.

The retreat provided the fertile environment necessary to dive deep within ourselves, embarking on the most crucial journey: the journey inward.

Free from the usual temptations and distractions, it was easier to consciously remove bad habits like heedlessness while diligently cultivating virtues and righteous actions. It became a sacred space for self-reckoning and intentional growth.

Such a retreat, with its supportive structure, focused activities, and removal of external noise, doesn’t just aid our journey towards Allahﷻ; it significantly accelerates it.

It feels akin to travelling – not across physical landscapes, but from the chaotic, external world of creation (Dunya) into the vast, serene inner universe where the presence of The Creator (Al-Khaliq) can be directly felt and known.

The Symphony of Creation: Divine Reply in the Open Air

Then came the profound climax of our retreat: the dhikr performed under the open sky. We gathered with anticipation, yet nothing could have prepared us for the transcendent event that unfolded.

As our voices rose in unison, calling upon the Most Beautiful Names of Allahﷻ (Asma Al-Ḥusna), miracles arose. Allahﷻ answered. Not in a voice from the heavens, but through the very fabric of His creation.

The rhythmic crashing of the waves against the shore became a resonant bass note echoing, “Allahﷻ!” The wind sighing through the trees transformed into a whispering chorus of remembrance.

Every leaf, every ripple of water, the very air around us – all seemed to vibrate in harmonious response to our invocation. It was a moment of pure, undeniable awe, allowing us to glimpse behind the veil.

This experience shattered any lingering illusion of separation. It wasn’t a singular, isolated miracle; it was a breathtaking revelation that Allahﷻ’s continuous miracle is existence itself.

That creation is Allahﷻ’s perpetual act, unfolding every moment. The waves, the wind, the atmosphere – all are constant affirmations of His presence, power, and responsiveness.

We became aware that miracles are happening now, all around us, always. Our Lord was always with us, is intimately with us in this very breath, and will eternally be with us.

The barrier was never His Majesty’s absence, but our lack of realisation. The retreat, culminating in that open-air dhikr, served as a powerful lens, focusing our sight and attuning our hearts to recognise the divine symphony constantly playing within and around us.

We simply needed the space, the intention, and the collective focus to truly see and hear it. If only we could have this constant realisation.

The Bittersweet Farewell: Longing for the Abiding Presence

As the retreat inevitably drew to a close, a profound sense of sorrow settled upon our hearts. It was an ache stemming from parting from our Beloved, a deep yearning born of genuine closeness.

Leaving the mosque grounds felt like being gently yet firmly pulled away from a place of profound freedom and intimacy, where we were thrust back towards a life of confinement.

The stark contrast was jarring. Was this lingering sorrow a taste of what true closeness to Allah ﷻ feels like when we are forced to turn away, even momentarily?

Were we departing a physical khalwat (seclusion for remembrance), only to return to a life that is less profound and more perilous for our souls?

Is the “real world” the prison, and the retreat, the taste of true liberation? These questions wrestled within us as we prepared to depart.

The sanctuary of the retreat had offered a glimpse of life lived in uninterrupted orientation towards the Divine, where worship was the rhythm and remembrance the constant melody.

Returning to the complexities of daily life, with its myriad demands and distractions, felt like a diminishment, a potential fading of that luminous connection.

We departed, praying that the clarity, the focus, the profound sense of
Allahﷻ’s nearness cultivated during those precious days would not evaporate.

We prayed for the strength and discipline to integrate that retreat consciousness into the fabric of our everyday existence – to make remembrance (dhikr) our constant companion, to infuse our daily tasks with the same purity of intention (niyyah), and to view the world
through the lens of His perpetual presence, as we had so vividly experienced by the shore.

Leaving Masjid Kampung Sembawang, we carried not just our bags, but a renewed longing in our hearts.

We carried the echo of the waves responding to His Name, the memory of the wind carrying our remembrance, and the tangible sweetness of a community united in seeking Allahﷻ.

And so, with hearts both heavy from parting but lightened by the experience, we could only look ahead, yearning for the next opportunity to return to such a retreat, to deepen that connection, InshaAllah.

For we had tasted, however briefly, the profound peace of dwelling in remembrance, a state that truly feels like coming home.