Muraqaba

Muraqaba (Arabic: مراقبة) is the Sufi word for meditation. Literally it is an Arabic term which means "to watch over", "to take care of", or "to keep an eye". It implies that with meditation, a person watches over or takes care of his spiritual heart (or soul), and acquires knowledge about it, its surroundings, and its creator.
Stages of Muraqaba
Following are the maqamat (Arabic: مقامات stages) in which Sufis have broadly categorised their journey of ascension. This categorization is an arbitrary one, and each level is generally further divided into several sub-levels. During the process of enlightenment, some stages can merge or overlap each other.
Somnolence
This is the starting level of meditation. When a person starts meditation, they often enter into a somnolent or sleep state (ghanood غنود). With the passage of time, the person goes into a state between sleep and wakefulness. So the person can remember...