Barakah (Arabic: بركة : also known as Baraka) is an Arabic term meaning spiritual wisdom and blessing transmitted from God (Arabic: Allah) to any creature that God wishes to bestow it upon. It is also described as "the greater good" derived from any act. In order to bring as much Barakah as possible into one's life, a Muslim should try to come closer to God by doing good deeds, praying/worshipping, helping others, and trying to follow God's commandments. He should also try to develop a close and personal relationship with God by remembering Him, knowing Him, and calling upon Him in his everyday life in the way that was taught by Muhammad through the many prayers and invocations. Muslims believe that through "sincere invocation of God," and trying to sincerely please Him through good deeds, repentance, and prayer, Barakah can be brought into their lives by God. This is supposed to make things easier, happier, and more blessed in this life, and by God's mercy, in the Hereafter. For Muslims, Barakah is what God uses to make the impossible possible. Barakah also refers to the favorable result of any action with the blessing of Allah. It is also a Sufi term referring to a sense of "divine presence" or "charisma." Baraka is used in contemporary French as a synonym of "luck". A person who has "baraka" is said to be able to emerge unscathed from dangerous situations. This use of the term derives from the time of French colonization in Algeria (1830-1962). Barakah is also the origin of U.S. politician Barack Obama's first name via Swahili which has been heavily influenced by Arabic. Barakah was the name of Al-Said Barakah a Sultan in Egypt who ruled from 1277 to 1279.
References and further reading
- C. Coulon, et al. Charisma and Brotherhood in African Islam. Oxford Univ. Press, 1988. ISBN 019822723X.
- L. N. Takim. The Heirs of the Prophet: Charisma And Religious Authority in Shi'ite Islam. SUNY Press, 2006. ISBN 0791467376.
- P. Werbner, et al. Embodying Charisma: Modernity, Locality and Performance of Emotion in Sufi Cults. Routledge, 1998. ISBN 0415151007.
