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The Virtue of Mindfulness
Mindfulness linguistically is defined as “the quality or state of being conscious or aware of something,” and more specifically, “A mental state achieved by focusing one's awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one's feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations, used as a therapeutic technique.”1 In the context of modern psychology, mindfulness is “a tool we can use to examine conceptual frameworks.”2 By watching closely how we think and feel, we gain the ability to alter our conceptual frameworks, or thought patterns, for our own benefit. When we are in a state of unmindfulness, we react to thoughts and emotions in knee-jerk fashion and let them lead us wherever they wish. By contrast, cultivating a state of mindfulness gives us the ability to follow or not follow our thoughts as we choose.
Put differently, mindfulness is a form of metacognition (“awareness of one’s awareness”), a self-awareness of what is really going on inside one’s mind and heart. It is a phenomenon that has attracted the attention of psychologists and health professionals, resulting in hundreds of scientific papers, studies, and books on mindfulness every year. Cultivating mindfulness, even in a non-religious or neutral context, has been demonstrated to provide measurable health and wellness benefits. According to the American Psychological Association, numerous peer-reviewed studies show that mindfulness practices (such as relaxation or meditation) help to reduce stress, boost memory, enhance focus and concentration, decrease emotional reactivity, and improve personal relationships. Mindfulness practices also promote empathy and compassion and are effectively used in clinical cognitive therapy.3 The burgeoning field of mindfulness, in science and spiritual practice, is an exciting development that deserves critical investigation.
In the Islamic context, mindfulness is the virtue of muraqabah, a word which is derived from the root meaning “to watch, observe, regard attentively.”4 Already we can see the close etymological and linguistic proximity between “mindfulness” and muraqabah. As a technical spiritual term, it is defined as “the constant knowledge of the servant and conviction in the supervision of the Truth, glory be to Him, over one’s outward and inward states.”5 That is, a Muslim in a state of muraqabah is in continuous full knowledge that Allah is Aware of him or her, inwardly and outwardly. It is a complete state of vigilant self-awareness in one’s relationship with Allah in heart, mind, and body. The basis of muraqabah is our knowledge that Allah is always watching us at all times and, as a consequence, we develop greater attention and care for our own actions, thoughts, feelings, and inner states of being. As Allah said, “Remember that God knows what is in your souls, so be mindful of Him.”6
Ibn Al-Qayyim and Al-Ghazali both have chapters in their books about the merits and realities of muraqabah.7 And it is not simply a recommended character trait, but rather it is the realization of the supreme character trait, spiritual excellence (al-ihsan). As the Prophet ﷺ defined in the famous hadith of Gabriel, spiritual excellence “is to worship Allah as if you see Him, for if you do not see Him, He certainly sees you.”8 In other words, spiritual excellence is to be completely aware and mindful of Allah at all times—the very peak of faith. According to Sheikh Al-Tuwayjiri,

Spiritual excellence is the essence of faith, its spirit, and its perfection by perfecting presence (al-hudur) with Allah Almighty, and mindfulness of Him (muraqabatihi), encompassing fear of Him, love of Him, knowledge of Him, turning to Him, and sincerity to Him.
Strategies for Relaxing Your Mind's Stressful Thoughts
Here are some simple tips for how to relax your mind.
Meditation
Meditation helps you learn how to relax your mind in a few different ways. One meditation session can calm your physiology and relax your mind, but many sessions over time can help you to feel less stressed when you face stress in the future--you can become more resilient to stress with the help of meditation.
Zikar meditation, one of many useful meditation techniques, is a good place to start because it's simple.
Cognitive Restructuring
Cognitive restructuring is a strategy that shows you how to relax your mind by changing habitual thought patterns that trigger your stress response.
Talk to a Good Friend
Gaining social support from trusted friends can help you to process what you're feeling, and supply you with an influx of new and helpful ideas for how to manage your stressors, which can help you know how to relax your mind by helping you feel less burdened by your stressors. That's why maintaining a supportive circle of friends is important.
Getting out of a rumination rut by talking things out with a trusted confidante can help you feel more relaxed and provide the clarity you need to take action.4