Finding God’s Way: Spiritual Well-Being on the People Who Do Tirakat Mlaku

Izza Himawanti (Department of Islamic Counselling and Guidance, Faculty of Ushuluddin, Adab, and Da’wah, Universitas Islam Negeri Abdurrahman Wahid Pekalongan)
Imam Faisal Hamzah (Faculty of Psychology, Universitas Muhammadiyah Purwokerto)
Muhammad Faiq (Department of Aqidah and Islamic Philosophy, Faculty of Ushuluddin and Humanities, Universitas Islam Negeri Walisongo Semarang)

Teosofia: Indonesian Journal of Islamic Mysticism
Vol 11, No 1 (2022)

One of the ways to get closer to God is to escape from the world's temptations by going on a journey (safar, mlaku). This study aims to uncover the meaning of spiritual well-being in individuals who perform tirakat mlaku. This article is qualitative research with a phenomenological approach. The subject of this study is the congregation (jemaat) of Sheikh Abdullah Ibn Mas'ud Sukabumi, who perform tirakat mlaku. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and using interpretive phenomenological analysis. This study found that there are three meanings for those who undergo tirakat mlaku: (1) quality of life, (2) social well-being, and (3) environment well-being. This study also reveals that spiritual well-being is an interrelationship between one's relationship with God, subjective well-being, and socio-environment well-being. This article provides a new perspective on the concept of tirakat as a path to closeness to God, directly affecting the quality of life, social life, and environmental protection.Contribution: The results of this study can be used as a guide in constructing the dimension of spiritual well-being in the context of Islamic psychological theory. While practically, it provides an outlook of the meanings of divinity that are implemented in social activities.