The Human Search for Meaning in the Postmodern Age of Speed: The Influence of Ibn al-Waqt as a Sufi Teaching in the Context of Religious Education

The Role of Sufism in the Human Search for Meaning

Abstract

The postmodern era has radically transformed the individual’s relationship with time and meaning; fixed truths, rooted identities, and coherent value systems have been replaced by temporary, relative, and fragmented structures. This transformation has caused a significant rupture in the individual's quest for meaning. In particular, the culture of speed, consumption, and superficiality has stripped the concept of time of its depth. The concept of Ibn al-Waqt (Child of the Moment) in Sufi thought offers an alternative model of existence in response to this crisis. It proposes that instead of being trapped in the sorrow of the past or the anxiety of the future, the individual should perceive the present moment as a divine manifestation.

This study examines the influence of the Ibn al-Waqt doctrine on the postmodern individual’s search for meaning, exploring its psychological, educational, and spiritual dimensions. Based on an evaluation of relevant literature, it is concluded that this understanding strengthens individual mental well-being, brings inner awareness and depth to religious education, and offers a Sufi perspective on the modern crisis of meaning. The study also reveals that the Ibn al-Waqt teaching is not merely a mystical concept of the past but a meaningful and applicable response to the existential problems of modern humans.