The Jihad of a Lifetime Against Four Things!
In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.
Allāh, The Exalted, says:
وَٱعۡتَصِمُواْ بِٱللَّهِ هُوَ مَوۡلَٮٰكُمۡۖ فَنِعۡمَ ٱلۡمَوۡلَىٰ وَنِعۡمَ ٱلنَّصِيرُ
And hold fast to Allah; He is your Maula (Patron, Lord, etc.), what an Excellent Maula (Patron, Lord, etc.) and what an Excellent Helper!’’ [Al-Hajj. 78]
When you hold fast to Allah, He will protect you. Allah will help you against ([the evil desires) of your souls and shaytaan – the two enemies that never isolate themselves from a person. Their enmity is more harmful than an apparent enemy. Therefore, being given help against them is the most important thing and a person’s need for it is more.The completeness of this help is (given) is based on the level of one’s attachment to Allah. [1]
Allah, The Most High, says:
وَٱلَّذِينَ جَـٰهَدُواْ فِينَا لَنَہۡدِيَنَّہُمۡ سُبُلَنَاۚ
As for those who strive hard in Us (Our Cause), We will surely guide them to Our Paths (i.e. Allah’s Religion – Islamic Monotheism)] [29:69]
Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy upon him, stated:
Allah, Glorified be He and free is He from all imperfections, attached guidance to Jihad [striving in the path of Allah]. The people with the most perfect guidance are those who (perform) a greater Jihad. The most obligatory Jihad is the Jihad against the Self (a), Jihad against (vain) desires, Jihad against shaytan and Jihad against the Dunyah (b) Whoever strives against these four, Allah will guide him to the paths of His Pleasure leading to Paradise. Whoever abandons (this) Jihad will miss guidance depending on the extent of what he neglected it. Junaid, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: “Those who strive against their (vain) desires through repentance, Allah will guide them to the paths of sincerity. It is not possible to strive against the enemy in the open, except for the one who strives against these enemies inwardly. Thus, whoever is aided against them, he will be victorious against his enemy and whoever is made to be overcome by them, his enemy will be made victorious over him. [2]
[a] Jihad Against The Self: Striving to attain upright guidance, adhering to it after being acquainted with it, calling to it and exercising patience when faced with the difficulties in that path [3] Imam Al-Aajurree – may Allah have mercy upon him- said: I will provide you with a similitude that is clear to you. Know that the soul can be compared to a young horse, and the beholder is amazed when he looks at its good appearance and beauty. The people who possess knowledge regarding it say, “It will not yield any benefit until it undergoes proper training and discipline, at which point it will prove to be advantageous – capable of performing well and being of service, leading its rider to commend the results of its training and discipline. However, without discipline, its attractive appearance and beauty will be futile, and its rider will not praise its performance when needed”.
If the young horse’s owner heeds the advice of knowledgeable individuals regarding its situation, he will recognize the validity of their counsel and subsequently entrust the horse to a trainer. A horse trainer is only deemed deserving of the title if they are skilled in the training process and possess patience. If the trainer is well-versed in horse training and understands the most effective approach, the owner will benefit; however, if the trainer lacks expertise in horse training and discipline, he will harm the young horse, expend unnecessary effort, and the rider will be dissatisfied with the outcome.
Should he possess expertise in horse training and disciplinary techniques, yet lack the fortitude to withstand the challenges inherent in the process, seek comfort over perseverance, and exhibit negligence towards the appropriate actions to be taken, he will ultimately ruin and mistreat the young horse, rendering it unsuitable for duty and incapable of running, resulting in a discrepancy between its outward appearance and its actual capabilities.
If the owner of the young horse was also its trainer, he would feel remorse when regret becomes futile due to his neglect. So, when a task is required, he looks to another horse whose assistance is requested and given and moves swiftly when necessary. However, when he asks his horse for help and requests it to move swiftly, he receives no answer and the horse refuses to comply. All of this is a result of his negligence in training the horse and his impatience after acknowledging it. Consequently, he starts to blame himself, saying: “Why was I negligent and why did I fall short? Truly, my impatience has caused everything I detest”. And Allah’s Aid is sought! Consider and comprehend this similitude, may Allah have mercy on you, so that you may be successful and saved. [4]
[b] Jihad against the Dunyah: In a supplication, the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, asked Allah:
اللَّهُمَّ اقْسِمْ لَنَا مِنْ خَشْيَتِكَ مَا يَحُولُ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَ مَعَاصِيكَ وَمِنْ طَاعَتِكَ مَا تُبَلِّغُنَا بِهِ جَنَّتَكَ وَمِنَ الْيَقِينِ مَا تُهَوِّنُ بِهِ عَلَيْنَا مُصِيبَاتِ الدُّنْيَا وَمَتِّعْنَا بِأَسْمَاعِنَا وَأَبْصَارِنَا وَقُوَّتِنَا مَا أَحْيَيْتَنَا وَاجْعَلْهُ الْوَارِثَ مِنَّا وَاجْعَلْ ثَأْرَنَا عَلَى مَنْ ظَلَمَنَا وَانْصُرْنَا عَلَى مَنْ عَادَانَا وَلاَ تَجْعَلْ مُصِيبَتَنَا فِي دِينِنَا وَلاَ تَجْعَلِ الدُّنْيَا أَكْبَرَ هَمِّنَا وَلاَ مَبْلَغَ عِلْمِنَا وَلاَ تُسَلِّطْ عَلَيْنَا مَنْ لاَ يَرْحَمُنَ
[وَلاَ تَجْعَلِ الدُّنْيَا أَكْبَرَ هَمِّنَا وَلاَ مَبْلَغَ عِلْمِنَا – ‘Do not make the Dunyah our greatest concern]. [5] Al-Allamah Al-Mubaarakfooree, may Allah have mercy upon him, stated in his explanation of this supplication that it means: “Do not make wealth and status our greatest goal or the reason behind our grief, rather direct our greatest goal or the reason behind our grief towards the deeds of the afterlife. [6]
We ask Allah:
اللَّهُمَّ بِعِلْمِكَ الْغَيْبَ وَقُدْرَتِكَ عَلَى الْخَلْقِ أَحْيِنِي مَا عَلِمْتَ الْحَيَاةَ خَيْراً لِي وَتَوَفَّنِي إِذَا عَلِمْتَ الْوَفَاةَ خَيْراً لِي، اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ خَشْيَتَكَ فِي الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ كَلِمَةَ الْحَقِّ فِي الرِّضَا وَالْغَضَبِ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ الْقَصْدَ فِي الْغِنَى وَالْفَقْرِ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ نَعِيماً لَا يَنْفَذُ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ قُرَّةَ عَيْنٍ لَا تَنْقَطِعُ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ الرِّضِا بَعْدَ الْقَضَاءِ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ بَرْدَ الْعَيْشِ بَعْدَ الْمَوْتِ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ لَذَّةَ النَّظَرِ إِلَى وَجْهِكَ وَالشَّوْقَ إِلَى لِقَائِكَ فِي غَيْرِ ضَرَّاءَ مُضِرَّةٍ وَلَا فِتْنَةٍ مُضِلَّةٍ، اللَّهُمَّ زَيِّنَّا بِزِينَةِ الْإِيمَانِ
وَاجْعَلْنَا هُدَاةً مُهْتَدِينَ
O Allah! By Your Knowledge of the unseen and by Your Power over creation, let me live if life is good for me, and let me die if death is good for me; O Allah! I ask You to grant me (the blessing of having) fear of You in private and public, and I ask You (to make me utter) a statement of truth in times of contentment and anger, and I ask You for moderation when in a state of wealth and poverty, and I ask you for blessings that never ceases, and I ask You for the coolness of my eye that never ends, and I ask You (to make me pleased) after (Your) decree; and I ask You for a life of (ease, comfort, tranquility, etc) after death; I ask You for the delight of looking at Your Face (i.e. in the Hereafter) and yearning to meet You without any harm and misleading trials (coming upon me). O Allah! Adorn us with the adornment of Iman, and make us (from those who are) guided and guiding (others). [7]
اللَّهُمَّ أَصْلِحْ لِي دِينِي الَّذِي هُوَ عِصْمَةُ أَمْرِي
وَأَصْلِحْ لِي دُنْيَايَ الَّتِي فِيهَا مَعَاشِي
وَأَصْلِحْ لِي آخِرَتِي الَّتِي فِيهَا مَعَادِي
وَاجْعَلِ الْحَيَاةَ زِيَادَةً لِي فِي كُلِّ خَيْرٍ
وَاجْعَلِ الْمَوْتَ رَاحَةً لِي مِنْ كُلِّ شَرٍّ
O Allah! Rectify my religion for me, which is the safeguard of my affairs; rectify my worldly [affairs], wherein is my livelihood; and rectify my Afterlife to which is my return; and make life for me [as a means of] increase in every good and make death for me as a rest from every evil. [Saheeh Muslim Number: 2720] [8]
[1] Jalaa Al-Af’haam. Page 154
[2] Al-Fawaa’id page 97
[3] Zaad Al-Ma’aad 3/9
[4] An Excerpt from Adabun Nufoos. Page 5]
[5]Sahheeh at-Tirmidhee 3502
[6] Tuhfah Al-Ahwadhee 9/475-477]