On Mujaahadah (Striving)

[ummtaalib]

Mujaahadah

 

وَالَّذِينَ جَاهَدُوا فِينَا لَنَهْدِيَنَّهُمْ سُبُلَنَا ۚ وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَمَعَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ

 

Waallatheena jahadoo feena lanahdiyannahum subulana wainna Allaha lamaAAa almuhsineena

 

“Those who strive in Our Path, We will most assuredly guide them towards Our Paths,and lo! Allah is with the good.”

Suratul Ankaboot Verse 69

 

 

 

Fudalah al-Kamil (radhiyallahu anhu) related that the Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said:

 

“A Mujahid is one who strives against his desires in order to obey Allah.”

[Al-Bayhaqi, Shu’ab al-Iman]

 

 

 

What is Mujaahadah?

The Need for Mujaahadah

Moderation in Mujaahadah

Types of Mujaahadah

Jihad al-Nafs (Striving Against One’s Lower Self) & the Path of Sufism (Q/A)

Struggling Against One's Base Desires (Nafs) by Shaykh Zulfiqar Ahmed (db)

Striving against the Nafs and Shaytaan

Control the Nafs

Real Taqwaa

 

[ummtaalib]

The Nature of Mujaahadah

 

The reality of Mujaahadah consists of the habitual practice of opposing the nafs (man’s lowly desire). In other words, to check and control the physical, monetary, egotistical and mundane desires, delights and preferences of the nafs in the pursuit of the Pleasure and Obedience of Allah Ta’ala.

 

from "Shariat and Tasawwuf"

by Shaykh  Maseehul Ummat, Maulana Mohammed Maseehullah Khan (Raheemahullaah)

Read book HERE

 

 

 

Mujahida is the term used for any mental, physical, or financial hardship that one may have to bear for the sake of Islam

Shaykh Zulfiqar Ahmed (db)

 

 

 

The common definition of taqwaa is to abstain from the disobedience of Allah subhanahu wata‘alaa. When a person tries to do this it is a struggle, known as mujahadah.

Shaykh Muhammad Saleem Dhorat hafizahullah

www.shaykh.org

 

 

 

The process of striving against ones lower self is part of the science of tasawwuf.

Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

 

 

 

Striving against one’s desires is referred to as the greater Jihad in many of the sayings of the spiritual masters.

Reliable Fatwas

[ummtaalib]

The Need for Mujaahadah

A’maal-e-Saalihah (righteous deeds) are always accompanied by labour, toil and difficulty because such a’maal are in conflict with the desires of the nafs. There will always be some form of opposition sometimes great, sometimes slight by the nafs against a’maal. Striving against the nafs is therefore a life-long process.

 

Both the mubtadi and the muntahi are at times faced with lethargy because of conflict in the a’maal. (Mubradi is a beginner in the Path of Tasawwuf). Muntahi one who has attained his goal in Tasawwuf. Both are in need to ward off their lethargy by means of mujaahadah. However, the mubtadi stands in greater need of mujaahadah in the initial stages, he at times becomes overconfident. But, frequently natural traits and habits return and the consequence is an urge for sinning. The nafs of the muntahi therefore also becomes lethargic at times in obedience. He, therefore, stands in need of mujahadah at such a time.

 

There is, however, a great difference between the mujaahadah of the mubtadi and the muntahi. The mubtadi is like one who is seated on the back of a horse just trained. The rider of the newly trained horse has to be much more alert and exercise greater control over the horse as such a horse tends to be more mischievous and is apt to go out of control. The muntahi is like a rider seated on the back of a well trained horse. He exercises no great endeavour to maintain the horse under control. Nevertheless, he too has to be alert because even a trained horse sometimes reverts to mischievousness because of its natural animal traits. But, the slightest warning from the rider is sufficient to check the horse. If, however, the rider is totally negligent then even the trained horse will sometimes suddenly drop him from its back. Thus, mujaahadah for the control of the nafs is necessary for the muntahi also.

 

from "Shariat and Tasawwuf"

by Shaykh  Maseehul Ummat, Maulana Mohammed Maseehullah Khan (Raheemahullaah)

[ummtaalib]

Moderation in Mujaahadah

The purpose of mujaahadah is not to depress and frustrate the nafs, but is to habituate the nafs to difficulty and to eliminate the habit of comfort and luxury. For this purpose that amount of mujaahadah is sufficient which brings some difficulty on the nafs. It is of no benefit to impose excessive strain on the nafs and frustrating it. Excessive strain will render the nafs useless. Understand this well. Effort and trial are not always and in all conditions meritorious. It is desirable if in moderation resulting inbeneficial progress. Excess in mujaahadah is contemptible, hence observance of moderation is incumbent. Shaikh Sa’di (rahmatullah alayh) echoes this in the couplet:

 

Eat not so much that it spills from the mouth

Eat not so less that the body is overcome with weakness.

 

Allah Ta’ala says in the Qur’aan Shareef:

 

“(The servants of Allah are) those who when they spend, do nor waste nor are they miserly. But, between these (extremes of waste and miserliness) they are moderate.”

 

Moderation has therefore to be observed in mujaahadah. But, this moderation should not be prescribed by one’s own opinion and desire. The degree of moderation and the method of mujaahadah should be acquired from a Muhaqqiq (a Shaikh qualified in Tasawwuf and who has been authorised by some spiritual master to spiritually train others).

 

from "Shariat and Tasawwuf"

by Shaykh  Maseehul Ummat, Maulana Mohammed Maseehullah Khan (Raheemahullaah)

[ummtaalib]

The Types of Mujaahadah 

There are two kinds of mujaahadah.

 

1. Physical Mujaahadah. This is the imposition of practices upon the nafs in order to accustom it to difficulties, e.g. accustoming the nafs to Salaat by imposing upon it Nafl Salaat in abundance; reducing the greed of the nafs by means of abundance of Nafl Fasting.

 

2. Opposition. In this type of mujaahadah the nafs is opposed in its desires. When the nafs urges to commit sin then opposition is offered. The main type of mujaahadah is this second kind. This second kind of mujaahadah is Waajib (compulsory). The first type of mujaahadah is employed in order to acquire the second kind. When the nafs becomes accustomed to difficulties then it will develop the habit of controlling its desires.

 

Those who possess the ability to control their desires without resorting to physical mujaahadah (the first kind) are not in need of this type of mujaahadah. However, because such people are extremely few, the Sufiyahhave stringently adopted physical mujaahadah as well. According to the Sufiyah physical mujaahadah consists of four fundamentals (arkaan) as follows:

 

1. Qillat-e-Ta’aam: To eat less.

2. Qillat-e-Kalaam: To speak less.

3. Qillat-e-Manaam: To sleep less.

4. Qillat-e-Ikhtilaat Ma’al Anaam: To associate less with people.

 

One who fully acquires these four qualities and becomes accustomed to observe them, will attain the ability to control his nafs. He will be in a strong position to check the evil desires of the nafs. Mujaahadah against the nafs in its urges for sin is acquired when the nafs is opposed to a certain degree in even its lawful desires, e.g. refusal to fulfil immediately the desire of the nafs for some delicious food, its urge for such food beingrebutted and only fulfilled after vehement desire so that the nafs does not become frustrated. When one becomes accustomed to oppose the nafs in things lawful then it will become relatively simple to oppose the sinful urges of the nafs. A person who grantshis nafs absolute freedom in the mubaahaat (lawful things) at times will not be able to suppress the urge for sinning.

 

from "Shariat and Tasawwuf"

by Shaykh  Maseehul Ummat, Maulana Mohammed Maseehullah Khan (Raheemahullaah)

[ummtaalib]

Jihad al-Nafs (Striving Against One’s Lower Self) & the Path of Sufism

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Question

I was listening to some girls talk the other day, and they were saying that there was no evidence for jihad al nafs, that all the evidence for it was fabricated, or so weak as to be worthless, and so jihad can only mean fighting physically. I am very confused by this. If you could explain this to me and show me the evidences, I would really appreciate it.

 

Answer:

Walaikum assalam,

Affirming one reality is not a valid reason for negating another.

 

Physical jihad is a reality, whose obligation and rules are clearly established.

 

At the same time, the Prophet (Allah bless him & give him peace) himself used the term jihad for other than physical combat:

 

He said (Allah bless him & give him peace), The striver (mujahid) is the one who strives against his lower self in obedience of Allah, and the migrant (muhajir) is the one who leaves wrongs and sins. [Related by Imam Ahmad, with a strong chain of narrators, with similar wordings being transmitted by Imam Tirmidhi, and others]

 

This striving against ones lower self and appetitive impulses is in order to make ones beliefs, actions, and desires accord to the Sacred Law the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) came with.

 

This is why the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace be upon him, his family, and companions) said, None of you [truly] believes until his whims follow that which I have come with. [Nawawi said: an rigorously authenticated (sahih) hadith, narrated in Kitab al-Hujja, Ibn Taymiyya said: Abu Hatim narrated it in his Sahih]

 

The process of striving against ones lower self is part of the science of tasawwuf.

[ummtaalib]

Struggling Against One's Base Desires (Nafs)

by Shaykh Zulfiqar Ahmed (db)

Those who believe and work righteous deeds, from them shall We blot out all evil (that may be) in them and We shall reward them according to the best of their deeds (29:7)

 

Mujahida is the term used for any mental, physical, or financial hardship that one may have to bear for the sake of Islam, and the above verse is a poignant one for such people who strive in the path of Allah. Mujahida can indeed be very personal, in the case of fighting one’s base desires (nafs) and subjugating it to the rule of Islamic Sacred Law (shariah). The Messenger of Allah sallallaahu 'alayhi wasallam said that a mujahid is someone who struggles against his nafs for the sake of obeying Allah. The nafs always wants to lead mankind astray because it revels in acts that are against the shariah. Hence, a person becomes deserving of reward from Allah if he controls the unlawful desires of his nafs and subjugates it to the commandments of Allah.

 

Read more.....

struggle_nafs.pdf

[ummtaalib]

STRIVING AGAINST THE NAFS (DESIRES) AND SHAYTAAN

THE GREATEST JIHAD

To transform Azaazeel into Iblees, was not the work of another shaitaan. It was the nafs which had ruined him. It is therefore of greater importance to defeat the nafs than to defeat the kuffaar. It is for this reason that the struggle against the nafs is termed Jihaad-e-Akbar (the Greatest Jihaad).  – (Azaazeel was the name of Iblees before he became the shaitaan.)

 

THE PERFECT MUJAHID

Fudalah al-Kamil (radhiyallahu anhu) related that the Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said: “A Mujahid is one who strives against his desires in order to obey Allah.” [Al-Bayhaqi, Shu’ab al-Iman]

 

Commentary: Jihad against desire is referred to as the greater Jihad. Striving against one’s desires is referred to as the greater Jihad in many of the sayings of the spiritual masters. This is established from the Hadith above because the grammar in this expression “A Mujahid is one who” indicates that the speaker intends to restrict the reference to a certain kind of mujahid and, when there is nothing to indicate otherwise, the assumption is that the kind of Mujahid intended is the perfect Mujahid. This sort of expression is well known to scholars of Arabic.

 

The hadith therefore means that a perfect Mujahid is a Mujahid who struggles with his or her desires. It should be obvious from the foregoing that the most perfect form of Jihad is Jihad against desires. Here, the words “perfect” and “greater” have the same meaning.

 

Read more.............HERE

[ummtaalib]

Control the Nafs

In a hadeeth Rasūl Allāh صلى الله عليه وسلم mentions:

 

الكيس من دان نفسه وعمل لما بعد الموت والعاجز من اتبع نفسه هواها وتمنى على الله

 

Intelligent is he who suppresses his nafs and works for that which is to come after death, and the weak is he who allows his nafs free reign and continues to build hope in Allah. [Tirmidhi]

 

It is the inherent nature of the nafs to keep desiring for things. If we keep satisfying our permissible desires (beyond our rights and needs), the nafs will soon become tired of these desires and aspire to other desires which are doubtful until there comes a time when it will eventually desire haraam. We fall into the trap of leaving a desire only for the sake of a new desire. The result is that one’s life becomes a never-ending cycle of new desires and following one’s passions. However, the only way to reach spiritual heights and gain closeness to Allah سبحانه وتعالى is to sacrifice even the permissible desires. One should sacrifice a desire only for the sake of Allah سبحانه وتعالى and not for the sake of the nafs in the form of a new desire. Only by sacrificing the permissible desires will the nafs remain under control. Either the nafs controls the person or the person controls the nafs.

 

[This short excerpt is based on a dars entitled ‘Talk on the Nafs’ held by Shaykh Abu Yusuf Riyadh ul Haq on 7th March 2000].

[ummtaalib]

Real Taqwaa

“The common definition of taqwaa is to abstain from the disobedience of Allah subhanahu wata‘alaa. When a person tries to do this it is a struggle, known as mujahadah. Through the barakah of this struggle, actual taqwaa is achieved, wherein the noor (light) of taqwaa is entered into the heart. Once this is achieved, the person will no longer have to struggle much to avoid sins as before; the filth of sin will repel the person.

 

It is like the prospect of walking through a narrow gully with damp and filthy walls. You will be repelled from the very thought, but even if you do and some filth touches your clothing, you will not be able to rest in peace until it is washed off. When you have acquired the actual taqwaa you are repelled by the filth of sins, and if you do ever slip and make a mistake, you will not find contentment until you repent; this will result in you repenting immediately.”

 

Courtesy of In Shaykh's Company: a blog maintained by the students of Shaykh Muhammad Saleem Dhorat hafizahullah

www.shaykh.org