Sometimes a person can perhaps have a split personality. A person can have an appearance which reflects piety but inside his heart, he may be as rotten as a banana. On the other hand, a person may appear to be very sinful but perhaps he keeps within his heart certain principles that render him to be pious. The examples on this particular matter are vast. The underlying theme is that we know what our minds conjure behind words of piety and we most assuredly know what our limbs commit behind closed doors. A person has two personalities; a pious one and a sinful one.
It is for this reason that Allah Ta’ala mentions in Surah Baqarah, “Did I not tell you, verily I know what is hidden between the Heavens and the Earth. And I know what you make apparent and what you may conceal.” Allah Ta’ala has mentioned the two sides of a person. A person’s internal appearance and his external appearance. The aim for a Muslim is to make both of these sides submit to Allah Ta’ala. It is almost as if we have two lives and the objective of both is to please Allah rabbul ’izzah. Only once both the external and internal sides conform to Allah’s Ta’ala rulings and commands, we attain this submission and balance.
In order to attain this spiritual excellence, a person must always be aware of his deeds. Thus the split personality of a person can be seen in different ways :
1. Some people are such that in their regular day to day business they live with a split personality. A classic example would be of that person who sees a beautiful, young lady crossing the road. In his appearance he is lowering his gaze which suggests that he is pious but in his mind he is conjuring immoral thoughts. Similar is the case of a sister who may appear to be God-fearing by her firm words and persona but in her heart she may be conceal intense love for a boy whom it is not permissible for her to love. Thus there is a double life being led simultaneously.
2. The second example is of that person who splits when the opportunity presents itself and discards his pious side and turns to his sinful nature. An example of this person may perhaps be of that person who is a pious and maintains great righteousness; however, if he goes to a person’s house where music is being played and movies are being watched, his demeanour will change rapidly and he will joyfully partake in such actions. Similarly, a sister may be pious but if she is sitting with a group of girls who are gossiping and backbiting; she too will ‘split’ as the opportunity presents itself and begin backbiting and gossiping. It is seen in these examples that a person becomes taken over by this sinful personality inside, once the sin he has partaken in is over, he returns to his normal state.
3. The third type of person is that Muslim who momentarily looses control of himself and shows his sinful nature. This is typically seen in all Muslims in the state of anger when it is unnecessary. For example, a person is of a pious nature and very rarely gets angry. However, one day he comes home one day after a long days work and he is hoping for a nice, hot, dish of daal, chawal and subzi. However, when he gets home, he finds his wife has been sitting on the phone all day long and as a result, he implodes and lets out ‘maa ben’ swearwords. However, after a few minutes he calms down and realises he is wrong and goes back to his own self. Similarly, there is a sister who may have a sibling who happens to be a bit mischievous. One day the sibling may perhaps take the GHD hair straightener and as a result, the elder sister becomes extremely angry. Once again, after a few seconds, she realises that such argument is petty and best avoided; thus she returns to her usual self.
4. The final example is of that person who remains at a pious level all the time and when the thought of rebelling comes into his mind, he suppresses himself or he teaches himself not to be agitated by trivial things. For example, a brother is a really pious sufi saab. He does not get into sins and is constantly in the remembrance of Allah Ta’ala internally and externally. However, one day he is extremely tired and he sees that prayer time is departing without him having prayed. He struggles internally because his nafs does not want to pray and he struggles externally because he is tired. He has pressure from both sides.The thought passes his mind to read Qaza later on however, his constant level of piety prevails and his regular practices come to his aid. Thus he is easily able to ignore the wrong and continue to live righteously.
How does a person get to this stage? The answer is in the Jibril Hadith, “Worship Allah as if you can see him and if you cannot, then truly He sees you.” A person has to continually work his mind to a state where he knows that Allah Ta’ala is watching him and that he must refrain from wrong. It is like the situation of a parent and a child. A child will be instructed from a tender age not to use swear words otherwise he will get beaten with a cricket bat. Then, due to this firm warning, he will not swear due to remembering the words of his parents subconsciously. As a result, even when a person grows into a man, he will never swear in front of his parents. In the same way, we must grow a consciousness over the commands of Allah Ta’ala. If we continually keep them in our mind, we will be able to suppress our other side. To do this, we must sit and analyse our sins and recognise where we lapse the most. Then, we must continually drill it into ourselves that it is wrong. At first we may continue to sin, however gradually we will recognise the wrong we are doing and be able to diverge from it. A person should never feel down, things like this do not happen over night (sometimes they do but this is Allah's fazl, He gives it to whom He wants). We must remember that Rome was not built over night. Or in Islamic terms, the extension of Masjidul Haram in Makkah wasn't built over night!
May Allah Ta’ala give us the ability to rectify ourselves in order to conform with His commands. Ameen ya Rabbal aalameen.
Monday, 28 June 2010
Wednesday, 23 June 2010
Q&A: I am waiting for exam results. Is there anything I can do/pray so that I can get good results?
Source: Tafseer Raheemi
The following question has been taken from the website of Hazrat Maulana Abdur Rahim Sahib. Inshallah this will be of benefit to many people:
Question
Assalamu alaykum,
I have just done my exams and I am waiting for the results. Please Shaykh Moulana Saheb I humbly request you to make dua for me that I get good results. Is there anything I can do/pray so that I can get good results?
Jazakallah. May Allah reward you, your family, your teachers and everyone involved with this website abundantly in this world and in the hereafter…Ameen. You are doing a great job and you have benefited me a lot. May Allah give you the strength to carry on this great work for many years… Ameen
Answer
In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful.
Read two rak’ats of Salat ul-Hajat everyday until you get your results. I am making dua for you. May Allah give you the highest grades in this world and the loftiest ranks in the hereafter. Ameen.
The following question has been taken from the website of Hazrat Maulana Abdur Rahim Sahib. Inshallah this will be of benefit to many people:
Question
Assalamu alaykum,
I have just done my exams and I am waiting for the results. Please Shaykh Moulana Saheb I humbly request you to make dua for me that I get good results. Is there anything I can do/pray so that I can get good results?
Jazakallah. May Allah reward you, your family, your teachers and everyone involved with this website abundantly in this world and in the hereafter…Ameen. You are doing a great job and you have benefited me a lot. May Allah give you the strength to carry on this great work for many years… Ameen
Answer
In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful.
Read two rak’ats of Salat ul-Hajat everyday until you get your results. I am making dua for you. May Allah give you the highest grades in this world and the loftiest ranks in the hereafter. Ameen.
Wednesday, 16 June 2010
Previous Posts
Here are a list of previous posts which may be of benefit:
Short Articles:
Jealousy - This article is about being jealous of a person and its remedy.
Diamond Under The Hijab - This article is about the great virtue of a person who wears hijab.
The Father, The Son & The Donkey - This article is about the ways people may be affected by what their friends may say about them.
Be Happy & Not Grumpy - This article is about those people who always wish to be grumpy and never cheeful.
Longer Articles:
Let's Leave It In The Past - This article is about the way people abuse others who have lived a life of sin then changed.
Environmental Issues - This article is about how our day to day lives can change us.
Goodnight, Sleep Tight - This article is about sleeping at correct times and overcoming insomniac nights.
Poetry:
My Friend & Me - This poem is about friendship.
Anger - This poem is about the anger a person feels.
To The One Who Bears Me In His Heart - This is poem is about the faults of a person.
Short Articles:
Jealousy - This article is about being jealous of a person and its remedy.
Diamond Under The Hijab - This article is about the great virtue of a person who wears hijab.
The Father, The Son & The Donkey - This article is about the ways people may be affected by what their friends may say about them.
Be Happy & Not Grumpy - This article is about those people who always wish to be grumpy and never cheeful.
Longer Articles:
Let's Leave It In The Past - This article is about the way people abuse others who have lived a life of sin then changed.
Environmental Issues - This article is about how our day to day lives can change us.
Goodnight, Sleep Tight - This article is about sleeping at correct times and overcoming insomniac nights.
Poetry:
My Friend & Me - This poem is about friendship.
Anger - This poem is about the anger a person feels.
To The One Who Bears Me In His Heart - This is poem is about the faults of a person.
Saturday, 12 June 2010
Cheering Up A Sinful, Sorrowful Heart
Being conscious of the sins that we commit is a great ni’mat and bounty of Allah Ta’ala. We all commit sins on a regular basis and we all see these sins in different ways. However, recognition of a sin is a great characteristic a Muslim should have within himself. By being able to recognise one's disobedience, a person builds up a desire inside of himself to correct things. One of the worst feelings a Muslim can feel is the sorrow of a heart which has disobeyed the commands of Allah Ta’ala. Thus, a concious Muslim will always want to cheer his heart up.
Our hearts have a deep connection with Allah Ta’ala. It is a connection which is deeper and stronger than anything else. Our bodies have been created and fashioned by Allah Ta’ala and naturally there is a connection between the two. The body consciously or subconsciously immediately recognises Allah Ta’ala. For example, a person can be the biggest sinner in the world but when he hears the Qur’an, his heart will immediately be impacted in some way. This impact can be of different degrees. Some people will hear the recital and be wonderstruck; others may hear the Qur’an and may pause for a few seconds before continuing with their day to day matters. The basic point made here is that the body which was created by Allah Ta’ala will always recognise Allah Ta’ala whether we like it or not.
Our every limb has a connection with its Creator and at different times they begin to recognise this. When we are running away from something frightening and come to a dead end, our legs then turn to run towards the safety of Allah Ta’ala. When tears are pouring out of our eyes due to helplessness, we immediately raise these eyes towards the heavens in order to attract the mercy of Allah Ta’ala. When our hands are failing to provide us with good food, we cup our hands in order to supplicate to Allah Ta’ala. When our hearts are in panic and are restless due to various difficulties, we let our hearts be fed with the remembrance of Allah Ta’ala by which it then finds tranquillity. The reality is, deep down inside, our body knows only Allah azza wa jal and our intellect only comprehends this when we are in times of need.
The greatest organ in the body which recognises Allah Ta’ala is the heart. It feels sorrow when we disobey Allah Ta’ala and it feels great joy when we obey Him. In the same manner, Allah Ta’ala has a connection with our hearts. When we do good deeds, He sends mercy down upon it and when we disobey Him, He stains it with a dark dot as mentioned in Surah Mutafiffeen, “But on their hearts is the stain of the (ill) which they do!” When we commit many sins, our hearts become heavy and tainted. This is the reason to the sorrow that we feel. This staining that Allah Ta'ala has given itself is a ni'mat from him. When we see a person doing something wrong, we may tap him on the shoulder by which he understands his actions are incorrect. In the same way, Allah Ta'ala taps us on our heart by which we feel and recognise our actions are wrong.
This sorrow is one of the worst feelings a person can feel. It is such a feeling which can drive a person into depression if he does not understand how to fight it away with good deeds. In turn, this depression leads a person into a state of hopelessness. Allah Ta’ala is so close to His slaves that He comforts the believers in the Qur’an and consoles them so that they do not fall into despair. He says, “Say to those believers of Mine who have transgressed against themselves, despair not the mercy of Allah. Verily, Allah forgives all sins.” In this verse, Allah Ta’ala has indicated that the cause of hopelessness is transgression and disobedience of Allah Ta’ala. And the remedy of this hopelessness is in the forgiveness of Allah Ta’ala. Therefore, if a person would like to wipe away the sorrow of his heart, he must make sincere repentance to Allah Ta’ala and in this way, his heart will begin to polish away the darkness which it accommodates.
Other ways to cheer the heart up:
Our hearts have a deep connection with Allah Ta’ala. It is a connection which is deeper and stronger than anything else. Our bodies have been created and fashioned by Allah Ta’ala and naturally there is a connection between the two. The body consciously or subconsciously immediately recognises Allah Ta’ala. For example, a person can be the biggest sinner in the world but when he hears the Qur’an, his heart will immediately be impacted in some way. This impact can be of different degrees. Some people will hear the recital and be wonderstruck; others may hear the Qur’an and may pause for a few seconds before continuing with their day to day matters. The basic point made here is that the body which was created by Allah Ta’ala will always recognise Allah Ta’ala whether we like it or not.
Our every limb has a connection with its Creator and at different times they begin to recognise this. When we are running away from something frightening and come to a dead end, our legs then turn to run towards the safety of Allah Ta’ala. When tears are pouring out of our eyes due to helplessness, we immediately raise these eyes towards the heavens in order to attract the mercy of Allah Ta’ala. When our hands are failing to provide us with good food, we cup our hands in order to supplicate to Allah Ta’ala. When our hearts are in panic and are restless due to various difficulties, we let our hearts be fed with the remembrance of Allah Ta’ala by which it then finds tranquillity. The reality is, deep down inside, our body knows only Allah azza wa jal and our intellect only comprehends this when we are in times of need.
The greatest organ in the body which recognises Allah Ta’ala is the heart. It feels sorrow when we disobey Allah Ta’ala and it feels great joy when we obey Him. In the same manner, Allah Ta’ala has a connection with our hearts. When we do good deeds, He sends mercy down upon it and when we disobey Him, He stains it with a dark dot as mentioned in Surah Mutafiffeen, “But on their hearts is the stain of the (ill) which they do!” When we commit many sins, our hearts become heavy and tainted. This is the reason to the sorrow that we feel. This staining that Allah Ta'ala has given itself is a ni'mat from him. When we see a person doing something wrong, we may tap him on the shoulder by which he understands his actions are incorrect. In the same way, Allah Ta'ala taps us on our heart by which we feel and recognise our actions are wrong.
This sorrow is one of the worst feelings a person can feel. It is such a feeling which can drive a person into depression if he does not understand how to fight it away with good deeds. In turn, this depression leads a person into a state of hopelessness. Allah Ta’ala is so close to His slaves that He comforts the believers in the Qur’an and consoles them so that they do not fall into despair. He says, “Say to those believers of Mine who have transgressed against themselves, despair not the mercy of Allah. Verily, Allah forgives all sins.” In this verse, Allah Ta’ala has indicated that the cause of hopelessness is transgression and disobedience of Allah Ta’ala. And the remedy of this hopelessness is in the forgiveness of Allah Ta’ala. Therefore, if a person would like to wipe away the sorrow of his heart, he must make sincere repentance to Allah Ta’ala and in this way, his heart will begin to polish away the darkness which it accommodates.
Other ways to cheer the heart up:
- Read Qur'an regularly.
- Pray on time and avoid missing prayers intentionally.
- Do not spend too much time watching th TV.
- Make use of time by reading good Islamic books.
- Spend time in the Masjid, go regularly for prayers and build a connection with the Masjid.
- Make dua to Allah Ta'ala, pouring out the contents of your heart.
- Make constant zikr. Zikr gives the heart peaces as mentioned in the Qur'an and cleans up any filth therein.
- Most importantly, ask Allah Ta'ala for forgiveness.
May Allah Ta'ala grant us all the ability to rectify ourselves and may He grant our hearts eternal happiness. Ameen.
Thursday, 3 June 2010
Infatuation in Islam - Identifying the Problem
Recently, I have heard the word infatuation being used a lot. I began thinking about what ‘infatuation’ exactly is from an Islamic point of view. I then thought about the difference between infatuation and a mere liking of someone. Slowly but surely, by the grace of Allah Ta’ala, I began to write this article. This article will largely deal with the feeling of infatuation upon the other gender.
According to the dictionary, the word infatuation is defined as ‘an intense but short-lived passion or admiration for someone or something’. In many cases however, such infatuation is not short-lived but remains present in a person’s life. It can hide itself within the breasts of mankind for a long period and just when a person thinks it has gone, it can resurface. This will be explained further in due course insha Allah.
It is important at this stage to recognise the difference between merely liking and admiring someone and become infatuated upon someone. When a person merely likes another person, it is just a way of expressing his fondness towards the characteristics or beauty of the person whom he is keen upon. This is quite normal and is felt in many people whether they like to admit it or not. For example, a person may have a work colleague who is really helpful and as a result, that person develops a liking for his colleague's kind nature. Also, a person may have a classmate who is extremely beautiful and by acknowledging her beauty, he may begin to develop a liking for her too. However, this liking remains at a very mellow stage and becomes a ‘want’ rather than a ‘need’.
A ‘want’ is simply something a person would like to have; if he receives it then he is happy and makes use of it till he renders it useless and if he does not receive it, he is briefly disappointed but moves on. A ‘need’ however is something a person must have in order to give himself raahat and peace; if he receives it then he does not want to let it go and if he does not receive it, his heart is in constant ache.
This second type is primarily what ‘infatuation’ is. It is an obsession of such a nature that it traumatises the mind and punishes the heart inhumanely. When a person is ‘infatuated’ upon something, his life becomes unbearable until his obsession is acquired. It is true enough to say that infatuation has different degrees. Some people are affected by it greatly to the extent that there entire life revolves around their fixation and others are affected for only a specific portion of their life and as soon as that time has departed, so too has the fixation. The latter can be exemplified by the situation of a person who is popular in college. Girls may be fixated upon his flash style and his handsome face all year round but as soon as he departs, the fascination these girls felt will also go. This is because he is no longer in view.
Shah Waliullah Dehlwi rahimahullah narrates a hadith in his Arba’in, “Your love for someone can blind you and deafen you.” Infatuation can be on many things. It can be upon following life in certain ways, using specific methods, it can be an intense interest in an enemy etc. Here we will take about the infatuation which is felt in a person when he likes another.
For a person to be infatuated on another person, love and admiration must have entered his heart at some point which stops him from moving on. This is seen quite explicitly in the story of Hazrat Yusuf alayhis salam which is mentioned in the Qur’an. The story is a long, detailed one but in brief, Hazrat Yusuf alayhis salam was a man of immense beauty and great conduct. The wife of the leader of Egypt (Zuleikha is her name) at that time became infatuated upon Hazrat Yusuf alayhis salam and loved him dearly. She was so adamant in starting a relationship with him that she sought to seduce him into committing fornication. Being such a great Nabi of Allah Ta’ala, Hazrat Yusuf alayhis salam refused. These events somehow spread throughout the land and the women began gossiping and ridiculing Zuleikha. Zuleikha felt hard done by as nobody except her had witnessed the great beauty and jamaal of Hazrat Yusuf alayhis salam. As a result, she organised a banquet wherein Yusuf alayhis salam was put forth in front of the women. They were also given knives and fruit in their hand but when they saw the beauty of Hazrat Yusuf alayhis salam, they cut their hands. As a result, Hazrat Yusuf alayhis salam was falsely dubbed as a menace to society and was consequently put into prison. He stayed in prison for seven years. It is mentioned by Maulana Hifzurrahman Syuhari rahimahullah, “Once Yusuf alayhis salam was taken into prison, Zuelikha totally took him out of her mind.” For several years, Zuleikha continued with her life and it appeared that she had moved on during this time. The flame of intense love and affection she had for Yusuf alayhis salam appeared to have burnt out. However, after seven years, his name was mentioned in her presence and the infatuation she had rekindled itself and the flame of her love once more began to burn brightly in her heart.
The leader of Egypt began an inquiry as to see what really happened with regards to Yusuf alayhis salam. He wanted to clear Hazrat Yusuf’s alayhis salam name and so he began his ‘trial’. When his name was mentioned in front of Zuleikha, the truth of her infatuation became apparent and she crumbled. After years of being so distant from the one she loved the most, the pangs of separation could no longer be hidden. She immediately admitted her fault and that she was to blame. The Qur’an mentions,
قَالَ مَا خَطۡبُكُنَّ إِذۡ رَٲوَدتُّنَّ يُوسُفَ عَن نَّفۡسِهِۦۚ قُلۡنَ حَـٰشَ لِلَّهِ مَا عَلِمۡنَا عَلَيۡهِ مِن سُوٓءٍ۬ۚ قَالَتِ ٱمۡرَأَتُ ٱلۡعَزِيزِ ٱلۡـَٔـٰنَ حَصۡحَصَ ٱلۡحَقُّ أَنَا۟ رَٲوَدتُّهُ ۥ عَن نَّفۡسِهِۦ وَإِنَّهُ ۥ لَمِنَ ٱلصَّـٰدِقِينَ
He (the king) said, “What was your case, O women, when you seduced Yusuf?” They said, .God forbid, we know of no evil in him.” The governor‘s wife said, “Now the truth has come to light. I did seduce him, and he is surely truthful.”
My most dearest and most beloved Hazrat Maulana Abdur Rahim Sahib (May Allah Ta'ala preserve him and reward him in abundance) writes a beautiful explanation to this verse in his tafseer Ahsan al Qasas. He says,
“Zuleikha stood on one side and listened to the replies of the women and acknowledged the innocence and high principles of Yusuf alayhis salam. When they finished, she began, “Now the truth has come to light”. She did not mince her words. Rather she accepted her guilt freely and frankly. She adored Yusuf alayhis salaam in every sense, in words and deed and she wanted the truth to be proclaimed in the open court, before all. So what had happened to her then? She had learnt a lot in sorrow, pain and humiliation. She had learnt the vanity of carnal love. Yusuf alayhis salam, true of heart, calm in every turn of fortune, had taught her to question herself whether, in spite of all her sins she could yet be worthy of him? Perhaps when her husband was dead, and she was a widow. However, she must see whether she could understand love in the sense in which Yusuf alayhis salam would have her understand it, that pure surrender of the self, which is not tainted by earthly matters.”
Thus as I mentioned before, infatuation is not short lived but can resurface at any time. Over here, we have the case of Zuleikha who has gone without Yusuf alayhis salam for years but at his mere return, she once again became dominated by feelings of burning love.
It is about this the poet says,
“Love refuses to hide, although I have tried to conceal it at countless times.
It just returns and settles itself in my courtyard.
When my yearning intensifies, my heart revolves around his remembrance.
Then when I want to get closer to my beloved, he himself draws closer to me.”
Yusuf alayhis salam was the ‘need’ that Zuleikha felt and by being in his company or around his matters, she felt great solace.
Now the question arises that in our day and age, is this type of infatuation on the opposite gender a good thing?
The simple answer is no. It does not befit the characteristics of a Muslim that he places matters of happiness and sadness upon the attention of a person whom he may not even spend the rest of his life. The effects of infatuation can cause many problems both spiritually and mentally. With regards to mentally, here are some;
· Constantly being self conscious – when a person becomes obsessed with someone, he naturally wants to look good in order to catch their eye. Thus he will always try to dress up and look good just in case he bumps into them.
· Feeling of being unattractive if ignored – when a person is ignored or not acknowledged by the person for whom they dressed up, they often feel very low in self esteem and feel unattractive. Sometimes a person may feel that he made such effort only to be blown away.
· Depression – when a person cannot even gain the attention of the person that they are infatuated upon, they begin to live a life of sorrow. Nothing feels worth doing if it is not done with the ‘beloved’.
· Sleepless nights – when a person is infatuated upon a person, he may often suffer sleepless nights just thinking about the other person. He may spend hours upon hours devising plans to be noticed or perhaps fantasize of a day when he is enjoying himself with his fixation.
· Unstable thoughts – A person may think up many ways of perhaps acquiring his obsession. This may lead to unstable and impure thoughts. A person may consider plotting against people or doing absurd things just in order to attain their desired one.
· Mood swings – when a person does not know what to think, he begins to have mood swings. Sometimes when things are going fine, he is in the happiest of moods but at other times he may be extremely depressed. This can perhaps be sparked by small gestures from their ‘beloved’. For example, if the ‘beloved’ merely glances with a smile at them, it may send them in to ecstasy. On the other hand, if the ‘beloved’ glances at them coldly or speaks sharply, they may feel extreme sorrow.
· Anger – when things are not going right and all else is failing. A person tends to get frustrated and begins to bish, bash, bosh.
· Loss of appetite – a person cannot eat despite being hungry. He is constantly in thought of his ‘desired one’. For as long as he feels the pains of separation, he cannot enjoy the other ni’mats and bounties of life.
From among the spiritual ailments are the following:
· Laziness in worship – when a person hits such a sorrowful state, he just does not like to do anything. It is easier to lie down on the bed then to make dua to Allah Ta’ala and thus there will be much negligence in prayer and Qur’an. Sometimes, when a person does not have thing he wants most, everything else feels useless to perform.
· Loss of trust in Allah Ta’ala – when a person does not get what he wants, he begins to question Allah Ta’ala and feel that Allah Ta’ala has deprived him. When his entire life is being shattered, he begins to question what Allah Ta’ala has done for him! May Allah Ta’ala protect us all.
· Increase in disobedience – as a result of this loss of trust, a person begins to commit sins and feels more inclined towards disobedience. A sister who may not be getting noticed by the person whom she is infatuated upon may take off her hijab in order to lure him to her. Due to the pain the heart is feeling, a person may find solace in smoking, drugs, alcohol as it can temporarily numb the pain.
· Heavy heart – as a result of all this disobedience, the heart becomes stained and becomes heavy. A person feels constantly guilty with himself for the constant sin he has gotten himself into.
All the aforementioned point to one thing – such infatuation in Islam is forbidden. In no way is it correct for a Muslim to bear all these characteristics with himself. Such foul qualities negate the essence and aura of a Muslim. I have highlighted the problems and in the next post, I will insha Allah write the remedy as I have not thought about it greatly as yet. If anybody has any ideas, please feel free to put your ideas forth. Jazak Allah
May Allah Ta’ala strengthen the doors of our heart and keep the clean with His religion. May He out of His infinite blessings reward all the authors on this blog and those who inspire us to write. May He reward all you for taking time out to learn about His deen. Ameen
Tuesday, 1 June 2010
The Origins of Evil Thoughts & How To Defend Oneself
Evil thoughts are natural to mankind. Before every intentional sin is carried out, a person has the scope to sit down and think about it. Many people keep questioning themselves as to why they keep on committing various sins but fail to find a reason. This is because they are looking at the sin itself along with its magnitude and not at the manner in which it materialised. For example, when we look at successful footballers, we look directly towards their success and fancy skills; we do not look at the hardship and sacrifice which they perhaps endured to reach that level and as a result, the struggles that they tolerated prior to their success is forgotten. In the same manner, we commit great sins but we are so distracted by the magnitude of the sin that we forget the initial stages that led up to it. Hence, it is important to know the routes of these thoughts.
Ibn Allaan Siddiqi mentions in ‘Riyadus Saliheen li Tareeq Daleel al Faliheen',
واعلم أن ما يقع في النفس من قصد المعصية على خمس مراتب: الأولى: الهاجس وهو ما يلقى فيها. ثم جريانه فيها وهو الخاطر. ثم حديث النفس وهو ما يقع فيها من التردد هل يفعل أو لا. ثم الهمّ وهو قصد ترجيح الفعل. ثم العزم وهو قوة ذلك القصد والجزم به
“Know that the intention to sin which is felt by the inner self is of five stages:
The first is a mere uncertainty (haajis) which is placed there in.
Then comes the passing of this uncertainty (into a proper idea) and that is known as katir (risk).
Then it is the conversation of the inner self (hadeethun nafs) and its hesitation in whether deciding to do the sin or not.
Then is the intention (hum) and that is an intention which is inclined to the deed.
And the final step is determination (azm) and that is a firm resolution to carry out the intention and assertiveness upon it.”
It is important to recognise the thought during the early stages. It is important to remove these thoughts while the intention and attraction of the sin is weak. During the first two stages, the thoughts should be ignored and cast away. A person at this stage should seek refuge in Allah Ta’ala by ‘a’udhu billahi min ash shaytaanir rajeem’ and then should ignore the deed.
When it gets to the third stage, a person should try to move away from the place which may be a means of him committing sin. For example, if a person is hesitant as to whether or not he should flirt with a girl he is attracted to, he should move away from that place so the choice of doing the sin is no longer the there. Whenever we are presented with a 50/50 choice in doing something sinful, we should try our utmost to remove this choice and push the possibility of sin out of the way.
At this juncture, it is useful to mention that Rasulullah salallahu alayhi wa salam said, “Allah has forgiven my Ummah of the whisperings of their souls so long as they do not talk about it or act accordingly.”
The first three stages are forgiven and there is no accountability with regards to them. Now remains the last two stages.
The stage of inclination towards the deed is a very difficult one. This is that time when a person’s mind and heart is taken over with a strong desire to do the sin but there is still an inkling of wanting to ignore it. For example, a person may be so angry with another that he wants to hit them and he cannot get on with his life until he says or does something to cause pain. However, in his heart there is an understanding that it would be incorrect to carry out the deed but this is overpowered by the desire of committing the sin. Quite simply, this could be described as when the inner self is inclined 80/20 in doing the sin. This state will only become sinful when a person take is to the final stage which will soon be discussed.
Due to the need of our times, it is important to note that the shamelessly fantasizing and conjuring illicit thoughts of the other sex also falls into this category and a person will be at sin if he/she continues to dwell on such lustful thoughts. Though this is a thought, it is still deemed sinful due to the haram desires which are fulfilled by it. It is important to keep the mind clean and this can be done by making zikr.
In general, when a person gets to this 80/20 stage, he should try do perform wudhu and make constant zikr. It is a necessity for him to move away from the sin and he should beseech Allah Ta’ala to protect him by the way of dua or by calling out to Allah Ta'ala through his heart. By making wudhu, a person can sometimes snap himself out of the hypnotic trance which may be dominant over him. This will bring him to reality and understand the scale of the sin he is about to commit.
Finally is the stage where a person becomes determined to commit the sin. This is a stage where we should try our best to not even reach. We should try stopping our thoughts before they get to this stage. It is like a person who is tip toeing around the banks of destruction, sooner or later he wil fall in. It is the hardest stage to stop. The strength of wanting to succumb to our evil thoughts becomes so strong that a person is no longer able to stop it from happening. He is as good as committing the sin. Mankind will not be held culpable until he reaches this final stage.
A person should constantly make dua’a to Allah Ta’ala to keep him steadfast and strong, especially in defending himself from sin. The heart is unpredictable, sometimes it will make a person feel as if he is as firm as the likes of Umar radiallahu anhu and at other times, the heart will tear his spirituality into pieces until he is left shattered like broken glass. The reality of this is that the heart fluctuates in accordance to the deeds that we do. Whilst our heart is clean and adorned with the worship of Allah Ta’ala, it will feel light and jolly. When sins becomes dominant and our heart constantly acquiesces and surrenders to evil, then our spirituality will be sent plummeting and we will feel the burden of sadness and low esteem. Due to the unpredictable nature of the heart, Rasulullah salallahu alayhi wa salam taught his Ummah supplications in order to keep them aright. For example,
يَا مُقَلِّبَ القُلُوْبِ ثَبِّتْ قَلْبِيْ عَلى دِيْنِك
“O Turner of the hearts, make my heart firm on Your religion.”
We should make dua in abundance, Rasulullah salallahu alayhi wa salam has mentioned that the dua is the weapon of a believer. Evil thoughts bring harm and problems to a believer so it would make complete sense that in order to fight these thoughts, one should make constant dua to Allah Ta’ala to strengthen his/her resolve.
May Allah Ta’ala give me the ability to act upon what I have said and may He give us all the ability to refrain from surrendering to our evil thoughts. Ameen.
Ibn Allaan Siddiqi mentions in ‘Riyadus Saliheen li Tareeq Daleel al Faliheen',
واعلم أن ما يقع في النفس من قصد المعصية على خمس مراتب: الأولى: الهاجس وهو ما يلقى فيها. ثم جريانه فيها وهو الخاطر. ثم حديث النفس وهو ما يقع فيها من التردد هل يفعل أو لا. ثم الهمّ وهو قصد ترجيح الفعل. ثم العزم وهو قوة ذلك القصد والجزم به
“Know that the intention to sin which is felt by the inner self is of five stages:
The first is a mere uncertainty (haajis) which is placed there in.
Then comes the passing of this uncertainty (into a proper idea) and that is known as katir (risk).
Then it is the conversation of the inner self (hadeethun nafs) and its hesitation in whether deciding to do the sin or not.
Then is the intention (hum) and that is an intention which is inclined to the deed.
And the final step is determination (azm) and that is a firm resolution to carry out the intention and assertiveness upon it.”
It is important to recognise the thought during the early stages. It is important to remove these thoughts while the intention and attraction of the sin is weak. During the first two stages, the thoughts should be ignored and cast away. A person at this stage should seek refuge in Allah Ta’ala by ‘a’udhu billahi min ash shaytaanir rajeem’ and then should ignore the deed.
When it gets to the third stage, a person should try to move away from the place which may be a means of him committing sin. For example, if a person is hesitant as to whether or not he should flirt with a girl he is attracted to, he should move away from that place so the choice of doing the sin is no longer the there. Whenever we are presented with a 50/50 choice in doing something sinful, we should try our utmost to remove this choice and push the possibility of sin out of the way.
At this juncture, it is useful to mention that Rasulullah salallahu alayhi wa salam said, “Allah has forgiven my Ummah of the whisperings of their souls so long as they do not talk about it or act accordingly.”
The first three stages are forgiven and there is no accountability with regards to them. Now remains the last two stages.
The stage of inclination towards the deed is a very difficult one. This is that time when a person’s mind and heart is taken over with a strong desire to do the sin but there is still an inkling of wanting to ignore it. For example, a person may be so angry with another that he wants to hit them and he cannot get on with his life until he says or does something to cause pain. However, in his heart there is an understanding that it would be incorrect to carry out the deed but this is overpowered by the desire of committing the sin. Quite simply, this could be described as when the inner self is inclined 80/20 in doing the sin. This state will only become sinful when a person take is to the final stage which will soon be discussed.
Due to the need of our times, it is important to note that the shamelessly fantasizing and conjuring illicit thoughts of the other sex also falls into this category and a person will be at sin if he/she continues to dwell on such lustful thoughts. Though this is a thought, it is still deemed sinful due to the haram desires which are fulfilled by it. It is important to keep the mind clean and this can be done by making zikr.
In general, when a person gets to this 80/20 stage, he should try do perform wudhu and make constant zikr. It is a necessity for him to move away from the sin and he should beseech Allah Ta’ala to protect him by the way of dua or by calling out to Allah Ta'ala through his heart. By making wudhu, a person can sometimes snap himself out of the hypnotic trance which may be dominant over him. This will bring him to reality and understand the scale of the sin he is about to commit.
Finally is the stage where a person becomes determined to commit the sin. This is a stage where we should try our best to not even reach. We should try stopping our thoughts before they get to this stage. It is like a person who is tip toeing around the banks of destruction, sooner or later he wil fall in. It is the hardest stage to stop. The strength of wanting to succumb to our evil thoughts becomes so strong that a person is no longer able to stop it from happening. He is as good as committing the sin. Mankind will not be held culpable until he reaches this final stage.
A person should constantly make dua’a to Allah Ta’ala to keep him steadfast and strong, especially in defending himself from sin. The heart is unpredictable, sometimes it will make a person feel as if he is as firm as the likes of Umar radiallahu anhu and at other times, the heart will tear his spirituality into pieces until he is left shattered like broken glass. The reality of this is that the heart fluctuates in accordance to the deeds that we do. Whilst our heart is clean and adorned with the worship of Allah Ta’ala, it will feel light and jolly. When sins becomes dominant and our heart constantly acquiesces and surrenders to evil, then our spirituality will be sent plummeting and we will feel the burden of sadness and low esteem. Due to the unpredictable nature of the heart, Rasulullah salallahu alayhi wa salam taught his Ummah supplications in order to keep them aright. For example,
يَا مُقَلِّبَ القُلُوْبِ ثَبِّتْ قَلْبِيْ عَلى دِيْنِك
“O Turner of the hearts, make my heart firm on Your religion.”
May Allah Ta’ala give me the ability to act upon what I have said and may He give us all the ability to refrain from surrendering to our evil thoughts. Ameen.
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