2014.07.25 | 27 Ramadan 1435

umm Abdillah, Radio Islam Programming

Ramadan wanes. We’ve read and listened to Allah’s voice all month; and prayed, begged and pleaded with Him for His Love and Mercy to envelope us eternally. We’ve made sincere intentions to nurture our Ieman. We’ve made plans to grow as part of an Ummah of uber-alert, conscientious Muslims and Muslimah’s. We’ve altered our realm of perspective and seen haqq from baatil. We’ve realised our weaknesses; have been alerted as to what or who draws us away from our aakirah. We’re acutely aware of what dullens our senses to the Haqq of al Rahman and causes sluggishness in our enthusiasm for Khair. We realise how lazy we are, and how easy it is for Shaytan to ensnare us in the dictates of our ego. We see the uphill path of independent growth – be it financial, spiritual or emotional. Knowing how much longer the journey to being cured and clean may take awes us. Fear of the hard graft may cause us to lose courage, to give up before the good fight, to retreat before the battle has even begun. Then we begin to envisage a post-Ramadan schedule and post-Ramadan steadfastness with less enthusiasm because of waning courage, because we don’t trust ourselves, because we know how weak we are! It’s too easy to revert to old habits and spiritual slovenliness. 3-4 days left of the holy month. There’s still time to chart a route for steadfastness and growth. Istiqamah InshaAllah!

Among the many noble, yet erroneous notions aimed at stifling the spirit of Jihad in this Ummah, is the idea of ‘greater’ and ‘lesser’ Jihads. According to this belief, striving against the wanton or lazy dictates of the self is considered the Greater Jihad, which makes the Jihad of the battlefield the Lesser Jihad. This idea is based upon a story mentioned by al Khatib al Baghdadi in his book, “The History of Baghdad”, by way of Yahya ibn al ‘Ala’, who said,

“We were told by Layth, on the authority of ‘Ata’, on the authority of Abu Rabah, on the authority of Jabir, who said, ‘The Prophet (salallaahu ‘alayhee wa sallam) returned from one of his battles (Hunayn/Tabuk), and thereupon told us, ‘You have arrived with an excellent arrival, you have come from a Lesser Jihad to the Greater Jihad. Some companions asked: “What is Jihad Akbar Rasulullaah?” He replied: “The striving of a servant (of Allah) against his desires.’ “

This concept, despite the fact that it is based on a hadeeth, can be refuted by several perspectives: the grading of the narrator as a known forger; that his hadeeth explicitly contradicts clear verses of the Qur’an; that it contradicts too mutawatir (mass-narrated) ahadeeth on the excellence of Jihad, and Quranic ayaat on the excellence of the Mujahideen. Further, we know that if “Jihad of the self” and “Jihad by wealth” “Jihad for the truth” “Jihad by time” Jihad in education” etc. do not lead one to establish the Call of Truth, and to stand beside it, enjoining the right and forbidding the wrong, and contributing one’s entire self in the Path of Allah, it’s inadequate and a deception of our weak souls.

Nonetheless, the reasons given with regards Jihad against the desires and Shaytaan as being Jihad Akbar, are as follows:

• Its field of struggle is unlimited;
• It is timeless and boundless;
• This struggle is hard because its essence is man against himself;
• The enemy is unseen and cannot be detected by the five senses.

Jihad against the disbelieving deniers is deemed not as long, not as extensive, and not as difficult as struggling against the desires. As a result of that, Jihad against the disbelievers/deniers of truth on the battlefield (a contested opinion) is regarded as Jihad Asghar (the smaller or lesser Jihad).

Whatever your opinion on this matter, there is plenty from it to take as lesson. Let’s aim high, and then ask for Istiqaamah InshaAllah! Istiqaamah from the root word قام (qaama) meaning ‘to rise’ or ‘to stand upright’, a quality we continually strive to attain, though we may fail at times. It is the strength to stay on the straight path.

1. When it comes to the nafs – first do no harm.

Staying away from haram and doubtful matters (even in food and entertainment) empowers a lagging soul more than nafl worship and activities. And since it requires way more sabr and fortitude, there are greater returns.

2. Shaytan is your enemy, so deem him such. He has declared an open war on you, and will use your ego to guile you.

“Three things will destroy you: Desires that are wantonly followed; Greed that is obeyed, and a person’s self-admiration and conceit (thinking highly of his actions, and fond of his opinions) – and this is the worst of the three! “[Hadith – Mishkat]

3. Every sin, accrued, without sincere repentance, creates a layer of cynic hardness over the heart making it difficult or impenetrable for Quran, Hadith and Islamic teaching to take effect.

4. Pray for, and make an effort to be surrounded by positive and wholesome people.

Ulama have written that it is not nifaaq (hypocritical) if a person’s Islam and Ieman are better when they are around righteous friends because this is part of an established Sunnah. Allah says: “And keep stoically with those who call unto their Lord morning and afternoon, seeking His pleasure; and don’t let your eyes overlook them.” (Quran, 18:28).

5. Dua every single day. Find time to intimately converse with Allah everyday through the Quran and Salaah, but also ask of Him, as it pleases Allah Almighty.

“Rabbana, la tuzigh quloobana ba’da ‘idhhadaytana wa hablana mil ladunka rahmah, innaka antal Wahhab.”

~ Our Lord, do not cause our hearts to stray after granting us guidance (hidayat) and gift us from your (special) mercy, You are the only Bestower.

Our beloved Prophet (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) used to recite the following prayer often and told umm Salamah (r) of its context: “The hearts of all of mankind are between the two fingers of Rahman. Allah flips them and transforms them all the time, so hence I pray: ‘Allahumma muqallibal quloob, thabbit qalbi ala deenik’.” ~ Oh Allah, the Transformer of the hearts, turn my heart towards your religion.

May the Almighty grant us all Istiqamah, InshaAllah, and surround us by those pious souls who propel and motivate our Istiqamah, InshaAllah. Ameen.

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