Jihad (striving)

Bs Foad, MD
2013
 Types of Jihad
1-Jihad An-Nafs (Striving with our own souls)
2-Jihad Ash-Shaytan (Striving against the
temptations of Satan)
3-Jihad to defend Islam and correct
misconceptions
4-Fighting to defend one’s country against
aggression
 Jihad with our souls so we are not
slaves to our vain desires
1-This type of Jihad occurs every day
2-It entails sacrifice, patience, commitment and
setting our priorities correctly
3-Controlling our vain desires and denying
ourselves immediate pleasure and gratification is
not easy, and requires resolve and determination
4-It is human nature to love and value worldly
possessions, and few people look further to
pleasing Allah
If we purify our souls we succeed
“By the soul and proportion and order given to
it; and its inspiration as to its wrong and its
right. Truly he succeeds that purifies it, and
he fails that corrupt it”
As-Shams (The Sun) 91: 7-10
 We need to control our desires and
purify our soul
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said:
(The person striving in Jihad is he who strives to
control his own soul)
Ahmad & Termedhi
 We need to control our tongues
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said when he talked to
Moa’dh bin Jabal and explained to him the importance
of pure and devoted worship to Allah, and establishing
rituals of worship, and striving in the way of Allah, then
said: (Shall I tell you what controls all of this?) then he
said: (Hold your tongue). Moa’dh asked: Are we
accountable with what we say? The Prophet (PBUH)
said: (What else cause people to be thrown in Hell Fire
except what their tongues said?)
Termedhi & Ahmad
 Three types of souls
1-The soul that is prone to evil (An-Nafs Al-
Amarrat Be-lsou’)
2-The Soul that reproaches (An-Nafs Al-
Lawwama)
3-The soul that is at peace and content (An-Nafs
Al-Mut-Ma’enna)
Alluring and valued are the pleasures
in this world
“Fair in the eyes of people is the love of things
they covet: women and sons; heaped up
hoards of gold and silver; horses branded;
wealth in cattle and well-tilled land. Such are
the possessions of this world’s life, but with
Allah (God) is the best of goals (to return
to)”
Al-Imran (The Family of Imran 3: 14
 The Qur’an gives us an example of
Jihad An-Nafs in Prophet Youseff
“But she in whose house he was sought to
seduce him, and she closed the doors and
said: “Now come”; He said: “Allah forbid!
Truly your husband is my Lord, he treated
me well, to no good come those who do
wrong”
Youseff (Joseph) 12: 23
 Material possessions in this life are
transient and short-lived
“Know that the life of this world is but play and
pastime, adornment and mutual boasting, and
multiplying in rivalry among yourselves, riches and
children. Here is a similitude how rain and the
growth it produces delights the heart of the tillers.
Soon it withers, you will see it grow yellow and it
becomes dry and crumbles away. However in the
Hereafter is a chastisement (for the wicked) and
forgiveness from Allah and His good pleasure (for
those who do good); and what is the life of this
world but goods and chattel of deception?”
Al-Hadeed (The Iron) 57: 20
 Material things are temporary but
what God has for His servants is
better and ever-lasting
“The material things which you are given are
but the conveniences of this life and the
glitter thereof, but that which is with Allah is
better and more enduring. Will you not then
be wise?”
Al-Qasas (The Stories) 28: 60
Enjoy the good things in life that are
lawful in moderation
“Say: “Who has forbidden the beautiful gifts
which Allah has produced for His servants,
and the things clean and pure which He has
provided for sustenance?”
Al-Araf 7: 32
 The righteous servants of Allah
spend in moderation
“And who when they spend are not
extravagant, nor misers, but hold a just
balance between these two extremes”
Al-Furqan (The Criterion) 25: 67
If we do not control our vain desires,
we are likely to sin
Because the human soul is prone to evil:
“Yet I do not absolve myself of blame, the
human soul certainly incites evil unless my
Lord do bestow His mercy; and surely my
Lord is often-forgiving, most merciful”
Yousseff (Joseph) 12: 53
 If we do not control our desires we
become slaves to these desires
“Do you see such a one who has taken for his
God his own passion and impulse? Could
you be a disposer of affairs for him?
Al-Furqan (The Criterion) 25: 43
 Balance your enjoyment with your
accountability in the Hereafter
-Control your vain desires
-Do good and discharge your responsibility
-Enjoy the lawful things in life in moderation
-Keep company with the righteous who remind
you of your accountability
 Keep company with the righteous
who remind you of your
accountability
“And keep yourself content with those who call on
their Lord morning and evening, seeking His face;
and let not your eyes pass beyond them seeking
the pomp and glitter of this life; nor obey any
whose heart We permitted to neglect Our
remembrance, one who follows his own desires,
and his affair has become all excess”
Al-Kahf (The Cave) 18: 28
 Hold your soul accountable
The Qur’an refers to the self-reproaching soul:
“I do swear by the Day of resurrection; and I
do swear by the self-reproaching soul”
Al-Qiama (The resurrection) 75: 1 & 2
Our tests and trials should remind us
of our accountability
“We will make them taste of the lighter
chastisement before the greater
chastisement in order that they may repent
and return”
As-Sajda (The Prostration) 32: 21
If we control our vain desires and do
good then our abode is heaven
“As for such as has transgressed all bounds,
and had preferred the life of this world, the
abode will Be Hell Fire. And for such as had
entertained the fear of standing before their
Lord’s and had restrained their soul from
lower desires, their abode will be the
Garden”
An-Naze’at (Those who tear out) 79: 37-41
 When we do good and feel close to
Allah we are happy & content
“Those who believe and their hearts find
peace and contentment in the remembrance
of Allah; for surely in the remembrance of
Allah do hearts find peace and contentment.
For those who believe and do good is every
blessedness and a beautiful place of final
return”
Ar-Ra’d (The Thunder) 13: 28 & 29
 The soul in inner peace and
contentment
“O you soul in peace and contentment, join
My servants and enter My paradise”
Al-Fajr (The Dawn)
 When we obey God and submit to
Him we are content
“Indeed the friends of Allah have no fear, nor
are they sad. Those who believe and were
righteous”
Yunus (Jonah) 10: 62 & 63
“O My servants this Day you have no fear, nor
will you be sad. Those who believed in Our
signs and submitted in Islam”
Az-Zukhruff (Gold Adornments) 43: 68 & 69
Jihad against the temptation of Satan
Satan is an avowed enemy of man:
“Indeed Satan is an avowed enemy to you,
therefore treat him as an enemy. He only
calls his cohort so that they become
companions of the Fire”
Fatir (Originator) 35: 6
Jihad against the temptation of Satan
Satan vowed to misguide mankind:
“He said: “With Your might I will tempt them
and misguide them all; except for those who
are your true and devout servants”
Sa D 38: 82 & 83
Jihad against the temptation of Satan
Satan vowed to misguide mankind:
“He said: “My Lord because You put me in
the wrong, I will make wrong seem fair in
their eyes, and I will put them all in the
wrong”
Al-Hijr (Rocky Tracts) 15: 39
Jihad against the temptation of Satan
Satan knew he could misguide mankind:
“He said: “ Do You see this one whom You have honored
above me! If You only give me time till the Day of
Judgment I will surely bring his descendants under my
control, all but a few!”. Allah said: “Go your way, if any of
them follow you Hell will be their recompense, an ample
recompense; and arouse those whom you can among them
with your voice, and assault them with your cavalry and
your infantry, and share with them wealth and children, and
make promises to them; but Satan promises them nothing
but deceit”
Al-Isra’a (Night Journey) 17: 62-64
Jihad against the temptation of Satan
Satan promises are only lies and deception:
“Whoever takes Satan for a friend, has suffered
a manifest loss. Satan makes them promises,
and creates in them false hopes, but Satan’s
promises are nothing but deception. Who
follow him will have their dwelling in Hell,
and from it they will find no way of escape”
An-Nesa’a (The Women) 4: 119-121
Jihad against the temptation of Satan
How can we fight an enemy that we do not see?
“For he and his tribe can see you from a
position where you cannot see them. We
made the Satans friends to those without
faith”
Al-Araf 7: 27
 How can we protect ourselves from
the evil influence of Satan?
1-Being righteous and faithful servants of God
2-Seeking God’s protection against Satan and his
influence
3-Seeking help in prayers and fasting
 God’s righteous servants are
protected from the influence of Satan
“If a suggestion from Satan assail (your mind)
seek refuge with Allah, for He hears and
knows all things. Those who are righteous
when a thought of evil from Satan assaults
them, bring Allah to remembrance, when lo!
They can see (clearly)”
Al-Araf 7: 200 & 201
 God’s righteous servants are
protected by Allah from Satan
“As for My servants no authority shall you
have over them. Enough is your Lord for a
disposer of affairs”
Al-Isra’a 17: 65
 Satan has no control over God’s
righteous servants
“When you read the Qur’an seek protection in
Allah from Satan, the rejected one. He has
no authority over those who believe and put
their trust in their Lord”
An-Nahl (The Bees) 16: 98 & 99
 Seeking help in prayer protects us
from Satan
Prayers connect us to Allah:
-We are close to Him during prostration
-We recite the Qur’an, his own words
-We are guided by Him
-We are protected by Him
Faith & Patient perseverance brings
us closer to Allah who guides us
This way we do not give up or loose hope of His
mercy when we are going through difficult
times. Satan, then, cannot get to us if we are
close to God and guided by Him:
“No calamity can occur without the leave of
God; whoever believes in God, God will
guide his heart; for Allah has full knowledge
of all things”
At-Taghabun (Mutual loss & gain) 64: 11