7. STRUGGLE AGAINST SELF-DESIRES (JIHAD AL-NAFS)
After pondering on the struggle against self-desires (jihadal-nafs), I realised it is the greatest kind of struggle (azam al-jihad). I also noted that many scholars (‘ulama’) and ascetics (zuhhad) seemingly do not understand its meaning because amongst them are some who prevent their ‘self totally from having what it is ended to, which is wrong for two reasons;
First: Preventing the self from fulfilling a [lawful] desire (shahwa) may introduce a worse desire.
For instance, a person may abstain from something lawful and so he becomes known for that. Then, he becomes content with what he does because he replaced what he abstained from with the praise of people for abstaining from it. Even worse, he may believe that because of abstaining from a particular lawful act that he has been favoured over others whom had not abstained from what he abstained from. This is a thoughtful meaning that is buried deep down and only tongs of sound understanding can pick up such meanings.
Second: We are ordained to preserve (hifz) and maintain the ‘self and one of the means whereby the ‘self is preserved is its inclining towards what maintains it, therefore providing it what maintain its survival becomes a must though most of, or all, what it inclines to are from what it desires.
And, we work as the guardians of our ‘self because it is not ours to begin with, but rather something that Allah entrusted us with, therefore to deny the rights and entitlements of the ‘self is absolutely dangerous.
Let alone, strictness requires to have some leniency (istirkha) (from time to time] and many are those who tightened (mudayiq) the situation on their ‘self until it could not handle it and was out of control, hence they became unable to control it anymore.
Struggle {jihad) of the ‘self should be similar to the struggle of an intelligent person suffering some sickness (marad), he forces his ‘self to accept eating and drinking what its dislikes just to ensure its recovery, he sweetens the bitter medicine a bit, and eats the types of food that his doctor prescribes for him. And he does not allow himself to fulfil its desire to eat what may cause hunger afterwards or even to eat a bite that prevents him from eating more bites later on.
Similarly, the intelligent believer does not leave the ‘self-unleashed or leave it without steering it, but rather shows some leniency while ensuring he is always in control.
If the ‘self remains on track he will not disturb it, and if the ‘self-deviates a bit he will straighten it gently, but if it rebels or refuses to obey then he will straighten it by force.
Then, he needs to go along with his ‘self just as he goes along with his wife whose sense of reasoning is weak and fragile (due to their strong emotional nature that affects their judgments] and hence it is advised when she disobeys, to abandon her [in bed] if she did not rectify her affair, and disciplined it she continues to disobey.
That being the case, the lash of the strong will is indeed the best type of discipline to use with the ‘self. This is in respect of struggling in terms of exerting strenuous effort against the ‘self
As for preaching and admonishing the ‘self, when a person notices his ‘self is settled or inclines towards people’s praise or does not mind low manners. One should educate and remind it of its high status in the sight of the One Who created it. One should say to it: ‘Are you not the one whom Allah said about you, ‘1 created you with My Hand and I commanded mv Angels to prostrate to you.’ He selected you to rule His earth, sent you His Messengers, Books, took a loan from you and bought from you?
And, if he notices any kind of arrogance, he should say to it, ‘How come you are arrogant when you know that you are created from a low water [i.e. semen], a choke can kill you and a bite of a bug would hurt you?’ And it he notices that it has not been fulfilling its duties as it should be, he should remind it of the due rights of servants to their masters.
If it became slack or careless about doing good deeds, he should remind it of the excessive reward awaiting it. And if it is apt to follow its desires, he should remind it of the severe punishment awaiting it should it have proceeded in what it does, and warn it of the immediate physical punishment such as in what is said in the verse,
“Say, ‘Have you considered: if Allah should take away your hearing and your sight and set a seal upon your hearts.” [al-An’am (6):46]
and the intangible punishment such as what mentioned in the verse,
“I will turn away from My signs those who are arrogant upon the earth without right; and if they should see every sign, they will not believe in it.” [al-A’raf( 7): 146]
This is the kind of struggling through words {jihadhi’l-qawl) whereas the former is the struggling through action (jihad bi’l-‘amal).
(source: al-Hafiz Abu’l-Faraj ibn al-jawzl [d. 597AH] “CAPTURED THOUGHTS being” a translation of his masterpiece ‘Sayd al-K hatir)
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