JIHAD N-NAFS?
- Thread starter Idris16
- Start date
Mahzala
فَتَبَارَكَ اللَّهُ أَحْسَنُ الْخَالِقِينَ
Assalamualaikum
From my limited knowledge, I think it refers to the examining of the inner self. When people find in their hearts love of the world (dunya), lust for power, honor, and greatness, greed, ambition, envy, love of praise and compliments, all of these worldly bonds that blind our hearts.
This person is then a prisoner of his ego. He is not the master of his desires, His desires control him. He performs obligations while attached to the world, he avoids prohibitions while attached to the world, and he only worships Allah (SWT) at his own convenience.
But there is much reward is struggling with the nafs. If you can put down one of your desires, it is a great achievement.
Assalamualaikum.
From my limited knowledge, I think it refers to the examining of the inner self. When people find in their hearts love of the world (dunya), lust for power, honor, and greatness, greed, ambition, envy, love of praise and compliments, all of these worldly bonds that blind our hearts.
This person is then a prisoner of his ego. He is not the master of his desires, His desires control him. He performs obligations while attached to the world, he avoids prohibitions while attached to the world, and he only worships Allah (SWT) at his own convenience.
But there is much reward is struggling with the nafs. If you can put down one of your desires, it is a great achievement.
Assalamualaikum.
saffanah
speak good or silent
Bismillahirrahmanirrahiim
Jihad an-nafs (jihad against one’s self) is of four kinds:
a. Striving to learn the teachings of Islam without which one cannot attain success and happiness in this world or in the Hereafter. If this is missing, then one is doomed to misery in this world and in the Hereafter.
b. Striving to make oneself act in accordance with what one has learned. Simply knowing without acting, even though it may not cause any harm, is not going to bring any benefit.
c. Striving to call others to Islam, teaching those who do not know about it. Otherwise one will be one of those who conceal the guidance and teaching that Allah has revealed, and it will not benefit him or save him from the punishment of Allah.
d. Striving to bear patiently the difficulties involved in calling people to Allah and the insults of people, bearing all that for the sake of Allah.
If a person achieves all these four levels, then he will be one of the rabbaniyyin (learned men of religion who practice what they know and also preach to others. [see Al `Imran: 79]). The salaf (righteous predecesors) were agreed that the scholar does not deserve to be called a rabbani unless he knows the truth, acts in accordance with it, and teaches it to others. Whoever teaches, acts in accordance with his knowledge, and has knowledge will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
fatwa by Sheikh M. S. Al-Munajjid, a prominent Saudi Islamic lecturer and author
complete article:http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/...h-Ask_Scholar/FatwaE/FatwaE&cid=1119503546772
Jihad an-nafs (jihad against one’s self) is of four kinds:
a. Striving to learn the teachings of Islam without which one cannot attain success and happiness in this world or in the Hereafter. If this is missing, then one is doomed to misery in this world and in the Hereafter.
b. Striving to make oneself act in accordance with what one has learned. Simply knowing without acting, even though it may not cause any harm, is not going to bring any benefit.
c. Striving to call others to Islam, teaching those who do not know about it. Otherwise one will be one of those who conceal the guidance and teaching that Allah has revealed, and it will not benefit him or save him from the punishment of Allah.
d. Striving to bear patiently the difficulties involved in calling people to Allah and the insults of people, bearing all that for the sake of Allah.
If a person achieves all these four levels, then he will be one of the rabbaniyyin (learned men of religion who practice what they know and also preach to others. [see Al `Imran: 79]). The salaf (righteous predecesors) were agreed that the scholar does not deserve to be called a rabbani unless he knows the truth, acts in accordance with it, and teaches it to others. Whoever teaches, acts in accordance with his knowledge, and has knowledge will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
fatwa by Sheikh M. S. Al-Munajjid, a prominent Saudi Islamic lecturer and author
complete article:http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/...h-Ask_Scholar/FatwaE/FatwaE&cid=1119503546772
Amir_of_spain
Junior Member
It is the jihad/struggle against one's own inner desires. For example performing your salah on time when you have come home from work and feel very tired or lazy, when you refrain from swearing/cursing during an arguement, preventing yourself from stealing money or cheating when the opportunity arises etc. It is a huge struggle/battle field to control one's own desires and to put islam 1st. The sahaba were the best generation to do so, and hence are worthy for jannah.
hussain.mahammed
a lonely traveller
As salamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wabrakatuhu
Just click at this link
Jihad Al Nafs
A part from the main article on the above link
PS: You can use the search button on top to get threads which have already been discussed.
Jazakallahu khair
wa/salam
Just click at this link
Jihad Al Nafs
A part from the main article on the above link
PS: You can use the search button on top to get threads which have already been discussed.
Jazakallahu khair
wa/salam
Albint_Almuslima
Im Proud 2 B Me!
Jihad al-Nafs: Striving for Self-Perfection
Allah Most High said:
{And whosoever STRIVES (JAAHADA), STRIVES (YUJAAHIDU) only
for himself} (29:6). {As for those who STRIVE (JAHADU) in Us
(the cause of Allah), We surely guide them to Our paths,
and lo! Allah is with the good doers.} (29:69) This is
a Meccan Sura and the two verses refer to Jihad al-Nafs.
There was no military jihad then.
Without jihad of the nafs, fighting leads to Hellfire.
Allah Most High said:
{WA NAFSIN WA MAA SAWAAHA, FA-ALHAMAHA FUJURAHA WA TAQWAHA. QAD AFLAHA MAN ZAKAAHA WA QAD KHAABA MAN DAS-SAAHA} "By the nafs and the proportion and order given to it, and
its inspiration as to its wrong and its right; Truly he
succeeds who purifies it, and he fails that corrupts it"
(91:7-10). This is also a Meccan Sura.
Without purification, the nafs remains a "soul that enjoins
evil" (al-nafs al-ammara bil-su') until it surrenders itself
in total obedience to the call of animal passions and shaytan.
Allah Most High said:
{Have you seen the one who chooses for his god his own lust?}
(25:43). {He followed his own lust. Therefore his likeness
is as the likeness of a dog; if you attack him he pants with
his tongue out and if you leave him he pants with his tongue
out} (7:176). These are both also Meccan Suras.
About the person who controlled the passion of his ego Allah says: {But as for him who feared to stand before his Lord and restrained his soul from lust, Lo! The garden will be his home} (79:40-41). This is also a Meccan Sura.
The above are among the many Meccan verses and Suras enjoining jihad al-nafs. One that denies that there was/is such a Divine command commits kufr. Such a command cannot mean military jihad, as there was no permission - much less an order -
for such a jihad until the Madinan period.
Further, the Prophet said, upon him peace:
1. <<The mujahid is he who makes jihad against his nafs
(ego) for the sake of obeying Allah.>>
- Ibn Hibban (#1624, 2519): Authentic;
- Shu`ayb al-Arna'ut (Commentary on Ibn Hibban): authentic;
- al-Hakim: sahih;
- `Iraqi confirms him;
- it is also in Tirmidhi, Ahmad, and Tabarani;
- Albani included it in the "Sahiha".
2. "`A'isha, Allah be well-pleased with her, asked:
'Messenger of Allah, we see jihad as the best of deeds,
so shouldn't we join it?' He replied, 'But the best
jihad is a perfect Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah).'"
(Sahih Al-Bukhari #2784)
3. On another occasion, a man asked: "Should I join the jihad?"
The Prophet asked, upon him peace, "Do you have parents?"
The man said yes. The Prophet said: "Then do jihad by serving
them!" (Sahih Al-Bukhari #5972)
4. Another man asked: "What kind of jihad is better?" The
Prophet replied, upon him peace: "A word of truth spoken in
front of an oppressive ruler." (Sunan Al-Nasa'i #4209)
5. The Prophet also said, upon him peace:
<<The strong one is not the one who overcomes people,
the strong one is he who overcomes his nafs [ego].>>
Al-Haythami declared it authentic in Majma` al-Zawa'id.
6. The Prophet, upon him peace, said to Abu Sa`id al-Khudri:
"Even if one strikes unbelievers and idolaters with his
sword until it breaks, and he is *completely* dyed with
their blood, the Rememberers of Allah are above him one degree."
The above authentic hadiths provide additional explicit
evidence - especially 1 and 5 - refuting the lie that "all
the evidence for jihad al-nafs is fabricated or weak."
Further:
Allah Most High is Tayyibun and accepts only the Tayyib.
He declares in the Qur'an that He accepts acts of worship
only if they are based on:
- purification of the self (qad aflaha man zakkaha)
- soundness of the heart (illa man ata Allaha bi-qalbin salim)
- an humble spirit (wa-innaha lakabiratun illa `alal khashi`in)
Purification of the Intention is the general heading for these.
That is why the Imams (eg Bukhari, Shafi`i, Nawawi) always
began their books of fiqh with the hadith of intention:
"Actions count only according to intention."
An act outwardly considered worship but performed without
pure intention is not considered worship, even fighting and
dying in defense of Muslims. The Prophet, upon him peace,
explicitly said of one such fighter that he was bound for the
fire.
In fact, purification of intention is needed for all five pillars
of Islam. Such purification is a fard `ayn and is required of all.
Thus those that claim there is no jihad al-nafs in Islam have
imperiled their Islam and might make their shahada, salat,
zakat, sawm, hajj, AND jihad worthless. Allah is our refuge from this.
Allah Most High said:
{And whosoever STRIVES (JAAHADA), STRIVES (YUJAAHIDU) only
for himself} (29:6). {As for those who STRIVE (JAHADU) in Us
(the cause of Allah), We surely guide them to Our paths,
and lo! Allah is with the good doers.} (29:69) This is
a Meccan Sura and the two verses refer to Jihad al-Nafs.
There was no military jihad then.
Without jihad of the nafs, fighting leads to Hellfire.
Allah Most High said:
{WA NAFSIN WA MAA SAWAAHA, FA-ALHAMAHA FUJURAHA WA TAQWAHA. QAD AFLAHA MAN ZAKAAHA WA QAD KHAABA MAN DAS-SAAHA} "By the nafs and the proportion and order given to it, and
its inspiration as to its wrong and its right; Truly he
succeeds who purifies it, and he fails that corrupts it"
(91:7-10). This is also a Meccan Sura.
Without purification, the nafs remains a "soul that enjoins
evil" (al-nafs al-ammara bil-su') until it surrenders itself
in total obedience to the call of animal passions and shaytan.
Allah Most High said:
{Have you seen the one who chooses for his god his own lust?}
(25:43). {He followed his own lust. Therefore his likeness
is as the likeness of a dog; if you attack him he pants with
his tongue out and if you leave him he pants with his tongue
out} (7:176). These are both also Meccan Suras.
About the person who controlled the passion of his ego Allah says: {But as for him who feared to stand before his Lord and restrained his soul from lust, Lo! The garden will be his home} (79:40-41). This is also a Meccan Sura.
The above are among the many Meccan verses and Suras enjoining jihad al-nafs. One that denies that there was/is such a Divine command commits kufr. Such a command cannot mean military jihad, as there was no permission - much less an order -
for such a jihad until the Madinan period.
Further, the Prophet said, upon him peace:
1. <<The mujahid is he who makes jihad against his nafs
(ego) for the sake of obeying Allah.>>
- Ibn Hibban (#1624, 2519): Authentic;
- Shu`ayb al-Arna'ut (Commentary on Ibn Hibban): authentic;
- al-Hakim: sahih;
- `Iraqi confirms him;
- it is also in Tirmidhi, Ahmad, and Tabarani;
- Albani included it in the "Sahiha".
2. "`A'isha, Allah be well-pleased with her, asked:
'Messenger of Allah, we see jihad as the best of deeds,
so shouldn't we join it?' He replied, 'But the best
jihad is a perfect Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah).'"
(Sahih Al-Bukhari #2784)
3. On another occasion, a man asked: "Should I join the jihad?"
The Prophet asked, upon him peace, "Do you have parents?"
The man said yes. The Prophet said: "Then do jihad by serving
them!" (Sahih Al-Bukhari #5972)
4. Another man asked: "What kind of jihad is better?" The
Prophet replied, upon him peace: "A word of truth spoken in
front of an oppressive ruler." (Sunan Al-Nasa'i #4209)
5. The Prophet also said, upon him peace:
<<The strong one is not the one who overcomes people,
the strong one is he who overcomes his nafs [ego].>>
Al-Haythami declared it authentic in Majma` al-Zawa'id.
6. The Prophet, upon him peace, said to Abu Sa`id al-Khudri:
"Even if one strikes unbelievers and idolaters with his
sword until it breaks, and he is *completely* dyed with
their blood, the Rememberers of Allah are above him one degree."
The above authentic hadiths provide additional explicit
evidence - especially 1 and 5 - refuting the lie that "all
the evidence for jihad al-nafs is fabricated or weak."
Further:
Allah Most High is Tayyibun and accepts only the Tayyib.
He declares in the Qur'an that He accepts acts of worship
only if they are based on:
- purification of the self (qad aflaha man zakkaha)
- soundness of the heart (illa man ata Allaha bi-qalbin salim)
- an humble spirit (wa-innaha lakabiratun illa `alal khashi`in)
Purification of the Intention is the general heading for these.
That is why the Imams (eg Bukhari, Shafi`i, Nawawi) always
began their books of fiqh with the hadith of intention:
"Actions count only according to intention."
An act outwardly considered worship but performed without
pure intention is not considered worship, even fighting and
dying in defense of Muslims. The Prophet, upon him peace,
explicitly said of one such fighter that he was bound for the
fire.
In fact, purification of intention is needed for all five pillars
of Islam. Such purification is a fard `ayn and is required of all.
Thus those that claim there is no jihad al-nafs in Islam have
imperiled their Islam and might make their shahada, salat,
zakat, sawm, hajj, AND jihad worthless. Allah is our refuge from this.