Content Soul – Nafsun Mutma'innah brought to you by Al Kawthar Academy

Every Muslim has a responsibility to impart naseehah (advice) to his fellow Muslim. However when doing so, one should only speak about those points which are within the scope of one’s knowledge and not delve beyond that. When a person is asked a question by another person thinking him to be knowledgeable, he should never rush to answer whilst thinking himself to be knowledgeable – this is a deception of Shaytaan. If he does not know the answer, he should be humble enough to admit this and to refer the questioner to someone who is qualified to answer. Rasūl Allāh صلى الله عليه وسلم says in a hadeeth,

“One faqih (jurist) is more severe upon Shaytaan than a thousand worshippers.” [Tirmidhi]

This means that one who has understanding of religion will not be deluded by Shaytaan on account of his knowledge, whereas an ordinary worshipper who has no understanding is led to believe in his own greatness (self-conceit), despite his lack of knowledge, by people approaching him for advice thinking him to be knowledgeable. One should never forget one’s own station and position when asked for advice.

[This short excerpt is based on a brothers' majlis (gathering held for spiritual training) held by Shaykh Abu Yusuf Riyadh ul Haq on 6th October 2001].

In a hadeeth reported by Imam Bukhari, Rasūl Allāh صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

والله إنِّي لأَسْتَغْفِرُ الله وأَتُوبُ إِلَيْه في

اليَوْمِ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ سَبْعِينَ مَرَّةً

By Allah I seek forgiveness from Allah and repent to him more than seventy times in a day
[Tirmidhi]

A person cannot progress on the path of tazkiyah (spiritual purification) without sincere tawbah (repentance). Tawbah is to return to one’s original pure state. The Ulama (scholars) of tazkiyah say that a person should be repentant every moment of the day. Repentance is not only verbal, but more importantly, repentance should be in one’s state of heart and mind. The proof of tawbah and it’s main component is remorse and one can never be remorseful without remembering one’s sins. A person’s character should be dripping with remorse and this inspires others to forgive. The true state of tawbah reveals itself in a person’s speech, gait and appearance.

This dunya (world) is where sins are committed and a truly repentant person will dislike the dunya because he is trying to flee from sin.

[This short excerpt is based on a brothers' majlis (gathering held for spiritual training) held by Shaykh Abu Yusuf Riyadh ul Haq on 14th July 2001].

In a hadeeth Rasūl Allāh صلى الله عليه وسلم mentions:

الكيس من دان نفسه وعمل لما بعد الموت والعاجز من

اتبع نفسه هواها وتمنى على الله

Intelligent is he who suppresses his nafs and works for that which is to come after death, and the weak is he who allows his nafs free reign and continues to build hope in Allah.
[Tirmidhi]

It is the inherent nature of the nafs to keep desiring for things. If we keep satisfying our permissible desires (beyond our rights and needs), the nafs will soon become tired of these desires and aspire to other desires which are doubtful until there comes a time when it will eventually desire haraam. We fall into the trap of leaving a desire only for the sake of a new desire. The result is that one’s life becomes a never-ending cycle of new desires and following one’s passions.

However, the only way to reach spiritual heights and gain closeness to Allah سبحانه وتعالى is to sacrifice even the permissible desires. One should sacrifice a desire only for the sake of Allah سبحانه وتعالى and not for the sake of the nafs in the form of a new desire. Only by sacrificing the permissible desires will the nafs remain under control. Either the nafs controls the person or the person controls the nafs.

[This short excerpt is based on a dars entitled 'Talk on the Nafs' held by Shaykh Abu Yusuf Riyadh ul Haq on 7th March 2000].

Ilm ul zaahir (outward knowledge) is appealing for a number of reasons including the fact that such knowledge is tangible and stimulates the mind e.g. learning Arabic, fiqh and tafseer. Ilm ul baatin (inner, spiritual knowledge) does not have the same appeal for someone who is interesting in learning and thus some people actually deny it exists.

Ilm ul zahir is shifted away from the individual, for example, when studying incidents about other people. On the other hand, with ilm ul baatin the focus is on the individual and not on others. A person is therefore forced to reflect upon himself.

[This short excerpt is based on a brothers' majlis (gathering held for spiritual training) held by Shaykh Abu Yusuf Riyadh ul Haq on 15th May 2011].

Allah سبحانه وتعالى says in the Holy Qur’an:

الْحَجُّ أَشْهُرٌ مَّعْلُومَاتٌ فَمَن فَرَضَ فِيهِنَّ الْحَجَّ فَلاَ

رَفَثَ وَلاَ فُسُوقَ وَلاَ جِدَالَ فِي الْحَجِّ وَمَا تَفْعَلُواْ مِنْ

خَيْرٍ يَعْلَمْهُ اللّهُ وَتَزَوَّدُواْ فَإِنَّ خَيْرَ الزَّادِ التَّقْوَى

وَاتَّقُونِ يَا أُوْلِي الأَلْبَابِ

The season of Pilgrimage is the months known; wherefore whosoever ordaineth unto himself the pilgrimage therein, there is no lewdness nor wickedness nor wrangling during the pilgrimage, and whatsoever of good ye do, Allah shall know it. And take provision for the journey, for verily the best provision is abstainment; and fear Me, O men of understanding!

[al Baqarah 2/197]

In the verse related to Hajj, the need to perform tawaaf (ritual walk around the Holy Ka’ba), sa’ee (ritual walk between the hills of Safa and Marwa), stoning of the shayaateen are not mentioned, rather Allah سبحانه وتعالى mentions the need to abstain from 3 acts :
1. Lewd talk
This means any talk which is rude, indecent, offensive or vulgar. To speak in such a manner violates the sanctity of Hajj. It does not befit a Muslim to speak in a lewd manner – it only suggests a filthy heart and mind. This prohibition during Hajj also includes speaking of conjugal relations between husband and wife which under normal circumstances would be permissible.
2. Sinning
This includes any act of disobedience to Allah سبحانه وتعالى especially not lowering one’s gaze. During Hajj, being such a large gathering of men and women, the need to lower one’s gaze becomes all the more important. Not lowering one’s gaze not only destroys the sanctity of Hajj, but one’s attention is diverted from Allah سبحانه وتعالى to the creation. Nothing is achieved by the stray gaze – it is an arrow which only returns to pierce one’s own heart.
3. Arguing
The Hajj journey makes the most patient and forbearing of people irritable because one’s sleeping and eating patterns are disrupted. In such a state and in such a large gathering of people one may be easily provoked and get into an argument. At such times one should exercise patience and self-discipline and remind himself by saying ‘I am in Hajj’ i.e. I am in a sanctified state.

These 3 sins reflect the 3 categories of sins a Muslim should avoid throughout his life i.e.
• Sins of the tongue
• Sins of the flesh
• Sins against fellow Muslims

During Hajj these 3 sins are especially dangerous yet so easy to commit. If a person engages in any of these there is a great danger that all of the reward for Hajj will be destroyed. As well as fulfilling all the rites and rituals of Hajj, it is necessary to refrain from the above sins for an accepted Hajj.

[This short excerpt is based on a dars held by Shaykh Abu Yusuf Riyadh ul Haq on 6th February 2001].

Rasūl Allāh صلى الله عليه وسلم mentioned the following ḥadīth,

“One of the most detested people in the Sight of Allah is he who is obstinate and argumentative.”
[Bukhārī]

By constantly debating and discussing a person’s heart becomes hard, his ʿibādāt (acts of worship) become mechanical and all he thinks about and is perturbed about are the fine points of religion, which are best left to the ʿUlamā (scholars), whilst at the same time neglecting the major aspects. This leads to a character of criticizing others starting by those around him, followed by those in religious authority (present and past) and even as far as criticizing the Ṣaḥābah (Companions of Rasūl Allāh صلى الله عليه وسلم, may Allah be pleased with them). Debating, criticizing and obstinacy stem from arrogance.

However the teaching of Islam is that rather being critical of others, a person should be critical of himself. Before thinking of criticizing others a person should ask himself whether he is in a moral or scholarly position to do so and whether it is the genuine, sincere and constructive criticism a Muslim imparts to his fellow Muslim referred to in the ḥadīth,

“A believer is a mirror of a believer.”
[Abū Dāwūd]

What this means is that if a Muslim sees a fault in his fellow Muslim he should sincerely advise him in the best way possible.

[This short excerpt is based on a brothers' majlis (gathering held for spiritual training) held by Shaykh Abu Yusuf Riyadh ul Haq on 27th January 2001].

Allah سبحانه وتعالى says in the Holy Quran:

أَحَسِبَ النَّاسُ أَن يُتْرَكُوا أَن يَقُولُوا آمَنَّا وَهُمْ لَا يُفْتَنُونَ

وَلَقَدْ فَتَنَّا الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ فَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ

اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ صَدَقُوا وَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ الْكَاذِبِينَ

Bethink men that they shall be left alone because they say: we believe; and that they shall not be tempted?

And assuredly We have tempted those who were before them. So Allah will surely know those who are true and He will surely know the liars.

[al Ankabut 29/2-3]

Allah سبحانه وتعالى tests us in order to determine whether or not we are true in our claim to faith. We should realise that when we are tested, we will only succeed if we have been spiritually trained and disciplined. If we are not disciplined enough to remain steadfast with a deeni routine such as congregational salah or regular attendance of religious gatherings, how can we ever hope to succeed in the greater challenge?

[This short excerpt is based on a brothers' majlis (gathering held for spiritual training) held by Shaykh Abu Yusuf Riyadh ul Haq on 25th October 2000].

Allah سبحانه وتعالى says in the Holy Quran:

وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لَوْلا نُزِّلَ عَلَيْهِ الْقُرْآنُ جُمْلَةً وَاحِدَةً كَذَلِكَ

لِنُثَبِّتَ بِهِ فُؤَادَكَ

“And those who disbelieve say,’Why isn’t the Quran revealed to him in one go?’ In this way We strengthen your heart…..”

[al Furqan 25/32]

The Quran was revealed piecemeal to Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم over a period of 23 years rather than all at once. Angel Jibraeel عليه السلام would come to Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم with revelation at intervals and Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم would be waiting eagerly. He would become perturbed and worried if Jibraeel عليه السلام did not arrive. When he would finally arrive with revelation, it would strengthen the heart of Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم.

Human beings are naturally forgetful and it takes constant bombardment and repetition for a message to find a place in one’s heart. Many of us fail to act upon the teachings of deen because they have not been etched in our minds and engraved in our hearts. For this reason it is vital that a person regularly and consistently attends gatherings of ilm (knowledge) because one is constantly reminded ; one’s heart is strengthened and this is the method of the Quran and sunnah of Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم as demonstrated in the above verse. When a person continues to attend such gatherings over many years, there will come a time when he will see the benefit of all that learning, for example, in a situation such as a calamity or misfortune.

A related topic was touched upon in Strengthen Your Heart Part 1.

[This short excerpt is based on a dars held by Shaykh Abu Yusuf Riyadh ul Haq on 1st August 2000].

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ

عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ

“O believers, fasting has been prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those who came before you so that you may attain taqwa(consciousness of Allah).”

[al Baqarah 2/183]

The nafs is the resident enemy in the heart of a Muslim and the accomplice of shaytaan. In the Sermon of Need, we seek Allah’s protection from the evil of our nafs (not even shaytaan). This is why the Ulama (scholars) have always stressed that the greatest enemy lies within.

More than anything else Ramadhan is about the nafs and taqwa. Ramadhan is the month of mujaahadah (striving) and if we cannot strive against our nafs in this blessed month when the shayaateen are locked up, then when are we going to? All of the practical measures mentioned in order to bring the nafs under control are all part of Ramadhan i.e. abstaining from food, drink, desires, worship at night ,speaking less etc. One should always be aware of the nafs. It detests striving ,loves slumber and is never satisfied or satiated. It is an animal that must be caged, humiliated and disgraced. In Ramadhan it is grinded, pressured, burdened and weaned off its desires. In order for the fast to create taqwa in a person, one must strive and act opposite to the nafs.

[This short excerpt is based on a brothers' majlis (gathering for spiritual training) held by Shaykh Abu Yusuf Riyadh ul Haq on 19th September 2006].

Ramadhan is the month of training for one on the path of tazkiyah (spiritual purification) and the training one receives in this month is not received at any other time. Below is some practical advice one should try to act on during this blessed month:
• Ramadhan is the month of the Qur’an and one should try to complete at least one recitation.
• Along with recitation one should make an effort to understand it by adhering to a reliable commentary or summary. The Glorious Qur’an by Maulana Abdul Majid Daryabadi (may Allah have mercy on him) is the Shaykh’s recommendation.
• One should try to spend as much time as possible in the masjid with the niyyah (intention) of i’tikaaf (seclusion).
• One should spend more moments in silence, meditation, reflection and try more consciously to engage in tasbeeh and dhikr (remembrance of Allah).
• One should look at one’s timings, ability and other considerations and plan accordingly.
• Ramadhan is the month of mujaahadah (striving) and our greatest mujaahadah would be to overcome the laziness and lack of motivation of the nafs in reciting the Qur’an.

[This short excerpt is based on a brothers' majlis (gathering for spiritual training) held by Shaykh Abu Yusuf Riyadh ul Haq on 26th August 2008].