Friday Nasiha

Al-Nisa (Women)
Chapter 4: Verse 128

Soul's potential to do evil
"And human selves are swayed by greed. But if you do good and stay away from evil, verily, Allah is ever well-acquainted with what you do."

These words demonstrate that there is a potential for evil within the souls of humans. The guidance of truth has come from Allah in the form of revelation reaffirming what is already found within the natural disposition of humans (the fitrah) but, at the same time, humans must be aware that within the soul there is a potential for evil and straying from the truth. However, this does not mean that the soul is inherently evil. When the scholars discuss the importance of overcoming the soul and its evil, they are, in reality, simply emphasizing the fact that the soul has a potential for evil and that said potential must be stopped or overcome. This does not mean that the soul is in and of itself evil and something that humans must free themselves from to become truly spiritually pure. Although some may seem to espouse such a view, there is no evidence for it in either the Quran and Sunnah.

Hence, the scope is very wide. The soul may accept the guidance from Allah and be among the most noble of creations and very pleasing to Allah. On the other hand, the individual may stunt the inherently good qualities in his soul - including the recognition of tauheed or the true oneness of Allah - and, thereby, deliberately allow his evil potentil to blossom. Every individual should be aware of the possibility of either of these two scenarios. The person should or must work to overcome any evil tendency in his soul while giving full support to all of the good potential in his soul.

Source:
"Purification of the Soul: Concept, Process and Means" - Jamaal al-Din M. Zarabozo, pp. 61, 62

Monks by Night, Knights by Day

In the decisive battles against the Romans during the time of the Caliph Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, the Muslim soldiers, although always out-numbered by the enemy, proved mysteriously indomitable and strong-willed opponents. They Roman commanders were baffled as to how the once barbaric and irregular desert army could display such vigour and chivalry against a battle-hardened regular Roman army. The sent some informers to see how the Muslim soldiers spent their time in the leisure periods, especially at night. This is what they were informed:

One informer said, 'They are knights by day and monks by night. They pay for what they eat in territories under their occupation. They are the first to salute when they arrive at a place and are valiant fighters who just wipe out the enemy.'

Another testified, 'During the night it seems that they do not belong to this world and have no other business than to pray, and during the day, when one sees them mounted on their horses, one feels that they have been doing nothing else all their lives. They are great archers and great lancers, yet they are so devoutly religious and they remember Allah so much and so often that one can hardly hear them talking about anything else in their company.'

The third said, 'You will find them prayerful; during the day you will find them fasting. They keep their promises, order good deeds, suppress evil and maintain complete equality among themselves.'

How did they do it? What was it that created miracles in their lives? To understand it one has to understand the message of Islam and the person of the Messenger of Allah. From the moment Allah Almighty placed Islam in their hearts they became a totally different people, equipped with:

• a deep understanding of Islam, the meaning of life and contemporary challenges,
• the deepest relationship with Allah and love for the Prophet, peace be upon him,
• liberated minds, which they filled with visionary ideas for the good of humankind,
• the characteristic features of Muslims,
• unwavering commitment for Islam and balance in life.

Source:
"The Greatest Gift - A Guide to Parenting" - By Muhammad Abdul Bari, pp. 43-45