The Invisible Enemies
----------------------------------
Know yoursef or the soul inside you before you venture out into unknown worlds.
From Islamic perspective, Allaah tells us:
وَاذْكُرْ رَبَّكَ فِي نَفْسِكَ
“And remember your Rabb inside yourself.” (7:205)
At times the Qur'aan refers nafs to specific parts of your body. There are differences between the heart (qalb), nafs (soul) and ruh (spirit) and aql (mind). For qalb, Allaah, referring to the disbelievers, tells us:
Allah has set a seal upon their hearts and upon their hearing, and over their vision is a veil. And for them is a great punishment (Al Baqarah, 2: 7). Modern scientific research has unearthed that the human eyes weigh 30 grams each, hourly process 36,000 pieces of information and are made from 200 million working parts. With more than a million nerve fibers, the eye is the only limb that cannot be transplanted (Discover Eye Foundation).
"Say to the believers that they should lower their eyes and guard their private parts. That is purer for them. Allaah is aware of what they do (Al Qur'an, 24: 31). An entire nation that lived in a city called Sacduum (Sodom) whose prophet was Lut (Lot) were destroyed for their ignominy and debauchery. Likewise, an ancient community that lived around Mount Vesuvius were destroyed by lava and magma spewed by the volcanic eruption for engaging in acts that were contrary to human cohabitation.
And of the people are some who say, "We believe in Allah and the Last Day," but they are not believers (Al Baqarah, 2: 8). Since Allaah only knows what is in their hearts, He succinctly tells us that they are disbelievers. It is unacceptable and prohibited for a Muslim to refer to people of other faiths as disbelievers.
If you want to live a comfortable life in this world, avoid dancing with four wolves who are your avowed enemies. Of these four enemies, some are visible to you while others are not visible to the naked eyes. The top unseen one is Iblis who promised to mislead humankind before Allaah after he was cursed for refusing to bow down to Nabii Adam while the angels did it willingly. He refused to bow down to Adam out of arrogance with the claim that he was more superior since he was fashioned from smokeless flame while Adam was created from clay moulded into shape.
Whether you call him Devil, Satan, or Lucifer, the Whisperer, or the Accursed One, he was a young Jinn who was taken from earth by angels then given the most pleasurable life in paradise. Even though he disobeyed his Creator, he still worships Him. Initially, we are told his progeny, the Jinns were created from smokeless flame and that they were a confederation of tribes just like human beings. They have believers and disbelivers like humankind and an entire chapter in the Qur'an called Jinn (Surah 72) has been named after them and is exclusively a subject matter on the Djinns. Jinns are also not visible, were created 2,000 years before man and lived a life of bloodletting. They can see you, but you cannot see them.
To prove that there are believing Djinns, let's see what the beginning of Surah 72 tells us in Sahih International translation:
"Say, [O Muhammad], "It has been revealed to me that a group of the jinn listened and said, 'Indeed, we have heard an amazing Qur'an (Al Jinn 72 : 2).
"It guides to the right course, and we have believed in it. And we will never associate with our Lord anyone (Al Jinn, 72: 3).
Furthermore, Allaah created the Djinns and human beings for only one thing: To worship Him Alone.
"And I (Allah) have not created the jinn and mankind except that they should worship Me (alone)."
The other invisible enemy is embedded within you and it will stay with you until your departure time from the earth to the grave when it will be restored after returning from one journey to the Creator. If it was a rebel that disbelieved in the Creator, it will not leave the boundaries of the dreaded grave for Allaah will not be willing to see their souls. This invisible creation is called Nafs or soul. To prove your own soul could be your enemy, it is worth knowing how Qabiil (Abel) intentionally killed his brother Haabiil (Cain). It was his soul that deceived him to kill his own brother. So, learn to restrain your soul through prayers, meditation, supplication and avoiding temptations. Many Muslim commentators of the Qur'aan, give different meanings to rouh, ruh or ruux.
In Surat Al-Israa (17) or the Night Journey, verse 85, Sahih International translation states:
"And they ask you, [O Muhammad], about the soul. Say, "The soul is of the affair of my Lord. And mankind have not been given of knowledge except a little."
Pickthall: "They are asking thee concerning the Spirit. Say: The Spirit is by command of my Lord, and of knowledge ye have been vouchsafed but little."
Yusuf Ali: "They ask thee concerning the Spirit (of inspiration). Say: "The Spirit (cometh) by command of my Lord: of knowledge it is only a little that is communicated to you, (O men!)"
Shakir: "And they ask you about the soul. Say: The soul is one of the commands of my Lord, and you are not given aught of knowledge but a little."
To me, the translation of the NAFS would be SPIRIT. To avoid misconceptions and confusion, I would advise you not to take my word for granted and I ask Allaah for forgiveness for any deviations I may have created in the beauty and the significance of the Glorious Qur'aan during my endeavors to share with you the main points of knowing the different enemies that could be misleading you day and night.
There are three types of Nafs. The first one is nafs-ul-ammarah.
إِنَّ النَّفْسَ لَأَمَّارَةٌ بِالسُّوءِ
Indeed the nafs that overwhelmingly commands a person to do sin. [12:53]
The above nafs has complete control over us and has sovereign power on us since it is ammarah. It is so enticing that we follow all it commands us. If you believe in following what you desire, then, be assured that it is your nafs that is misleading you.
وَلَا أُقْسِمُ بِالنَّفْسِ اللَّوَّامَةِ
[75:2]
The other one is mentioned above and it is the one that is self-incriminating and self-repproaching. This kind of nafs makes you feel bad, remorseful, regretful.In Arabic, the word لوم means blame, reprimand, upbraid, rebuke, reprove or scold.
To escape lawama or blame on the Day of Judgment, the best you can do is to strive to seek repentance from Allaah by accomplishing the general requirements of a believer.
There is the third one which is nafs-ul-mudhmainnah. Since Allaah speaks to us in different ways, it is up us to reflect and understand the weight of His messages.
يَا أَيَّتُهَا النَّفْسُ الْمُطْمَئِنَّةُ ارْجِعِي إِلَى رَبِّكِ رَاضِيَةً مَرْضِيَّةً
To the righteous it will be said “oh reassured soul, return to your Lord well pleased, and pleasing to Him” [89:27-28]
If they are mudhma'in, then they are content with the commands of Allaah, The Creator. Such a person is happy and contentious with what Allaah has provided him or her. It is a life that has reached a state of serendipity, feels contentious and desirable of what comes from Allaah.
The Visible Enemy
-----------------------------
One visible and dangerous enemy is your fellow human being. Whether a paternal or maternal relative, a childhood friend, a former student, co-worker, agemate, your own boss, your own wife or parents, your favorite sheikh or your beloved Muslim scholar, if you don't remain on guard of how they deal with you, you could be a victim of their misguidance. Following others blindly without having focus or not knowing the consequences of your actions could be a recipe for disaster. Listen carefully when listening to a Muslim scholar's lectures and if you find that he is misinterpreting some of the Ayahs or verses to his own advantage, try to correct him after the lecture is over and not immediately, otherwise, you could be a victim of condemnation or physical attack from his followers.
While a human being is the best of Allaah's creation, again, the positive behaviors of that same creature, at times shakes Allaah's Pavilion orThe Throne known as Al-Arsh. In one Mutawattir Hadith or narration---Mutawattir because of the number of people who narrated it were numerous and that it would have been impossible to be branded a lie, "The Throne shook at the death of Sa‘d ibn Mu‘aadh (Al Bukhari, 3803; Jabbir, 2466, narrated by Jabbir). سعد ابن معاذ was a Companion of the Messenger of Allaah (SAW) and Chief of the Aws Clan in Madina. In this narration about the shaking of the Arsh at the death of سعد ابن معاذ, a Muslim may "accept them as they come, without trying to interpret them" and also, "according to another report: Accept them as they come without discussing how (and their nature) (Narrated by al-Bayhaqi in al-I‘tiqaad (p. 118).
The short chapter An-Nas, is enough to make you understand how evil a human being could be.
Say, "I seek refuge in the Lord of mankind,
The Sovereign of mankind.
The God of mankind,
From the evil of the retreating whisperer -
Who whispers [evil] into the breasts of mankind -
From among the jinn and mankind."
Most of the past generations that suffered the brunts of Allah's punishments after rejecting the Messengers that brought them divine revelations, were misguided by rapacious interlocutors who were the most arrogant representatives. Fighting evil in unity should be our driving factors. Take note from the people of the cave and the dog. They slept 300 years plus 9, meaning 300 solar years and 9 lunar years totalling 309 years. The young men got unity, beseeched Allaah to intervene and protect them from the evils of the idol worshipping king and his followers.
As a proof that there were people before us who were destroyed for their dedication to human and idol worshipping, travel through the earth so you may have the chance to see for yourself what was the end of those who denied Allaah's messengers. In Egypt, there are the mighty pyramidal structures left behind by Pharaoh of the time of Moses (AS) and his cohorts Ammon (Haamaan) and Korah (Qaaruun). At least in every continent, whether on the North and South Poles in the Arctic or Antarctic that are known for ice accumulation or within desserts, forests, marshlands, along coastlines or in hinterlands, messengers traversed them to relay divine messages.
The last visible enemy is this world we call home. A container for the living and dead, the earth is full of allurement and entertainment. Since it is a delight for the eyes, it has physical attractions that are outrageously dangerous and misleading. Competition with others over wealth accumulation, having beautiful women, sons, fortresses and mansions, horses, and precious gold and anything else appealing are nothing but deceptions that prevail over your corrupted brain chemistry. The struggle to save enough money for a Prado, a well defined business, a banking account with heavy cash flows, flying first class in a Boeing or Airbus aircraft, having a personal chopper, vacationing in Bangkok, Paris and New York are nothing but deceptions of the eyes.
وَمَا الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا إِلَّا لَعِبٌ وَلَهْوٌ ۖ وَلَلدَّارُ الْآخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ لِّلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ ۗ أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ - 6:32
"This worldly life is no more than play and amusement, but far better is the ˹eternal˺ Home of the Hereafter for those mindful ˹of Allah˺. Will you not then understand? (DR. MUSTAFA KHATTAB, THE CLEAR QURAN, Al-An'am, 6: 32)." It doesn't mean you have to totally abandon the life of this world, however, it simply means the life Hereafter is better if you knew. To restrain yourself from being taken for a ride by the four enemies mentioned above, perform the obligatory prayers, perform the pilgrimage, give charity to the poor, the needy, the orphans, the wayfarers, avoid Israaf or extravagance, care for your parents and live a humble life.
The Impact of Love on Human Heart
---------------------------------------------------------
The human eye is the major force of destruction and detraction to the heart. Even while immersed in Dikr, the extraordinary destruction and detraction suffered by the heart as a result of visionary influence, distorts the believer's attention to The Creator.
Qais b. al Mulawih who was also known by the nickname 'Majnuun Layla’ or Layla’s mad lover', lived the era of Marwan bin al Hakam. Infatuated by an incurable love for Layla, Qais who later died at age 67 after wandering in the Arabian wilderness for a long time, left a poetic legacy to be inspired. In a translated Arabic poem, Qais had this to say:
"None but those who have experienced infatuated love (‘Ishq) know the true meaning of depression…And not all of those who claim they are in love are really in love."
"I pass by the home of Layla, kissing this wall and that wall… For it is not the love of the home that has captured my heart, but the love of those residing within it!"
"And there is none in the earth more wretched than a man in love… even if he finds that his whims taste sweet… you see him crying all of the time, fearing separation or yearn.”
The target of this essay was to reveal the four most dangerous enemies of humanity that have been repeatedly expounded by religious scholars, believing philosophers and even disbelieving men of wisdom.
----------------------------------
Know yoursef or the soul inside you before you venture out into unknown worlds.
From Islamic perspective, Allaah tells us:
وَاذْكُرْ رَبَّكَ فِي نَفْسِكَ
“And remember your Rabb inside yourself.” (7:205)
At times the Qur'aan refers nafs to specific parts of your body. There are differences between the heart (qalb), nafs (soul) and ruh (spirit) and aql (mind). For qalb, Allaah, referring to the disbelievers, tells us:
Allah has set a seal upon their hearts and upon their hearing, and over their vision is a veil. And for them is a great punishment (Al Baqarah, 2: 7). Modern scientific research has unearthed that the human eyes weigh 30 grams each, hourly process 36,000 pieces of information and are made from 200 million working parts. With more than a million nerve fibers, the eye is the only limb that cannot be transplanted (Discover Eye Foundation).
"Say to the believers that they should lower their eyes and guard their private parts. That is purer for them. Allaah is aware of what they do (Al Qur'an, 24: 31). An entire nation that lived in a city called Sacduum (Sodom) whose prophet was Lut (Lot) were destroyed for their ignominy and debauchery. Likewise, an ancient community that lived around Mount Vesuvius were destroyed by lava and magma spewed by the volcanic eruption for engaging in acts that were contrary to human cohabitation.
And of the people are some who say, "We believe in Allah and the Last Day," but they are not believers (Al Baqarah, 2: 8). Since Allaah only knows what is in their hearts, He succinctly tells us that they are disbelievers. It is unacceptable and prohibited for a Muslim to refer to people of other faiths as disbelievers.
If you want to live a comfortable life in this world, avoid dancing with four wolves who are your avowed enemies. Of these four enemies, some are visible to you while others are not visible to the naked eyes. The top unseen one is Iblis who promised to mislead humankind before Allaah after he was cursed for refusing to bow down to Nabii Adam while the angels did it willingly. He refused to bow down to Adam out of arrogance with the claim that he was more superior since he was fashioned from smokeless flame while Adam was created from clay moulded into shape.
Whether you call him Devil, Satan, or Lucifer, the Whisperer, or the Accursed One, he was a young Jinn who was taken from earth by angels then given the most pleasurable life in paradise. Even though he disobeyed his Creator, he still worships Him. Initially, we are told his progeny, the Jinns were created from smokeless flame and that they were a confederation of tribes just like human beings. They have believers and disbelivers like humankind and an entire chapter in the Qur'an called Jinn (Surah 72) has been named after them and is exclusively a subject matter on the Djinns. Jinns are also not visible, were created 2,000 years before man and lived a life of bloodletting. They can see you, but you cannot see them.
To prove that there are believing Djinns, let's see what the beginning of Surah 72 tells us in Sahih International translation:
"Say, [O Muhammad], "It has been revealed to me that a group of the jinn listened and said, 'Indeed, we have heard an amazing Qur'an (Al Jinn 72 : 2).
"It guides to the right course, and we have believed in it. And we will never associate with our Lord anyone (Al Jinn, 72: 3).
Furthermore, Allaah created the Djinns and human beings for only one thing: To worship Him Alone.
"And I (Allah) have not created the jinn and mankind except that they should worship Me (alone)."
The other invisible enemy is embedded within you and it will stay with you until your departure time from the earth to the grave when it will be restored after returning from one journey to the Creator. If it was a rebel that disbelieved in the Creator, it will not leave the boundaries of the dreaded grave for Allaah will not be willing to see their souls. This invisible creation is called Nafs or soul. To prove your own soul could be your enemy, it is worth knowing how Qabiil (Abel) intentionally killed his brother Haabiil (Cain). It was his soul that deceived him to kill his own brother. So, learn to restrain your soul through prayers, meditation, supplication and avoiding temptations. Many Muslim commentators of the Qur'aan, give different meanings to rouh, ruh or ruux.
In Surat Al-Israa (17) or the Night Journey, verse 85, Sahih International translation states:
"And they ask you, [O Muhammad], about the soul. Say, "The soul is of the affair of my Lord. And mankind have not been given of knowledge except a little."
Pickthall: "They are asking thee concerning the Spirit. Say: The Spirit is by command of my Lord, and of knowledge ye have been vouchsafed but little."
Yusuf Ali: "They ask thee concerning the Spirit (of inspiration). Say: "The Spirit (cometh) by command of my Lord: of knowledge it is only a little that is communicated to you, (O men!)"
Shakir: "And they ask you about the soul. Say: The soul is one of the commands of my Lord, and you are not given aught of knowledge but a little."
To me, the translation of the NAFS would be SPIRIT. To avoid misconceptions and confusion, I would advise you not to take my word for granted and I ask Allaah for forgiveness for any deviations I may have created in the beauty and the significance of the Glorious Qur'aan during my endeavors to share with you the main points of knowing the different enemies that could be misleading you day and night.
There are three types of Nafs. The first one is nafs-ul-ammarah.
إِنَّ النَّفْسَ لَأَمَّارَةٌ بِالسُّوءِ
Indeed the nafs that overwhelmingly commands a person to do sin. [12:53]
The above nafs has complete control over us and has sovereign power on us since it is ammarah. It is so enticing that we follow all it commands us. If you believe in following what you desire, then, be assured that it is your nafs that is misleading you.
وَلَا أُقْسِمُ بِالنَّفْسِ اللَّوَّامَةِ
[75:2]
The other one is mentioned above and it is the one that is self-incriminating and self-repproaching. This kind of nafs makes you feel bad, remorseful, regretful.In Arabic, the word لوم means blame, reprimand, upbraid, rebuke, reprove or scold.
To escape lawama or blame on the Day of Judgment, the best you can do is to strive to seek repentance from Allaah by accomplishing the general requirements of a believer.
There is the third one which is nafs-ul-mudhmainnah. Since Allaah speaks to us in different ways, it is up us to reflect and understand the weight of His messages.
يَا أَيَّتُهَا النَّفْسُ الْمُطْمَئِنَّةُ ارْجِعِي إِلَى رَبِّكِ رَاضِيَةً مَرْضِيَّةً
To the righteous it will be said “oh reassured soul, return to your Lord well pleased, and pleasing to Him” [89:27-28]
If they are mudhma'in, then they are content with the commands of Allaah, The Creator. Such a person is happy and contentious with what Allaah has provided him or her. It is a life that has reached a state of serendipity, feels contentious and desirable of what comes from Allaah.
The Visible Enemy
-----------------------------
One visible and dangerous enemy is your fellow human being. Whether a paternal or maternal relative, a childhood friend, a former student, co-worker, agemate, your own boss, your own wife or parents, your favorite sheikh or your beloved Muslim scholar, if you don't remain on guard of how they deal with you, you could be a victim of their misguidance. Following others blindly without having focus or not knowing the consequences of your actions could be a recipe for disaster. Listen carefully when listening to a Muslim scholar's lectures and if you find that he is misinterpreting some of the Ayahs or verses to his own advantage, try to correct him after the lecture is over and not immediately, otherwise, you could be a victim of condemnation or physical attack from his followers.
While a human being is the best of Allaah's creation, again, the positive behaviors of that same creature, at times shakes Allaah's Pavilion orThe Throne known as Al-Arsh. In one Mutawattir Hadith or narration---Mutawattir because of the number of people who narrated it were numerous and that it would have been impossible to be branded a lie, "The Throne shook at the death of Sa‘d ibn Mu‘aadh (Al Bukhari, 3803; Jabbir, 2466, narrated by Jabbir). سعد ابن معاذ was a Companion of the Messenger of Allaah (SAW) and Chief of the Aws Clan in Madina. In this narration about the shaking of the Arsh at the death of سعد ابن معاذ, a Muslim may "accept them as they come, without trying to interpret them" and also, "according to another report: Accept them as they come without discussing how (and their nature) (Narrated by al-Bayhaqi in al-I‘tiqaad (p. 118).
The short chapter An-Nas, is enough to make you understand how evil a human being could be.
Say, "I seek refuge in the Lord of mankind,
The Sovereign of mankind.
The God of mankind,
From the evil of the retreating whisperer -
Who whispers [evil] into the breasts of mankind -
From among the jinn and mankind."
Most of the past generations that suffered the brunts of Allah's punishments after rejecting the Messengers that brought them divine revelations, were misguided by rapacious interlocutors who were the most arrogant representatives. Fighting evil in unity should be our driving factors. Take note from the people of the cave and the dog. They slept 300 years plus 9, meaning 300 solar years and 9 lunar years totalling 309 years. The young men got unity, beseeched Allaah to intervene and protect them from the evils of the idol worshipping king and his followers.
As a proof that there were people before us who were destroyed for their dedication to human and idol worshipping, travel through the earth so you may have the chance to see for yourself what was the end of those who denied Allaah's messengers. In Egypt, there are the mighty pyramidal structures left behind by Pharaoh of the time of Moses (AS) and his cohorts Ammon (Haamaan) and Korah (Qaaruun). At least in every continent, whether on the North and South Poles in the Arctic or Antarctic that are known for ice accumulation or within desserts, forests, marshlands, along coastlines or in hinterlands, messengers traversed them to relay divine messages.
The last visible enemy is this world we call home. A container for the living and dead, the earth is full of allurement and entertainment. Since it is a delight for the eyes, it has physical attractions that are outrageously dangerous and misleading. Competition with others over wealth accumulation, having beautiful women, sons, fortresses and mansions, horses, and precious gold and anything else appealing are nothing but deceptions that prevail over your corrupted brain chemistry. The struggle to save enough money for a Prado, a well defined business, a banking account with heavy cash flows, flying first class in a Boeing or Airbus aircraft, having a personal chopper, vacationing in Bangkok, Paris and New York are nothing but deceptions of the eyes.
وَمَا الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا إِلَّا لَعِبٌ وَلَهْوٌ ۖ وَلَلدَّارُ الْآخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ لِّلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ ۗ أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ - 6:32
"This worldly life is no more than play and amusement, but far better is the ˹eternal˺ Home of the Hereafter for those mindful ˹of Allah˺. Will you not then understand? (DR. MUSTAFA KHATTAB, THE CLEAR QURAN, Al-An'am, 6: 32)." It doesn't mean you have to totally abandon the life of this world, however, it simply means the life Hereafter is better if you knew. To restrain yourself from being taken for a ride by the four enemies mentioned above, perform the obligatory prayers, perform the pilgrimage, give charity to the poor, the needy, the orphans, the wayfarers, avoid Israaf or extravagance, care for your parents and live a humble life.
The Impact of Love on Human Heart
---------------------------------------------------------
The human eye is the major force of destruction and detraction to the heart. Even while immersed in Dikr, the extraordinary destruction and detraction suffered by the heart as a result of visionary influence, distorts the believer's attention to The Creator.
Qais b. al Mulawih who was also known by the nickname 'Majnuun Layla’ or Layla’s mad lover', lived the era of Marwan bin al Hakam. Infatuated by an incurable love for Layla, Qais who later died at age 67 after wandering in the Arabian wilderness for a long time, left a poetic legacy to be inspired. In a translated Arabic poem, Qais had this to say:
"None but those who have experienced infatuated love (‘Ishq) know the true meaning of depression…And not all of those who claim they are in love are really in love."
"I pass by the home of Layla, kissing this wall and that wall… For it is not the love of the home that has captured my heart, but the love of those residing within it!"
"And there is none in the earth more wretched than a man in love… even if he finds that his whims taste sweet… you see him crying all of the time, fearing separation or yearn.”
The target of this essay was to reveal the four most dangerous enemies of humanity that have been repeatedly expounded by religious scholars, believing philosophers and even disbelieving men of wisdom.
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