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Islam >> About Islam
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Sunday Apr 01, 2012
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Whenever anyone asks us what “Islam” means, most of us Muslims either reply with one of two responses: submission or peace. Yet, most of us don’t know what it really means. Is it peace? Is it submission? I’m sure many of us have heard both meanings and we don’t think much more about it. However, what Islam really means is both. In actuality: Islam is the achievement of peace through self submission. So through submitting your will fully to the one God, only then can you attain peace. Allah Most High says, ‘Truly, it is by the Remembrance of Allah that hearts find rest.’ [Qur'an, 13.28]
If you really think about it, that’s what Islam is all about. Self- submission. However, the concept of submission, cannot be truly understood without the clear understanding of struggle. Why? This is because, it is not easy to submit. In fact, at times it’s extremely hard. The natural state of a human inclines itself to evil tendencies; like laziness, greed, selfishness, excessiveness, self-involvement, and so on. Thus, in order to submit fully to the will of Allah swt, one has to overcome these natural inclinations of the soul and fight against them constantly.
This is the focal point of our deen. Jihad ul-Nafs. The inner struggle one fights against himself in order to submit to Allah’s orders. There is a battle being waged in each believer’s soul every second of the day. It is a constant fight against the desires of the soul, in order to tame, condition, mold, and eventually control it. This is very important because if the soul is not controlled by its owner, then it will definitely be in control. It is like a teeter-totter, at any given point, the struggle of control between the soul and the believer can be lost or gained. Yet, the believer that works hard on being patient, executing intense effort, and fighting against himself, will finally control his soul, with the help of Allah swt.
It is vital that a person launches a war against his soul. One which is not aimless but rather a firm and determined one in which he uses the weapons of faith (iman), sincerity to Allah (ikhlas), patience (sabr) and supplication (du‘a). He uses them until he is able to overcome this, his soul, which commands evil. As a result he tames and makes it obedient, humble and submissive to the command of Allah.
This is not as easy as it seems. That is why our dear Rasul (S) refers to the internal self struggle that believers face as the ‘Greater Jihad’ and the struggle against the aggressors as the lesser one. And when a person is not able to struggle against his own soul and overcome it in that which Allah loves, he will not be able to fight against the external enemy, nor overcome it. How can he, when he is defeated and weak, both mentally and spiritually, and cannot even gain control of his own feeble soul?
You may be reading this right now and wondering, Ok, so why is this the focal point of Islam? Why is this so important? This is because if we look at our Muslim Ummah today, we will quickly realize that we have forgotten our souls. We work so hard on our bodies, to eat healthy and work out. We work hard on our brains, to educate ourselves and enhance our intellect. We also work hard on our hearts to love others and to protect ourselves from being hurt. But most of us have neglected our souls. The ironic thing about all of this is that our bodies, brains and hearts will all deteriorate once we die, but our soul is the only thing that will eternally live and meet Allah swt one day to be judged!
Our souls are going to face Allah swt. ‘To Allah swt we belong and to Him we return.’ (Baqarah: 2: 156). He gave our souls to us pure and uncorrupted, how will we return them back to him? Wild, untamed, unconditioned? Or controlled, clean, and strong? Our dear Rasul (S) taught us that his Dunya is a prisoner for the believer. He (S) also taught us that the pathway to Heaven is paved with hardship and struggle while the pathway to Hell is paved with desire and temptation.
Let us all not fall into this pit of weakness, let us get up, brush ourselves off, start fresh and be determined to fight against our inner deviant souls and overcome it before it overcomes us!
Feature written by a member of the Noor Community
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Some people asked Allah's Apostle, "Whose Islam is the best? i.e. (Who is a very good Muslim)?" He replied, "One who avoids harming the Muslims with his tongue and hands." -- Narrated Abu Musa
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