Mujaahadah “Those who strive in Our Path, We will most assuredly guide them towards Our Paths.”

MUJAAHADAH

“Those who strive in Our Path, We will most assuredly guide them towards Our Paths.”Qur’aan “Fudhaalah Kaamil narrates that Rasulullah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said. ‘The mujaahid is he who makes jihaad(strives) in the obedience of Allah.” (Baihaqi)

The Nature of Mujaahadah

The reality of Mujaahadah consists of the habitual practice of opposing the nafs (man’s lowly desire).In other words, to check and control the physical, monetary, egotistical and mundane desires, delightsand preferences of the nafs in the pursuit of the Pleasure and Obedience of Allah Ta’ala.

The Types of Mujaahadah.

There are two kinds of mujaahadah

1. Physical Mujaahadah. This is the imposition of practices upon the nafs in order to accustom it to difficulties, e.g. accustoming the nafs to Salaat by imposing upon it Nafl Salaat in abundance;reducing the greed of the nafs by means of abundance of Nafl Fasting.

2. Opposition. In this type of mujaahadah the nafs is opposed in its desires. When the nafs urges to commit sin then opposition is offered. The main type of mujaahadah is this second kind. This second kind of mujaahadah is Waajib (compulsory). The first type of mujaahadah is employed in order to acquire the second kind. When the nafs becomes accustomed to difficulties then it will develop the habit of controlling its desires.Those who possess the ability to control their desires without resorting to physical mujaahadah (the first kind) are not in need of this type of mujaahadah. However, because such people are extremely few, the Sufiyah have stringently adopted physical mujaahadah as well. According to the Sufiyah physical mujaahadah consists of four fundamentals (arkaan) as follows:1. Qillat–e–Ta’aam: To eat less.2. Qillat–e–Kalaam: To speak less.3. Qillat–e–Manaam: To sleep less.4. Qillat–e–Ikhtilaat Ma’al Anaam: To associate less with people.

One who fully acquires these four qualities and becomes accustomed to observe them, will attain the ability to control his nafs. He will be in a strong position to check the evil desires of the nafs.Mujaahadah against the nafs in its urges for sin is acquired when the nafs is opposed to a certain degree in even its lawful desires, e.g. refusal to fulfil immediately the desire of the nafs for some delicious food, its urge for such food being rebutted and only fulfilled after vehement desire so that the nafs does not become frustrated. When one becomes accustomed to oppose the nafs in things lawful then it will become relatively simple to oppose the sinful urges of the nafs. A person who grants his nafs absolute freedom in the mubaahaat (lawful things) at times will not be able to suppress the urge for sinning.

Summary

Riyaazat and Mujaahadah have two fundamentals (rukn):

1. Mujaahadah Jismaani or Mujaahadah Ijmaali (i.e. the physical mujaahadah explained earlier).

2. Mujaahadah Tafseeli or Mujaahadah Nafsaani (i.e. the mujaahadah of opposition explained earlier).Mujaahadah Ijmaali has four fundamentals as stated above. In these acts (viz. reduction in food,speech, sleep and association) it is necessary to adopt moderation in accordance with the instruction of a Shaikh–e–Kaamil (a spiritual guide qualified in this field). Neither is there to be excessive indulgence in these acts because the result will be indolence and negligence, nor should there be excessive reduction, for the consequence will be physical weakness.

The second rukn (viz. Mujaahadah Tafseeli, is divided into two classes:

1. Akhlaaq–e–Hameedah: Beautiful and virtuous qualities.

2. Akhlaaq–e–Rareelah: Evil qualities.These willbe explained further ahead.