Combating Desires, Doubts and Sins

By

Umm Isam – Hiba magazine team writer

Shaitan uses certain weapons against us to weaken our Iman and position as a believer. Amongst his favourite warfare are the following:

1. Desires (Hawa)
2. Doubts (Shubhaat)
3. Sins (Dhunub/Khataya/Maasi)

Allah (swt) is the Creator of all, including Shaitan whom Allah (swt) has allowed respite to misguide until the day of judgement after which Shaitan will be thrown into the hell fire eternally. This makes our heart jump for joy because of the Fasaad (corruption) and Fitnah (trial), Shaitan has unleased around us causing us pain.

But Allah (swt) Al Kareem, has not left us to our devices. He has protected us with clear guidance in the Quran and the Sunnah, to combat against Shaitan’s nefarious schemes.

Let’s take them up one by one:

1. Desires are treated with patience (Sabr)

Allah (swt) states: “So be patient. In deed the promise of Allah is truth. And let them not disquiet you who are not certain (in faith).” (Ar Rum 30:60)

Many people either underestimate the power of patience or find it as a sign of weakness. Prophet Muhammad’s (sa) winning quality was patience. Trusting Allah’s (swt) plan, he kept worshipping and looking out for possible solutions for 13 years in Makkah when he wasn’t allowed by Allah (swt) to fight back the disbelievers.

But the tables turned and he was commanded along with the Sahabah to combat in Madinah to protect Islam and its ideology for the next 10 years.

Patience does not mean doing nothing. It simply means gaining self-control, practicing self-restraint and not giving into Shaitan. Sabr uproots the trees of desires. Otherwise, desires and our vain wishes lead us to self-destructive actions and impulses.

For e.g. for someone who loves to browse, shop and splurge, Sabr in action would be in the following ways:

1. Making Dua for oneself earnestly and repeatedly
2. Unfollowing all such pages
3. Turning off all such notifications
4. Limiting contacts with shopaholics
5. Not frequenting the mall unnecessarily
6. Parking away savings in a monthly kitty so it cannot be accessed
7. Using and enjoying the stuff already owned
8. Reducing storage space
9. Making friends with minimalists
10. Fearing one’s account before Allah (swt) for the material owned
11. Believing in Allah’s (swt) help to obey Him and being rewarded for it
12. Imagining the abundance, exquisiteness and variety of delights in Jannah

Desperation to fulfill worldly and temporary desires can make us forget Allah (swt). When that happens, we forsake our true mission in life to worship and obey Allah (swt) to earn the eternal Jannah. Allah (swt) warns the believers: “And be not like those who forgot Allah, so He made them forget themselves. Those are the defiantly disobedient.” (Maryam 19:59) 

• Doubts are treated with certainty (Yaqueen)

 “It is He Who has sent down to you, (O Muhammad) the book. In it are verses (that are) precise – they are the foundation of the Book – and others unspecific. As for those in whose hearts is deviation (from truth) they will follow that of it which is unspecific, seeking discord and seeking an interpretation (suitable to them). And no one knows it’s (true) interpretation except Allah.” (Al e Imran 3:7)

It is Shaitan’s goal to plant suspicions and doubts in our heart regarding our faith, belief and Allah’s (swt) decree. He makes us suspect the realm and knowledge about the unseen. He makes us doubt about the historic incidents of our prophets and Sahabahs. Shaitan also prevents us to believe in Allah’s (swt) promises impacting our Dunya and Aakhirah.

With Iman caving in, it becomes natural for us to fall into despair regarding the geo-political conditions and our personal lives too.  The divine scripture is no longer a means of guidance for us anymore and we take other alternatives.

Allah (swt) promises leadership roles to those who develop a spiritually active belief: “And We made from among them leaders guiding by Our command when they were patient and (when) they were certain of Our signs.” (As Sajdah 32:24).

When Allah (swt) grants leadership, you must have absolute trust in Allah (swt) and self-belief and follow the Quran and the Sunnah. Your Iman billah, must lead you to Yaqueen. That will keep you sure footed in times of Fitnah and Fasad. Allah (swt), His prophet and His book is Haqq. Only believers will eventually succeed in the Aakhirah.   

• Sins are treated with repentance (Istaghfaar and Taubah)

Our heart is the command centre of the body. Whatever it decides happens. Naturally Allah (swt) granted a sound heart (Qalbun Saleem) to everyone at birth. But with time when we do not stay aligned with Allah (swt) through His correct worship and obedience, the heart is taken over by sins.

In fact sins are like fuel that set the heart on fire. This is more of an intangible and unseen condition that manifests itself by weakening the resolve of the heart, making it restless and corrupt in nature.

Just as water puts out fire, the means to extinguish the heat of the sins is through sincere Taubah and Istaghfaar. They are like water and hail that strengthen the soul spiritually while extinguishing the fire of sins. Just as washing and Wudu cleanse our bodies physically.

But what is the difference between Taubah and Istaghfaar?

Istaghfaar means seeking the forgiveness of Allah (swt) so He is merciful to you. Once Allah’s (swt) mercy enters our lives, we become merciful with ourselves and others too. It is like telling Allah (swt) sincerely that ‘you are sorry.’

Taubah means to repent and turn to Allah (swt) as if you had taken a wrong path and now you are forsaking it and returning to the correct one with intention and action. It is like telling Allah (swt) that ‘you won’t do it again.’  

Both are important and beloved to Allah (swt). However, Taubah is ultimately what is required most as it ensures purification of self from sins. Allah (swt) states in the Quran: “… Indeed Allah loves those who are constantly repentant and loves those who purify themselves.” (Al Baqarah 2:222).

Prophet Muhammad (sa) has taught us a relevant Dua too: “O Allah! Distance me from my sins just as You have distanced the east from the west. O Allah! Purify me from my sins just as a white cloth is purified of filth. O Allah! Wash off my sins with snow, water and hail.” (Bukhari and Muslim).    

Imagine if your body was not able to excrete the toxins and waste, what would happen? Ask any patient of Dialysis, when the natural function of his kidneys fails, he still has the wastage removed medically otherwise he would die.

Similarly, if the heart is left filthy and uncleaned, it dies. It is critical for every believer to sincerely prevent himself from falling into sins, when he still does, he must make Istaghfaar and Taubah with an action plan to keep his heart pure, healthy and beautiful.

Allah (swt) states: “Allah wants to make clear to you (the lawful from the unlawful) and guide you to the (good) practices of those before you and to accept your repentance. And Allah is Knowing and Wise. Allah wants to accept your repentance, but those who follow their passions want you to digress (into) a great deviation. And Allah wants to lighten for you (your difficulties) and mankind was created weak.” (An Nisa 4:26-28)

• Action plan to treat your desires, uncertainties and sins
• Reflect deeply about your own thoughts and behaviour.
• List your top three desires, uncertainties and sins.
• Make Dua to Allah (swt) for guidance and help to reform you.  
• Form a conscious Neeyah to work on yourself.
• Make an action plan to treat the above diseases of the heart with the above mentioned antidotes with a conscious effort.
• You might fail initially, but don’t give up.
• Try new strategies to uproot them.
• Know that trying to improve yourself for the sake of Allah (swt) is a highly rewardable action, even if you fail frequently.