The Soul

‘Never have I dealt with anything more difficult than my own soul, which sometimes helps me and sometimes opposes me’. Imam Al-Ghazali

Fighting the soul is one of the hardest challenges that one can undertake. This is because we are heedless of its importance. Our perception is focused on the outward acts which we are doing (which is not wrong), yet we must also look to better ourselves spiritually so that the journey to Allah is a pleasant one.

The soul has the power to oppress us, and lead us to goodness. It is something which must be tamed as it seeks comfort. It is like a wild horse which wants to charge towards it desires. We need to be like its rider, who must restrain it and tame it so that it leads us towards righteousness. Subsequently, once a person realises the importance of the soul, they know that this is a constant relentless battle until the moment they perish. For if you allow it to lead you, it will thrust you towards destruction and ruin your hereafter.

If we are conscious of its importance, then we will be able to discipline it. However, this can’t be achieved overnight. This is a long term struggle in which one needs to persevere. It will be challenging, but if small actions are taken with fortitude, eventually the soul will become submissive to this change.

One can fight it by reducing the amount of food they eat. When one consumes massive quantities of food, it strengthens the desires. It makes us vulnerable to the attacks from the shaytan as he may command is to sin. On the other hand, when one eats smaller portions, it weakens the devil as it decreases the strength of ones desires.

It is also recommended for one to sleep briefly. This.This purifies ones aspirations as you become more productive and your body becomes stronger. When you oversleep, it makes you lazy. The more you sleep, the more you desire to sleep longer. And when you do wake up, your thoughts are scattered. By reducing sleep, you feel more alive as you have longer time to complete your targets.

Furthermore, one should ‘speak only when necessary’. The tongue can lead us towards destruction if we let it speak freely. In social gatherings, we overlook what we say and open the doors to slander and back-biting. These are heavy sins which we will need to be accounted for. However, if we think before we speak, and speak when the situation calls for, we can save ourselves from danger.

Also, ‘one should tolerate the wrongs done to us by others’. If someone harms us, we should realise that we are all prone to mistakes. We should forgive and also realise that we are travellers in this world, who are on the verge of death. If we keep hate stored in our hearts, it will cause discomfort. We should therefore forgive others and remember that this life is a test; we are all sitting an exam which is bound to end soon. Before we know it, the results will be presented to us on our left hand if we've failed, and our right if were successful. 

*M.Rahman