face any difficulty in going to and praying at the masjid,
only that it will not be as difficult as it once was. The
reward we gain for commuting to the masjid for salat is
for overcoming these internal barriers. How would we get
rewards without facing any hardships?
Every man must
earn enough to
support himself
and his family and
to fulfill their rights.
But, excessive greed
The same rule applies to the akhlaq
radhila (contemptible manners). Let us
return to the anger example. Before
treatment of this disease, a seeker would
have temper tantrums, explode over
the slightest provocation, and reproach
others over petty matters. But, after
taking the path of Tasawwuf, he realized
that anger is not a good thing and can
be sinful if not channeled the right way.
Thus, he monitors himself carefully
and the next time he is provoked, he
controls his anger though he feels like
giving the provoker a piece of his mind. Although it took
time, patience, and training for him to reach this point, he
did succeed in taming his anger.
is forbidden.
Suppressing Lust
Now let us consider lust or sensual desire, another one of
the radha’il. If a man cannot control his sexual urges, his
addiction is more than just dangerous, it is also destructive
to his faith. A man may be addicted to satisfying his
sexual drive by ogling at women and watching haram.
But, as he turned to Tasawwuf and Suluk, he realized he
was committing a grave sin and needed to do address
the problem immediately. After this realization, the
opportunity arose to watch haram and he was tempted to
do so, except that this time he remembered that he was
now on the path of self-reformation. This internal alarm
helped him turn his gaze away though it pushed him to the
limits of his self-control. But, he overcame the temptation
by the blessing of his firm intention to never do it again.
Later, another opportunity arose for him to satisfy his
addiction, but he lowered his gaze again and this time he
found it easier to lower his gaze than the first time. And just
as the second time was easier than the first, the third was
even easier than the second, and, in this way, each time he
averted his gaze, it became incrementally easier to avert his
gaze. The urge was thus weakened by repeated suppression.
Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanawi said that to remove radha’il
means to reduce it to a point where one does not have
to exert himself as much as he had to in the first stages.
Nevertheless, some effort must be made. No matter how
much one suppresses the carnal desire, it can never be
completely eradicated. The temptation and inclination to
commit sin will always remain. The only difference is that
while it was almost unmanageable in the beginning, now he
can control the desire more effectively.
H: Otherwise, the greed of the greedy, the selfishness of
the selfish, and the arrogance of the
arrogant never go away completely. Of
course, these traits do lose their force
and one does not feel the same level of
urgency to do them as he did before.
M: Greed, selfishness, and arrogance are
vile traits that can never be eradicated
from our nature, though, they can be
restrained and tamed. Even though
these vile traits exist in our nature, they
can be still be suppressed to the extent
that they no longer incite toward sin and
make one succumb to temptations.
Suppression of Greed
Greed for wealth is also intrinsic to human nature. Allah
says in the Qur’an, “Beautified for people is the love of
that which they desire—of women and sons…” (3:14). If the
desire is channeled correctly, it is not a bad thing. Every
man must earn enough to support himself and his family
and to fulfill their rights. But, excessive greed is forbidden.
The Prophet a said, “If man were to be given a valley of
gold, he will covet a second valley of gold. If he acquires
a second, he will yearn for a third, and nothing but dirt can
fill the belly of the son of Adam e” (Tirmidhi). Excessive
greed is forbidden for then a man does not distinguish
between lawful and unlawful means of earning.
Types of Greed
First Type
There are various types of greed. The worst is that which
incites one to earn unlawfully e.g. stealing, banditry,
cheating, and embezzlement (may Allah protect us). This is
the most malignant form of greed.
Second Type
The second type of greed is that which does not incite
towards unlawful earnings but does furnish elaborate
arguments and points that justify amassing wealth. This
type of greed is most common among religious figures
(Islamic scholars, maulvis, etc.). My respected father (Mufti
Muhammad Shafi‘) often said that the devil of a Maulvi is
also a Maulvi. A Maulvi will never agree to steal someone’s
wealth or appropriate their property. He would have told
himself that such activities are haram, but his devil is
his match. He the devil convinces him with arguments
and excuses saying that he has a right when he has no
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