MIFTAAH SEMINAR

REVIVING THE HEART

Ustadh Ubaydullah Evans

Struggle Against the Self

SESSION 10

Ibn Ata’illah stated: Do you want to struggle against

yourself, but you are always strengthening your desires
until you are overtaken by them?
Shaytan is always looking for the path of least
resistance.
The Shaytan's ultimate aim is to lead a person to kufr.
If he can not lead us to disbelief, he tries to lead us to
acts of disobedience.
If he can not lead us to acts of disobedience, he tries to
lead us to acts which are not haram but are
discouraged.
If he can not lead us to things that are disliked, he tries
to lead us to things which are permissible but have no
merit or virtue.
This causes us to strengthen our desires towards
that which is lawful but not rewarding, so that when
something unlawful comes in our way, it is more
difficult for us to resist it.
1 p.g. EDUCATION | PRESERVATION | APPLICATION
 In this statement, Ibn Ata'illah is encouraging us to
SESSION 10

struggle against ourselves and practice more self

control even within that which is permissible.
When we control that which is permissible, we can
definitely control that which is impermissible.
He continued: Are you ignorant? The heart is a tree which
is irrigated with the water of obedience.
The Prophet's SAW sunnah was one of moderation.
To leave balance and moderation is an act of
ignorance.
Imam Al-Ghazali stated that faith increases with
obedience and decreases with disobedience.
The more good that a person does, the more
content and sure a person's heart will be with Allah
SWT.
Many times disobedience is the source of doubting
Allah SWT.
He continued: The fruits of that tree are its emotions.
A heart which is watered with obedience will be a heart
which is content with Iman.
It is a heart free of hatred for anyone.
It is a heart filled with joy.
This heart is able to experience the sweetness of faith.
He continued: The fruit of a faithful eye it looking at things
with reflection.
When this eye looks at anything, it thinks about Allah.

2 p.g. EDUCATION | PRESERVATION | APPLICATION

 We should see the qadr of Allah SWT in anything that
SESSION 10

happens to us.
We must have a good opinion of Allah SWT no matter
what happens.
When anything difficult happens to us we should
understand that it is there so that we become more
patient and so that we are of those who get the
reward for being patient on the Day of Judgement.
He continued: The fruit of the ear is listening to the
Quran.
If one listens to things other than the Quran, they are
dulling their pallet of enjoyment for the Quran.
A person who consistently listens to the Quran will
find it easy to appreciate it.
The beauty of the Quran will be able to
encompass them.

3 p.g. EDUCATION | PRESERVATION | APPLICATION