Part 16

Al-Junaid?’ said, "Whoever strives hard against his lusts in Our Cause by means of repentance, We will guide them to paths of sincerity. We will never be able to fight our enemy in the outside except when we fight our enemies within ourselves. Whoever gains victory over himself will gain victory over his enemies and whoever is defeated within himself will be defeated by his enemies.

Chapter: Enmity between the Mind and Imagination

Allah, the Exalted placed enmity between Satan and the Angels, the mind and the imagination, and the soul prone to evil and the heart. Allah combined all these forms of enmity within man and provided every party with supporters. The war between the two parties will continue until one captures the other and subdues it. If the hearts, the minds, and the angels win, there will be happiness, pleasure, joy, relief, and victory. However, if the soul, imagination, and Satan win, there will be

27 Al-Junaid bin Muhammad bin Al-Junaid Al-Baghdady Al-Khazzaz. His surname was Abu Al-Qasim. He was Sufi from scholars of religion. He was born and brought up in Baghdad and known as Al-Khazz4z because he used to work in Al-Khaz, which is silk. He was the first to talk about theology in Baghdad. Scholars considered him a sheikh as he adjusted his principles according to Qur'an and Sunnah. Among his letters is Dawa’ Al-Arwah. He passed away (may Allah be merciful to him) in 297 A.H. in Baghdad. See his biography in Al-Alam, vol.2, p.141. See Al-Bidayyah wan-Nihayah, vol.11,

sadness, worry, distress, and suppression of all that is good. What do you think about the king (that is you) that was captured by his enemy who dethroned, captured, imprisoned, and prevented him from using his treasures, supplies, and slaves and took them over. In spite of all this, this king did not move to take revenge or ask for help. Above this king, there is another king that is Almighty, the Conqueror, and the most Honored, so he should ask Him. If you ask His help He will help you, if you ask for His support He will support you, if you ask for His protection He will take revenge for you, and if you run to Him, He will give you authority over your enemy and subdue him. If this captured king (human being) said that his enemy (his soul, imagination, and Satan) tied him strongly and prevented him from rising, running to You (Allah), and walking to Your door, He, the Almighty just has to send some soldiers to untie him and take him out of his prison, then he can come to His door, otherwise he would never be able to untie himself.

If he said this in order to refute the Mighty King, His message, and accept his state with his enemy, this mighty king (Allah) will leave him to whoever he chose to be his friend.

However, if he said this because he really needs Him, shows his weakness, and humiliation, and shows that he is too weak to walk to Allah or untie himself, it would be a blessing from Allah to support him. If Allah helps him He would bestow blessings on him and if He did not, He would not be unjust to him even if he had praised Him earlier. His wisdom requires that. When a human knows that the prison is that of Allah and the enemy is His servant, who has no power to do anything good nor bad, then armies of help will come to him.

The highest ranks of intention in seeking knowledge is seeking knowledge of the Qur'an and Sunnah and knowledge of the laws of Allah. The meanest intentions are those seeking the

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answers to hypothetical questions, that is neither divine nor real, or those who are hesitant and follow the words of others and do not have any intention to know what is right. It is rare if any of those obtain benefit from gaining knowledge.

The highest ranks of intention concerning ‘will’ is that intention should be attached to love for Allah and seeking His pleasure. The lowest is when one’s intention is based on human aims against the aim of Allah. That is to say that the person worships Allah according to his aim without seeking the aim of Allah.

Corrupt scholars sit in front of the door to Paradise calling people to it through some words, while they are doing deeds that lead to Hellfire. Whenever their words call people to Paradise, their deeds do not conform with their words. If such words were true they would have been followed by them. They seem to be leaders while they are really highwaymen.

If Allah alone is your aim, then all favor and honor will be yours but if you aim at what you will gain from Him, then favor may not come to you as it is in His Hands. If your aim was favor, which you would gain from Allah, then it would not come to you. This is because it is in His Hands and a Deed of His Deeds. If you draw nearer from Allah, all favor would be yours. If favor was your aim, it would not come to you. If you knew Allah and tasted the pleasure of being near Him and then you degraded yourself to seeking favor, Allah would prevent you from gaining it as a punishment. This way, you lost being near Allah and gaining favor.

A Precious Gem: The Messenger's Victory

When the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) tasted victory after being constrained by the enemy, and his army enjoyed victory, and he became eminent, all mankind was

divided into three categories: those who believed in him, those who made peace with him, and those who were fearful of him.

When he set the best examples of endurance, to which Allah says,

which means, "Therefore be patient (O Muhammad) as did the Messengers of strong will." (Al-Ahgaf, 46:35), the outcome was fruitful, to which Allah says,

which means, "and for the prohibited things, there is the Law of Equality (Qisas)." (Al-Baqarah, 2:194)

Hence, he conquered Mecca in an unprecedented way, surrounded by the MuhdajirGin (the immigrants) and the Ansar (the supporters). He was also surrounded by various ranks of Companions, while Jibril (Gabriel) was ascending and descending in between the heavens and the earth. Allah made no one conquer His sanctuary except His Messenger.

The Messenger (peace be upon him) compared the day of conquering Mecca and the day in which Allah says,

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which means, "And (remember) when the disbelievers plotted against you (O Muhammad) to imprison you, or to kill you, or to get you out." (Al-Anfal, 8:30)

to when the disbelievers drove him out the second of the two, he entered Mecca lowering his chin to his saddle, submitting and complying to the orders of Allah, Who had granted him

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victory; he was the one to whom mankind raised their heads, and to whom kings surrendered.

He entered Mecca victorious, supported and a conqueror, and Bilal mounted the Ka'bah, after having been tortured in its precincts. In a high voice, he recited the Adhan (the call for prayer), where all tribes came answering him from every place, entering the religion of Allah in crowds, while before they used to come individually.

When the Messenger (peace be upon him) ascended the pillar of glory, from which he never descended, all kings surrendered to him, and amongst them were those who granted him rulership in their countries, and others asked for peace and reconciliation, and those who consented to pay tribute, however, the fourth category gathered to be ready for war, as they were unaware of the fact that they were just gathering the booty and the prisoners of war to him.

Thus, when the Messenger's victory became obvious, along with conveying his message, and fulfilling his mission. Allah revealed to him,

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which means, " Verily, We have given you (O Muhammad) a manifest victory, that Allah may forgive you your sins of the past and the future, and complete His Favour on you, and guide you on the Straight Path; And that Allah may help you with strong help." (Al-Fath, 48: 1-3)

And Allah also revealed to him,

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which means, "When comes the Help of Allah (to you, O Muhammad) against your enemies) and the conquest (of Mecca), And you see that the people enter Allah's religion (Islam) in crowds." (Al-Fath, 110: 1-2)

After revealing these verses, the Angel of death descended upon the Messenger (peace be upon him) enabling him to choose between his rank in this worldly life and meeting his Lord, to which he chose the meeting with his Lord, for which he was longing. On that day, paradise was adorned for the honorable soul (of Muhammad), more than the celebrations for any king on his arrival to his homeland.

ff the throne of the Beneficent shook due to the death of one of the Messenger's followers and rejoicing at his arrival, then what would be the case with the death of the best of all creatures. O you who are associated with this trivial worldly life, and are standing by another door, surely you will discover which secret will be yours on the day of gathering, in which Allah says,

which means, "The Day when all the secrets (deeds, prayers, fasting, etc.) will be examined (as to their truth)." (At-Tariq, 86:9)

Chapter: The Vanity of False Hopes

O you who are deceived by false hopes! Satan was cursed and descended from the glorious abode by neglecting one prostration he was ordered to perform. Adam descended from Paradise because of a mouthful he ate. The criminal was separated by a handful of blood. Moreover, the adulterer is supposed to be killed in the most awful way because he committed an unlawful act. Flogging is enjoined on him who says a word of slander, or drinks a drop of liquor. He (Allah) ordered that one of your hands should be cut in case theft is

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committed, so do not fee! secure, for He might cast you into Hellfire because of only one sin.

Allah, the Almighty says,

which means, "And He (Allah) feared not the consequences thereof." (Ash-Shams, 91:15)