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Assalamalaikum,

MUJAHIDA AGAINST THE NAFS- Shaykh Zulfiqar Ahmed (db)

http://tazkiyatips.blogspot.com/2012...-zulfiqar.html

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Purifying And Striving Against The Ego (nafs)

From 'The Realities Of Sufism' by Shaykh `Abd al-Qadir `Isa

The soul possesses vile qualities and blameworthy character traits, and that removing these qualities and traits is individually obligatory - as was stated by the generality of the jurists. Having said that, the deficient qualities of the ego are not removed by mere wishful thinking, [or by] knowing the ruling of purifying it, and reading the books of Sufism and good character. In addition to all that, there must be real and actual spiritual striving, practical purification, and weaning the ego from its unruly tantrums and tempestuous desires.

The self is like an infant child -
if you leave it, it will grow up loving to suckle,
but if you wean it, it will soon be weaned away.

Al-Raghib al-Isfahani said in: Mufradat Gharib al-Qur'ân:

Jihad and mujahada: striving with one's utmost in repelling the enemy. Jihad is three types: striving against the outward enemy, striving against Satan, and striving against the ego. All three of these are included in Allah's words: { Strive for the sake of Allah with a true striving } Sura (22) al-Hajj: 78 and { And strive with your wealth and lives in the path of Allah.} Sura (9) al-Tawba: 41 The Prophet said: "Struggle against your vain desires just as you struggle against your enemies."

Striving against the ego is done by weaning it and forcing it to carry out that which is against its blameworthy desires, as well as committing it to implement the law of Allah (swt) , in both prohibition and command.