'Nafs': Body Rights in Islam

 

Fulfilling the Rights of Fellow Muslims (Part 5)

 

Alhamdulillah, Summa Alhamdulillah, I continue today the series of sermons on the rights of fellow Muslims, and today I will talk about the rights of one’s own self [Nafs].

 

Life on earth is a God-given temporary trust [i.e. Amanat] to the human race. We are all the property of Allah (twt) and all that we are belong exclusively to Allah. And while belonging to Allah, contrary to His other creatures, He has bestowed upon us freewill and rights that we have to both respect and implement.

 

So, it is therefore incumbent for us to use and guard this trust according to the Divine command. Among the rights incumbent on us in respect of our lives are:

 

1.     The protection of its health and strength.

    2.     The guarding of its peace.

 

This means to refrain from any such activity which unnecessarily imposes strain and frustration. Neglect in these rights results in interference with one’s Deen. Peace of mind and courage are destroyed and in consequence one will fail to render service to others. At times, due to the frustration and weakness, one’s condition aggravates to the degree where one’s very faith [i.e. Iman ] is in danger of elimination. This grievous state is manifested due to the impatience and ingratitude fostered by frustration and depression which overtakes man who has failed in fulfilling the rights of his own body and soul.

The Virtues of Ramadan Fasting

Why Fasting ? 

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ ۝

“O you who believe! fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may become righteous.” (Al-Baqara 2 :184)

Each year, for a month, more than a billion Muslim believers around the world fast between dawn and dusk. During these fasting hours, they are strictly prohibited from consuming any food, drink, or having intimate relationships between spouses, among other deprivations. Why?

First, what Ramadan fasting is not: it does not have the character of penance, as in other religions.

From the Muslim perspective, it enjoys with God an unparalleled grace with other acts of piety. It is an abstinence which concerns the body and the spirit and/or mind. Indeed, God has given us a brain, a marvellous mind in wonder; our body itself is a perpetual miracle. Our body, our ideas, our decisions are led by our spirit. The better the food of the spirit, the better our faculties and capacities of judgement, of evaluation, the better will be our initiatives. Fasting is thus perceived as total submission to God.

The Human Heart and Spirituality

The human heart is the seat of all human emotions. A heart that is full of evil emotions and thoughts is but a favourite place for Satan. Satan takes residence in such a heart and uses it as a control centre to deviate the servant of Allah from the right path. Those hearts that are disbelieving, doubtful and mischief-mongering are, according to the Holy Quran, hearts that have been sealed. Allah (swt) says in His book: 'Thus do We seal the hearts of transgressors.' (Yunus 10: 75) and: 'I will instil terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve.' (Al-Anfal 8: 13).

The Holy Quran makes many such references to the human heart. The Book of Allah proclaims numerous merits of a sound heart, a contended heart full of unbounded love and deep understanding of God and mankind, His creation. For instance the Holy Quran proclaims: 'Verily, it is in the remembrance of Allah that hearts can find comfort.' (Ar-Rad 13: 29).

And Allah admonishes all Muslims that: 'He joined your hearts in love (brotherhood/ friendship)' (Al-Imran 3: 104); and that He: 'put your hearts at rest.' (Al-Imran 3: 127).

Scientific research has conclusively proved that there is a vital link between the state of one’s thinking and one’s physical well-being. A healthy heart will undoubtedly keep a mind healthy and vice versa. A person’s character is built on his thoughts, in other words, we are what we think. Allah our merciful Lord through His benevolence has given us the choice and power to govern our thoughts and thereby build a character that is worthy of praise.

'Zikrullah' for Inner Happiness

“Those who believe and whose hearts find rest in the remembrance of Allah: 

Verily, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest.” (Ar-Rad, 13: 29).

Zikrullah (Remembrance of Allah) is the true nourishment of the hearts. The heart, mind and soul of man thrive on Zikrullah and shrink without it. Zikrullah is not difficult. It is indeed a most simple duty and the reward and significance of Zikrullah are indeed great. One who is neglectful of such an important, yet simple and most rewarding practice is most unfortunate. Indifference to Zikrullah is an invitation to calamity upon oneself.

Allah describes in the Holy Quran those who have let go of Zikrullah and relegated it to oblivion:

“Satan has gained the mastery over them, so he has caused them to forget the remembrance of Allah. They are the party of Satan. Verily, it is the party of Satan that will be the losers.” (Al-Mujadila, 58: 20).

Therefore, we Muslims should strive to remain in the remembrance of Allah (swt) even if it becomes increasingly hard when we engage ourselves in our worldly activities. Zikrullah is a powerful weapon against Satan’s whispers which slowly try to overtake our hearts and lead us to self-deception. Today we notice how even though technology is supposed to help people gain extra time and better quality of life, people are more and more restless, sad, stressed and anxious. This is because Satan is winning them over by distracting their attention from Allah (swt) and misleading them in their decisions. Staying in constant Zikrullah makes us fear Allah (swt), always allowing us to put life matters into perspective by rearranging priorities accordingly to Allah’s commands in order to maintain individual, social as well as environmental harmony. Consequently, evil deeds are wiped out by sincerity of the heart to enjoin what is good and forbid evil acts, permitting us to find tranquillity of heart.

Qur'an: Treasures for the Human Mind

The human mind is very complex. It has developed gradually and that during different stages of its already God-given developed capacity. Allah (swt), throughout the centuries, through His different Messengers, Prophets and Reformers has continued to reveal such teachings which are suitable to each respective stage, till the time arrived when the mind of man had become fully developed and means of inter-communication between different sections of humanity had been perfected, and the world had in its advancement attained the stage when it might form one country and one nation. At this stage God sent the last law-bearing prophet, that is, Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) with the last and complete code of revealed laws, that is, the Holy Quran, which it is a book which is the simplified reunification or summary of all revealed laws since the beginning of time. It contains teachings suitable to the needs of every age.

Whilst being the last law-bearing revealed book, however, the doors of revelation and of spiritual advancement are still open and will continue to remain open for ever. No new law shall henceforth be revealed, but such prophets as shall lay open the hidden treasures contained in the Quran and open to mankind the doors of divine realization shall continue to arise, for no new law is required in the presence of a perfect code, and yet man is always in need of attaining to the realization of God. There can, therefore, be no new law, but the door of such prophethood as it is attained by spiritual perfection is open and should remain open for all time, for God is as much our providence as He was of our ancestors.

The doctrine that the Quran was the last and perfect code of revealed laws did not involve the consequence that man had reached the last stage of intellectual progress and could travel no further, for the human mind ever continues to advance along the path of progress, both in this world and in the next. On the contrary, the more perfect a book is the more it ought to help in the advancement of learning. With respect to the contents of a revealed book, then the word of God should be like the work of God, and that as the latter is a treasure-house of unlimited secrets which mankind has not been able wholly to discover from the creation of the universe up to the present day, so the word of God ought to be a treasure-house of inexhaustible learning and wisdom for if they were to be exhausted one would be compelled to admit that God invested the material universe, which has to do with a limited portion of man’s life, with inexhaustible treasures, but so limited the spiritual universe that is to say, His perfect Book, that its treasures were soon exhausted. This, however, is not so.

The Holy Quran contains treasures more numerous than those of the materiel universe, and these are laid open before all those who seek sincerely for them. Most people would derive intellectual pleasure from the contemplation of this new principle which thus windows the horizon of intellect to an unlimited degree, but this needs to be put to a practical test. As a humble servant of Allah, I have put this test to practice and the benefit which I have derived from the application of this principle to the study of the Quran fills me with an intoxicating joy. Now this ecstasy is even palpable on a daily basis ever since Allah has chosen this humble one as His chosen messenger. Sources of information to extol and expound the perfect divine words within the Holy Quran is given to this humble self frequently, just like rain falls and give a new life to the earth. With every reading, Allah reveals or inspires new explanations, new ways to view the revealed verses and apply them in our daily life.