Tough Times

Imam Sadiq (as) is reported to have said: "The Messenger of Allah (S) said, `A time will come upon the people wherein political authority will not be attainable without bloodshed and tyranny, nor wealth without usurpation and stinginess, nor affection without discarding religion and pursuing lust and desire. Whoever lives in such times and bears patiently with poverty despite possessing the capacity to become rich (illegitimately), and bears up with hostility despite being capable of acquiring favour and affection, and bears with humiliation despite possessing the capacity to acquire honour, God will give him the reward of fifty truthful ones, of those who confirmed me.' "

Often times it is said that tough times call for tough measures. In a time when holding on to faith is like holding on to a piece of hot coal, a time when vice has become virtue and virtue vice, a time when one of the greatest struggles is to eat/live on that which is halaal, tough measures will certainly be the only way to go for anyone who jealously wishes to safeguard his faith.

It must be remembered also that one cannot overnight adapt tough measures, especially against their very own self. It is easy to impose standards and limitations on another (to an extent) but how easy is it to leash a soul/self that had been left to its desires so long, it can no longer restrain itself. Imam Ali (as) says in sermon 16 of Nahjul Balagha:

"Beware that sins are like unruly horses whose reins have been taken away and which plunge with their riders into hell-fire. But taqwa (piety) is like a trained steed whose reins are in the hands of its rider and enters with its rider into Paradise."

Allowing yourself to sink into sin and make it a part of yourself will only make it that much harder for you to first turn away from a life of sin, and then to be able to restrain yourself, and finally to achieve immunity from sin. While achieving restraint is in itself a formidable task, it is not yet the achievement of Taqwa (piety). Taqwa is immunity, not restraint. 

In the words of Imam Ali (as), he describes Taqwa thus: 

"Let it be known to you, O servants of God, that taqwa is a formidable fortress, whereas impiety and corruption is a weak and indefensible enclosure that does not safeguard its people, and does not offer any protection to those who take refuge in it. Indeed, it is only with taqwa that the tentacles of sins and misdeeds can be severed." (Sermon 157)

He (as) shows us that one who has achieved taqwa has achieved safety from the power of the enemy to infiltrate and enter his soul, mind, body, heart. The pious one becomes averse to sin and waywardness and is only attracted to and interested by that which is virtuous, right, and pure. The result of taqwa is thus one which is of benefit in both worlds: In this world, it is a shield and a safeguard, and in the hereafter, it is the path to paradise. (Nahjul Balagha, sermon 101)

The impact of taqwa on the body and soul is profound. It is a mutually beneficial relationship, such that one who develops his/her taqwa achieves salvation from sin, awakening of the heart, and in safeguarding from sin and awakening the soul, taqwa is developed. Imam Ali (as) says in this regard: 

"Turn your sleep into wakefulness by the means of taqwa and spend your days in its company. Keep its consciousness alive in your hearts. With it, wash away your sins and cure your ailments ... Beware, guard your taqwa and place yourself under its guard." [Nahjul Balagha, sermon 191]

He further says in the same sermon:

"O God's servants, I advise you to cultivate the taqwa of God. Indeed, it is a right that God has over you and it is through it that you can have any right over God. You should beseech God's help for guarding it and seek its aid for (fulfilling your duty to) God."

As Shahr Ramadhan approaches, the time is now ripe for us to take tough measures with our souls. It is a time of spring for the souls, and a time when it is easier to stay away from doing wrong and falling into sin, a time when the open enemy is subdued, and you have an opportunity to battle the enemy within and subdue it forever. In such a spiritual season, abstinence and restraint from sin can be developed and nurtured to the next level: that of immunity from sin; of achieving piety.

May Allah inspire us to piety, and grant us success in His way.

Wa billahi tawfeeq.