Qaseedah Burdah: Chapter 2, Part 3

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

اللهم صل وسلم على نبينا محمد وعلى آله وصحبه أجمعين

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وَخَالِفِ النَّفْسَ وَالشَّيْطَانَ وَاعْصِهِمَا
وَإِنْ هُمَا مَحَّضَاكَ النُّصْحَ فَاتَّهِمِ

And oppose the nafs and Shaytaan and disobey them both
And if they offer you sincere advice then be suspicious of them

وَلاَ تُطِعْ مِنْهُمَا خَصْمًا وَلاَ حَكَمًا
فَأَنْتَ تَعْرِفُ كَيْدَ الخَصْمِ وَالحَكَمِ

And do not obey them (the nafs and Shaytaan) whether they come as an opponent or a judge
Because you know well the plotting/deception of an opponent and a judge

اَسْتَغْفِرُ اللّهَ مِنْ قَوْلٍ بِلاَ عَمَلٍ
لَقَدْ نَسَبْتُ بِهِ نَسْلاً لِذِي عُقُمِ

I seek forgiveness from Allah from such a statement without practice
(This preaching without practice would be as if) I had attributed offspring to a barren woman

أَمَرْتُكَ الخَيْرَ لَكِنْ مَا ائْتَمَرْتُ بِهِ
وَمَا اسْتَقَمْتُ فَمَا قَوْليِ لَكَ اسْتَقِمِ

I commanded you to do good but I myself did not undertake to do it
I was not steadfast so what is the benefit of my statement to you to be steadfast

وَلاَ تَزَوَّدْتُ قَبْلَ المَوْتِ نَافِلَةً
وَلَمْ أُصَلِّ سِوَى فَرْضٍ وَلَمْ أَصُمِ

I did not prepare provisions of extra acts of worship before death
And I did not perform Nafl Salaah or fast except that which is Fardh

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Allamah Busairi cautions us of the interventions of the nafs and Shaytaan when making decisions. Both present a sincere front but hide sinister motives to deceive a person.

The speaker says that he did not prepare extra for the long, torturous, arduous journey to the Hereafter. He is desperate to reform himself, thus he is advised by a Shaykh (spiritual guide) to make Istighfaar.
A person should identify a compatible spiritual guide and seek his company. Imam Ghazali RA says that the company of a greedy person and associating with him will create greed. Similarly the company of a Zaahid will create zuhd (abstention).
Mulla Ali Qari mentions that if you believe in the concept of a bad eye, there can be the opposite too – عين العارفين – The gaze of those who have recognised Allah Ta’aala. Sit in the company of the pious. The gaze of a pious person can make a فاسق –> a صالح.
The Akaabireen all referred to spiritual guides. Imam Abu Hanifa RA himself who was an ocean of knowledge, met Sahaba.
26 000 non-Muslims became Muslims on seeing the Janazah of Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal RA. He too sat in the company of the pious.

To reform the nafs and attain Taqwa, hold fast to dhikr. Shaytaan encourages a person to get involved in fuitle discussions. The nafs desires haraam food, seeking false praises, etc. The nafs never leaves, but Shaytaan can be repelled by dhikr. The nafs is beloved to a person, so it’s faults cannot be seen. Shaytaan is an open enemy. A spiritual mentor is needed to detect subtleties and diseases of the heart.

No matter how old or pious a person may be, he should always be wary of the nafs. The nafs is always inclined to evil. Think: people far greater than me have slipped.

There are generally 2 ways of dealing with an enemy: by making it a friend or by fighting and overpowering it. You can’t do either with Shaytaan. The only way is to seek protection from Allah Ta’aala.

There are 3 things that urge a person to do something:
1. The heart
2. The nafs
3. Shaytaan
The heart desires something. The nafs (opponent) stops it. The case is then taken to Shaytaan (judge).
Shaytaan encourages evil, but the heart (opponent) stops it.
The nafs (judge) decides in Shaytaan’s favour.
At times the judge colludes with the plaintiff.

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Giving advice without practising is like taking credit. The advice will also not have an effect if a person does not practise on it himself.
When a person gives advice/commands righteousness, the hidden claim is that he himself practises on it. Advising without practicing is as evil as a barren woman laying claim to a child.

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Be a seeker of steadfastness, not a seeker of miracles.
الاستقامة فوق الف كرامة

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