The Share of Oneself- Inspect Yourself O Practicing Muslim!

By Dr Eyad Qunaibi

 

There is something noticeable in alot of us who are assumed to be practicing Muslims; when we abandon what we were used to from the forbidden things like songs, non-conservative relationships between guys and girls etc., then do the external acts of practicing e.g. beard, Hijab etc. without first passing through the stations of true purification, then the “share of our souls” will remain with us!

This share of our souls which used to drive you in the past to the apparent known sins will now search for a new outlet in your personality to make your practicing deficient. Sometimes even making it empty practicing of Islam. The share of your soul will manifest itself in a different way.

In the past you would satisfy the share of your soul by listening to music and looking at forbidden things. Today, after “practicing”, you satisfy the share of your soul by showing off and seeking fame through the Religion which you are externally practicing or by means of carelessly backbiting people or belittling them on the basis that you are the caretaker and defender of the Islam, or carelessness in people’s rights on the basis that you are more worthy of what you took from their money since you are serving Islam whereas they waste their money on things with no benefit.

She used to satisfy the share of her soul by openly displaying herself. Today after she covered her head she satisfies the share of her soul by tightening clothes, adorning herself and being less conservative in her relationship with the men around her.

The problem is that when all this happens we drug our conscious whenever it tries to wake up and we say to it
“I am okay, and the evidence for that is that I left listening to music and watching wrong things for the sake of Allah. I grew my beard and endured the negative perception of society towards me and I sacrificed for the sake of Allah.” That is correct, he did that for the sake of Allah but he didn’t get rid of the share of his soul, so it looked for a different outlet to make up for what he sacrificed !

Ponder the condition of the Khawarij; the ones who the Prophet (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said ” You will look down upon your prayers, fasting and actions, in comparison to theirs.” Their worship in what is apparent is more than the companions but their downfall was that they didn’t get rid of the share of evil in their souls.
Ibn Kathir said:
(The first innovation that occurred in Islam was the trial of the khawarij and their beginning was because of something worldly. It was when the Messenger of Allah (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was distributing the war booty of Hunain. Their corrupt brains made them deluded into thinking that he (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) wasn’t being just in his distribution. They shocked him with their saying where one of the khawarij called Thu Alkhuaisira said “Be just, verily you have not done justice”).

This is their calamity! They didn’t purify their souls from its share even though they had many acts of worship. Their souls manifested the evil in it by feeling superior to the people and making people blood and money lawful. Otherwise, Allah is more merciful than misguiding a people who sought for the truth and were sincerely devoted to it.

My brother, my sister. Search yourself! Has it become devoid of its share? Know that uprightness is not real until you have gotten rid of this share and you are certain of the mercy of Allah that He will replace it with sweetness and faith like the one written in the hearts of the companions of Mohamed (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)

(Those – He has decreed within their hearts faith and supported them with spirit from Him) (Surat Al-Mujadilah, Verse 22 in translation)