Ji_hādun-Nafs: Striving to be the best version of yourself

﷽  Has low self-esteem become a pandemic among contemporary Muslims? And from Fanon's statement it can be understood that language, culture, customs, values, and laws are not the only means through which a nation or society expresses its identity: People are also identified by their clothing. Fanon also highlighted the fact that the Islamic Hijāb/Niqāb is one of the most distinctive characteristics of the Muslim society. This is not something unknown to those who recite and ponder over the Āyāt of Allāh, for indeed He the Exalted says: يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ قُل لِّأَزْوَاجِكَ وَبَنَاتِكَ وَنِسَاء الْمُؤْمِنِينَ يُدْنِينَ عَلَيْهِنَّ مِن جَلَابِيبِهِنَّ ذَلِكَ أَدْنَى أَن يُعْرَفْنَ فَلَا يُؤْذَيْنَ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا ﴿٥٩﴾ O Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks (veils) over their bodies. That will be better, that they should be known so as not to be annoyed. And Allāh is Ever OftForgiving, Most Merciful. {59} 📘 Sūrah Al-Ahzāb [33] ┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ That which is of particular relevance to our discussion here is Allāh's statement, "That will be better, that they should be known so as not to be annoyed," about which Ibn Kathīr, may Allāh have mercy on him, says: أي : إذا فعلن ذلك عرفن أنهن حرائر ، ليس بإماء ولا عواهر "(This) means, if they do that, it will be known that they are free, and that they are not servants or whores." [1] Thus the Maqsūd (aim) behind the command for believing women to conceal themselves, by wearing the Islamic Hijāb (and Niqāb), is clearly indicated in the Qur'ān and in the classical books of Tafsīr. It is not restricted to the issue of preserving one's chastity, moral integrity, and preventing immorality from becoming widespread within the society. Rather it's also a matter of identity, a display of Īmān and freedom, and a means through which the Muslimah is distinguished from the Kāfirah and the immoral conduct that generally characterises such women. Indeed, the disbelievers understand the Islamic Hijāb to be more than just a piece of cloth and do not regard it as a mere expression of religious freedom. 📋 The Muslimah: A social media influencer? They understand it to be an expression of one's "Islamic identity", a public declaration of a woman’s disbelief in and rejection of the tyrannical laws, customs, and immoral values that keep people in a state of ignominy and servitude to others besides Allāh. Sadly, however, social media has provided a platform for many women who identify themselves as Muslims to betray and dishonour this great symbol of Tawhīd and to desecrate this sanctity of Islām. Under the banner of Da'wah, social influencing, and even in the name of Islamic trading, the presence of women in Hijāb, Khimār, and Niqāb online has reached a level of saturation. That's to say, the Internet is flooded with images and videos of Muslim women parading themselves to the whole world. 📌 Is it necessary for me to linguistically break down the Arabic term Hijāb for us to understand that this phenomenon is the antithesis of how a Muslimah should conduct herself? 📌 Many of these images and videos feature women sexualizing the Islamic Hijāb (the Niqāb in particular), posing in a very seductive manner (even in the most private spaces of the Muslimah: her bedroom while looking in the mirror), and effectively achieving what the colonial powers strove to achieve with military force at a click of a button. Indeed, during the colonial period the disbelievers made stripping the Muslimah of her garment of Taqwā a fundamental principle of his policy and campaign against Islām. It was perceived as a victory over the Muslims whenever a Muslimah unveiled herself and became accessible to the enemies of the religion. To be continued soon, Inshā’Allāh ➠ ┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ 🗃 Footnotes 1). Tafsīr Ibn Kathīr #MuslimMinorities, #Islamophobia, #Character, #Attitudes, #SelfEsteem, #SelfControl, #SelfReform - Previous post ┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ ✍️ Shu'ayb bn. Muhammad - Telegram: @IbnMuhammad_bot / @ShuaybsPen

﷽  Has low self-esteem become a pandemic among contemporary Muslims? Ibn Khaldūn's description of the vanquished as being "always determined to imitate the victor," is definitely exhibited in the two examples linked in the last post of this discussion. Both individuals in the selected examples appear in public, speaking on behalf of Muslims, while donning clothing and hairstyles that are traditionally worn by the disbelievers. That is not to say wearing a suit and tie is Kufr, due to it being some sort of religious attire that's exclusive to the disbelievers. Rather it is a traditional type of garment worn either as a formal type of dress or during celebratory occasions by Westerners and those influenced by their culture. A man's "worth" is often valued according to the quality of his suit, in the Western world, and for this reason the British politician Jeremy Corbyn was often ridiculed: His suits were often considered to be falling short of the "acceptable" standard. And it is clear that for this reason both individuals in our examples decided to don attire and hairstyles that are respected and admired among the disbelievers of the West and those who embrace their traditions. Sadly, these two individuals were not content with adopting such attire and hairstyles, they both took it a step further and adopted the attitudes of the disbelievers and strove hard to imitate their mannerisms. Moreover, while one tried his best to conceal the Islamic perspective and ruling on homosexuality, in order to avoid condemnation from the disbelievers, the other could not help but pour praise on and express admiration for someone who had not too long ago insulted Islām and its people. Indeed it is apparent that both individuals, despite displaying self-confidence, lack self-esteem and thus by imitating the enemy and adopting his ways they seek acceptance from those about whom Allāh says: وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ يَتَمَتَّعُونَ وَيَأۡكُلُونَ كَمَا تَأۡكُلُ ٱلۡأَنۡعَـٰمُ وَٱلنَّارُ مَثۡوً۬ى لَّهُمۡ ﴿١٢﴾ “While those who disbelieve enjoy their life and eat as cattle eat; but the Fire will be their abode {12}.” 📘 Sūrah Qitāl (Muhammad) [47] ┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ Ibn Khaldūn explained why the vanquished behave in this manner, stating: والسّبب في ذلك أنّ النّفس أبدا تعتقد الكمال في من غلبها وانقادت إليه "The reason for this is that the Nafs always sees perfection in the person who is superior to it and becomes subservient to him." [1] Thus whenever the Nafs accepts defeat and surrenders to humiliation it behaves in the manner exemplified in all of the examples I've presented so far in this discussion. [2] One may regard the matter of appearances and mannerisms as a minor issue, however this is not the case, especially if one assumes a position of leadership, claims to represent Islām, and steps up to speak on behalf of its people. 📋 The significance of this matter has been expressed throughout history by many Islamic scholars, such as Ibn Khaldūn, and is also acknowledged by academics from among the disbelievers. For instance, Frantz Fanon, who was a French West Indian psychiatrist, observed that: "It is by their apparel that types of society first become known, whether through written accounts and photographic records or motion pictures ... One may remain for a long time unaware of the fact that a Muslim does not eat pork or that he denies daily sexual relations during the month of Ramadān, but the veil worn by the women appears with such constancy that it generally suffices to characterise Arab (Muslim) society." [3] 📕 And this brings me to the second example I intend to present, and which also relates to role modeling and imitating others. To be continued soon, Inshā’Allāh ➠ ┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ 🗃 Footnotes 1). Muqaddimah Ibn Khaldūn 2). Examples presented 👉 (e.g.1), (e.g.2), (e.g.3) 3). A Dying Colonialism, Algeria Unveiled 1959 #MuslimMinorities, #Islamophobia, #Character, #Attitudes, #SelfEsteem, #SelfControl, #SelfReform - Previous post ┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ ✍️ Shu'ayb bn. Muhammad - Telegram: @IbnMuhammad_bot / @ShuaybsPen

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﷽  Self-Acceptance: The struggle against those internal weaknesses, ailments, shortcomings, and obstacles that hold you back from the Pleasure of Allāh the Exalted is real. However, you can neither run from yourself nor flee from Allāh the Exalted. Indeed ... ... لاَّ مَلْجَأَ مِنَ اللّهِ إِلاَّ إِلَيْهِ  ﴿١١٨﴾ ... There is no place to take refuge from Allāh but with Him. {118} 📘 Sūrah At-Tawbah [9] ┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ #Weaknesses, #Strengths, #Optimism, #Pessimism, #Attitudes, #Obedience, #Sins, #PurificationOfTheNafs, #SelfReform, #SelfControl ┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ ✍️ Shu'ayb bn. Muhammad - Telegram: @IbnMuhammad_bot / @ShuaybsPen - Twitter: https://bit.ly/3d3zuVz

﷽ Ji_hādun-Nafs: Bid'ah or Islamic Obligation? Ji_hādun-Nafs can be understood to be a matter of self-control and self-restraint. It's about gaining control over yourself and thereby being able to direct, alter, and correct one’s emotions, thoughts, and behaviour in the face of impulses, temptations, hardships, and misfortunes. It's about regulating and altering your responses in order to avoid undesirable behaviours, increase desirable ones, and achieve long-term goals: Allāh's Pleasure and His Jannah. 📕 If you're in doubt about the ruling on Ji_hādun-Nafs, or are just interested in the discussion related thereto, follow any of the links below: - Post No.1 - Post No.2 - Post No.3 - Post No.4 - Post No.5 - Post No.6 - Post No.7 - Post No.8 ┈┈┈┈┈ #Weaknesses, #Strengths, #Optimism, #Pessimism, #Attitudes, #Obedience, #Sins, #PurificationOfTheNafs, #SelfReform, #SelfControl ┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ ✍️ Shu'ayb bn. Muhammad - Telegram: @IbnMuhammad_bot / @ShuaybsPen - Twitter: https://bit.ly/3d3zuVz