Fostering willpower: A spiritual tonic
In his speech at the 1925 Jalsa Salana in Qadian, the English translation of which has been published as Way of the Seekers, Hazrat Musleh Maud (ra) spoke on a number of subjects relating to morality. One fascinating aspect that Huzoor (ra) elaborated upon was of the ego, willpower, and their relationship with avoiding sin.
Although the term ego generally has a negative connotation in spiritual discourse, Hazrat Musleh Maud (ra) clarified an important balance. He said:
"...It is agreed that the ego is like a horse. True, the horse has to be exercised. Within reasonable limits it has to be kept lean but not too lean; fit enough to ride yet not so unruly as to throw the rider. But have you ever seen someone who should have become a good horseman merely by starving the horse? ...If a person does not know riding, he cannot learn it by starving the horse. Similarly it is a mistake to believe that by starving the ego, you can tame it or can make it obey your commands. You control the ego not by starving it, but by learning the art of controlling it.
Thirdly, it is no use denying that sin is the result not only of the domination of the ego but also of the death of the ego. For instance, shamelessness is caused by the death of the ego. In such cases the ego needs to be revived to enable it to function as required. Thus the ego is like a horse. To make it function properly, sometimes it should be allowed to become lean and sometimes it needs to be fattened. It should neither be completely demolished nor should it be permitted to become too headstrong to obey"
Huzoor (ra) then elaborated on ways to strengthen the ego when necessary in order to avoid sin, along with willpower, as well as the relationship between the two. Out of the numerous suggestions Huzoor (ra) gave, one particularly inspiring one is presented here.
Huzoor (ra) said:
"But willpower is not always adequate and strong. A person resolves to perform an action but then falters. Willpower has, therefore, to be strengthened. For this purpose I suggest a "tonic" which is composed of as many as fourteen ingredients, which are called from the Holy Quran and the traditions of the Holy Prophet (on him be peace):
1) Repetition of and reflection upon the verse of the HolyQuran:
I have created men, high and low, that they may worship Me. (51:57)
God says I have created man for the sole purpose that he should worship Me and thus be My true servant. Man should, therefore, think along the following lines: God has created me for nearness to Him. His purpose cannot be frustrated. I shall become His true servant; it is not possible that I should fail in this purpose. He should not imagine that he cannot accomplish anything. He should conceive as if God has taken hold of him and urges him to action. The mystics call this Muraqbah, deep reflection. But it does not mean mere passive thinking. It means repeated reflection and conviction that God having created him for becoming His servant, he could not possibly become anything else.
2) Reflection on the purport of the verse of the Holy Quran:
Surely, We have created man in the best mold. (95:5)
He should reflect: God has invested me with the best faculties. Whatever good can be achieved by any other person can be achieved by me also. The attainment of the highest status is possible for me also. Then how can I fall? He should concentrate on this and revolve it in his mind frequently.
3) He should reflect on the verse:
Assuredly We have created man andWe know well what kind of doubt his mind throws up. We are nearer to him than his jugular vein. (50:17)
His line of thinking should be: God has created me, and He knows the subtlest doubts that rise in a person’s mind and distract it. But God is closer to man than his mind, and can instantly resolve the doubts that rise in his mind. God has comforted man in this verse by reassuring him that he has nothing to fear from doubts, as the means of resolving doubts is closer than that which prompts doubts.
4) He should reflect on the verse:
True honour belongs to Allah and to His Messenger and the believers; but the hypocrites know it not (63:9)
He should reflect: I am a believer and a believer cannot possibly be vanquished. How is it possible, then, that my will should not prevail? He should repeat it over and over until the will overpowers the ego.
5) He should reflect over the verse:
Surely, thou shalt have no power over My true servants, barring such of the erring ones as choose to follow thee. (15:43)
God says that Satan has no control over God’s servants. I am His servant. How is it possible that evil should hold sway over me?
6) He should reflect on the verse:
Hearken, the friends of Allah shall certainly have no fear, nor shall they grieve. (10:63)
I fear no one except God. I am a believer; and a believer has no fear except the fear of God.
7) He should reflect over the verse:
We are your friends in this life and in the Hereafter. (41:32)
He should reflect: Angels descend upon believers and assure them: We are your helpers; then why should you worry?
8) He should reflect on the verse:
Despair not of the mercy of Allah; for none despairs of Allah’s mercy save the unbelieving people. (12:88).
He should think thus: Difficulties cannot make me despair. Despair is death which I am not prepared to accept. If the will does not obey, I will not rest until it does.
9) He should reflect on the verse:
O soul at rest, return to thy Lord, thou well pleased with him and He well pleased with thee. So enter among My chosen servants, and enter My Garden. (89:28-31)
I am at peace and boundless possibilities are open to me. Why should I lose heart when God is with me and directs me to enter His everlasting paradise
10) He should reflect on the divine promise that a believer shall be held in honour in the world and that he shall not suffer disgrace. This also fosters will-power.
11) He should reflect on the verse:
He has subjected to you whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth; all of it. In that surely are Signs for a people who reflect. (45:14)
He should reflect that all failures result from greed and avarice. But he has no cause to be greedy for God has already provided everything for him.
12) He should reflect on the verse:
Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. Those who are with him are unyielding towards the disbelievers, compassionate towards one another. (48:30)
He should reflect: Evil thoughts, designs and stimuli cannot enter my heart. I belong to the people concerning whom God has said that they are not influenced by the disbelievers; they can be influenced only by those who believe.
13) He should remind himself repeatedly of the verse:
O ye who believe, be mindful of your duty to Allah, and keep company with the righteous. (9:119);
and should reflect on the saying of the Holy Prophet, peace be on him:
'He who keeps company with the righteous does not encounter ill fortune.'
He should reason: Good designs that take shape in my mind influence others. God admonishes us to keep company with the righteous. If I cannot influence anyone for good I cannot be a believer.
14) Finally he should reflect on the following verse which relates to the Holy Prophet (on him be peace):
We granted not everlasting life to any human being before thee; then if thou shouldst die, will they live on for ever. (21:35)
This life being transitory, not a moment of it should be wasted.
These fourteen items would help strengthen willpower so that it can control feelings and emotions, but it is necessary to ponder over them fully and deeply."
Way of the Seekers: https://www.alislam.org/library/books/Way-of-Seekers.pdf
Although the term ego generally has a negative connotation in spiritual discourse, Hazrat Musleh Maud (ra) clarified an important balance. He said:
"...It is agreed that the ego is like a horse. True, the horse has to be exercised. Within reasonable limits it has to be kept lean but not too lean; fit enough to ride yet not so unruly as to throw the rider. But have you ever seen someone who should have become a good horseman merely by starving the horse? ...If a person does not know riding, he cannot learn it by starving the horse. Similarly it is a mistake to believe that by starving the ego, you can tame it or can make it obey your commands. You control the ego not by starving it, but by learning the art of controlling it.
Thirdly, it is no use denying that sin is the result not only of the domination of the ego but also of the death of the ego. For instance, shamelessness is caused by the death of the ego. In such cases the ego needs to be revived to enable it to function as required. Thus the ego is like a horse. To make it function properly, sometimes it should be allowed to become lean and sometimes it needs to be fattened. It should neither be completely demolished nor should it be permitted to become too headstrong to obey"
Huzoor (ra) then elaborated on ways to strengthen the ego when necessary in order to avoid sin, along with willpower, as well as the relationship between the two. Out of the numerous suggestions Huzoor (ra) gave, one particularly inspiring one is presented here.
Huzoor (ra) said:
"But willpower is not always adequate and strong. A person resolves to perform an action but then falters. Willpower has, therefore, to be strengthened. For this purpose I suggest a "tonic" which is composed of as many as fourteen ingredients, which are called from the Holy Quran and the traditions of the Holy Prophet (on him be peace):
1) Repetition of and reflection upon the verse of the HolyQuran:
I have created men, high and low, that they may worship Me. (51:57)
God says I have created man for the sole purpose that he should worship Me and thus be My true servant. Man should, therefore, think along the following lines: God has created me for nearness to Him. His purpose cannot be frustrated. I shall become His true servant; it is not possible that I should fail in this purpose. He should not imagine that he cannot accomplish anything. He should conceive as if God has taken hold of him and urges him to action. The mystics call this Muraqbah, deep reflection. But it does not mean mere passive thinking. It means repeated reflection and conviction that God having created him for becoming His servant, he could not possibly become anything else.
2) Reflection on the purport of the verse of the Holy Quran:
Surely, We have created man in the best mold. (95:5)
He should reflect: God has invested me with the best faculties. Whatever good can be achieved by any other person can be achieved by me also. The attainment of the highest status is possible for me also. Then how can I fall? He should concentrate on this and revolve it in his mind frequently.
3) He should reflect on the verse:
Assuredly We have created man andWe know well what kind of doubt his mind throws up. We are nearer to him than his jugular vein. (50:17)
His line of thinking should be: God has created me, and He knows the subtlest doubts that rise in a person’s mind and distract it. But God is closer to man than his mind, and can instantly resolve the doubts that rise in his mind. God has comforted man in this verse by reassuring him that he has nothing to fear from doubts, as the means of resolving doubts is closer than that which prompts doubts.
4) He should reflect on the verse:
True honour belongs to Allah and to His Messenger and the believers; but the hypocrites know it not (63:9)
He should reflect: I am a believer and a believer cannot possibly be vanquished. How is it possible, then, that my will should not prevail? He should repeat it over and over until the will overpowers the ego.
5) He should reflect over the verse:
Surely, thou shalt have no power over My true servants, barring such of the erring ones as choose to follow thee. (15:43)
God says that Satan has no control over God’s servants. I am His servant. How is it possible that evil should hold sway over me?
6) He should reflect on the verse:
Hearken, the friends of Allah shall certainly have no fear, nor shall they grieve. (10:63)
I fear no one except God. I am a believer; and a believer has no fear except the fear of God.
7) He should reflect over the verse:
We are your friends in this life and in the Hereafter. (41:32)
He should reflect: Angels descend upon believers and assure them: We are your helpers; then why should you worry?
8) He should reflect on the verse:
Despair not of the mercy of Allah; for none despairs of Allah’s mercy save the unbelieving people. (12:88).
He should think thus: Difficulties cannot make me despair. Despair is death which I am not prepared to accept. If the will does not obey, I will not rest until it does.
9) He should reflect on the verse:
O soul at rest, return to thy Lord, thou well pleased with him and He well pleased with thee. So enter among My chosen servants, and enter My Garden. (89:28-31)
I am at peace and boundless possibilities are open to me. Why should I lose heart when God is with me and directs me to enter His everlasting paradise
10) He should reflect on the divine promise that a believer shall be held in honour in the world and that he shall not suffer disgrace. This also fosters will-power.
11) He should reflect on the verse:
He has subjected to you whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth; all of it. In that surely are Signs for a people who reflect. (45:14)
He should reflect that all failures result from greed and avarice. But he has no cause to be greedy for God has already provided everything for him.
12) He should reflect on the verse:
Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. Those who are with him are unyielding towards the disbelievers, compassionate towards one another. (48:30)
He should reflect: Evil thoughts, designs and stimuli cannot enter my heart. I belong to the people concerning whom God has said that they are not influenced by the disbelievers; they can be influenced only by those who believe.
13) He should remind himself repeatedly of the verse:
O ye who believe, be mindful of your duty to Allah, and keep company with the righteous. (9:119);
and should reflect on the saying of the Holy Prophet, peace be on him:
'He who keeps company with the righteous does not encounter ill fortune.'
He should reason: Good designs that take shape in my mind influence others. God admonishes us to keep company with the righteous. If I cannot influence anyone for good I cannot be a believer.
14) Finally he should reflect on the following verse which relates to the Holy Prophet (on him be peace):
We granted not everlasting life to any human being before thee; then if thou shouldst die, will they live on for ever. (21:35)
This life being transitory, not a moment of it should be wasted.
These fourteen items would help strengthen willpower so that it can control feelings and emotions, but it is necessary to ponder over them fully and deeply."
Way of the Seekers: https://www.alislam.org/library/books/Way-of-Seekers.pdf
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