Train your nafs in shaban 1
- Hubb ad dunya: loving anything that is worldly that gets in the way of where you want to be in the hereafter. Anything that holds you in this worldly perspective from the best version of yourself. It can be money, your ego, friends, attachment.
- Mukhalafat-i nafs: opoosition of the lower self nafs. To oppose the self. Lower self vs higher aspiration of the self. To make the doors of shaytan shrink and eventually no way in. Spiritually conditioned yourself for the sake of Allah swt. Intentionally make yourself uncomfortable for the sake of Allah swt. For example,
- you want to get that extra 20 minutes sleep, or wake up?
- When your lower self said, don’t send that text message and reconciliate, but you send it.
- When you want to stay silent, but Allah swt told you to speak up the truth.
- Tear your soul and let it rest.
- There’s a process even for the Prophet saw, to get to that point of capacity.
- Ramadhan is the arena. Shaban (before ramadhan) is the training camp.
- Everything you do in this month will affect something about Ramadhan. Every single good habit you cultivate in Sha’ban will have an impact in Ramadhan. And every single bad habit that you leave unremedied in Sha’ban will impact you negatively in Ramadhan.
- Daily task in Sha’ban: find a thing today that is Mukhalafat-i nafs.
Hijab? 2
- Accepting it as an obligation is the first step. Practicing it is another step.
- Just because you’re struggling doesnt mean you shouldnt do it at all. That doesnt make you a hypocrite. Instead, you’re a mujahid in Allah’s pov. You are spiritual warrior, i.e. those who fights againts their souls in obedience to Allah swt. This also applies to other obligations, e.g. when you’re struggling to do the 5 daily prayer, it doesnt mean you shouldve not pray at all, but you should try to attempt it.
- Yes it is true that in Islam, we can choose. To obey Allah or not to obey Allah. If one’s leaving an obligation, “I won’t judge, that’s your choice.” But remember: I will be meeting Allah swt and I will need to answer to Him. On the day of judgement, every one of us, will come alone in front of Allah swt, and our book of record is going to be shown. No one comes to rescue us. We’ll get asked about it. “Why you choose not to obey Me?”
- Eventually, hijab (as in dresscode) is a form of obedience to Allah. Therefore, for performing that deed–also applies to any other form of obedience e.g. salah, fasting–the first thing is: we need to know Allah. We need to know His Names. We need to know that everything He says is true. Doesn’t matter what we feel/think, or what are the society norms.
- What to do:
- Connect to Allah swt.
- Ask (dua) by calling His Names. If we are weak, ask to Al Qawiyy (The Strong). Ask for steadfastness to Yaa Muqollibal quluub.
- Seek professional help if needed. If you dont know, ask someone who knows!