THE BATTLE WITHIN

INTRODUCTION

The content of this article is focused on answering this question: Why conquering [YOURSELF] is the KEY to SUCCESS? It is after an accurate answer has been given to this question that we can understand the main message embodied in this article. This article also delves into critical distinction between [external battle] and [internal battle] which I name the latter as [Battle Within]. This article principally discuses the topic from the perspective of Islãm and a bit of Western world. The Battle Within must be conquered before winning outside battles. 

CONCEPT OF BATTLE

From a simple definition given by Merriam Webster: It is said to be a hostile encounter between opposing military forces. But for the purpose of this article, we are going to elaborate the message of this article on the basis of another definition given by the aforementioned dictionary which is said to mean: a struggle to succeed and survive. 

When both definitions are to be juxtaposed, we should know that one takes precedence over the other.This is 

Within this concept of battle, I will be  pleased to categorize it into three aspects, namely;

1. Physical Battle

2. Moral Battle

3. Spiritual Battle

Physical Battle

This is explanatory as we know it involves a physical contact between two or more opposing forces of which its cause may be on economic, social or religious based. In most cases, after series of defence and attack,  this battle will result in loss of lives, both the innocents and the terrorists. As this is not the focus of this article, we are advised to read the book titled: [The Art Of War] written by Sun Tzu, a Chinese Scholar and warrior. 

Moral Battle

This is a battle millions of people had been battling ever since they became an adult. They will continue to battle this kind of battle till they get married. This continues to escalate to level of raising children and building a large family. This eventually rises to social problems which tend to torment the society as a threat.

This "moral battle" ranges from negative behaviour which directly or indirectly affects us by drawing us back in the realms of life. Example of this could be: lying , adultery and fornication, theft, dishonesty, smoking, alcohol addiction, malice, arrogance, selfishness, and laziness etc.

Spiritual Battle

This is another battle millions are facing and trying to win. It is one of the most difficult battles we need to fight and win. In most cases, with experience and research, it is shown that others battles can be won if we look into how to fight and win this "spiritual battle."  

Firstly, from the perspective of Islãm, Allah and His beloved Messenger have enjoined the act of fighting and wining spiritual battle in the Holy Qur'ãn and Hadith, respectively. This could be achieved by way of being consistent in our [five daily prayers]. This one only has been repeated in many chapters of the Holy Qur'ãn. But I'm this Chapter and Verse, it is in a clear cut term. See Qur'ãn 11: Hūd Verse 114. 

Allah says: And establish the Prayer at the two ends of the day and in the first hours of the night. Indeed the good deeds drive away the evil deeds. This is a Reminder to those who are mindful of Allah. 

According to the interpretation of the word [the Prayer] by the Sunni Scholars, it is said to mean the five daily prayers The below are the Arabic version of where the command establishing the five daily prayers have been mentioned, for the benefit of all students of knowledge. See An Nūr Verse 58; AL Baqoroh Verse 3; AL Baqoroh Verse 43; AL Baqoroh Verse 45; Al Baqoroh Verse 83; Al Baqoroh Verse 110; Al Baqoroh Verse 103; Al Baqoroh Verse 107; Al Baqoroh Verse 177; Al Baqoroh Verse 238; Al Baqoroh Verse 277; An Nisah Verse 43; An Nisah Verse 77; An Nisah Verse 102 and 103; An Nisah Verse 142; An Nisah Verse 162; Al Mã'idah Verse 6; Al Mã'idah Verse 12; Al Mã'idah Verse 55; Al Mã'idah Verse 58; Al Mã'idah Verse 91; Al Mã'idah Verse 106 and Al An'ãm Verse 72.

Secondly, fighting and winning this spiritual battle as a battle within us also extends to waking up in the midnight to establish some rak'ãt of Solah which is one one of the supererogatory prayers popularly known as Tahajjud or Kiyãmulayl. This is another great weapon every Muslim and Muslimah is expected to have, not only to get closer to Allah but Striving and striving the spiritual battle within us. 

In the light of this, Qur'ãn verses and the Hadith of the Prophet Muhammad [S.A.W] have also enjoined the good habit of establishing Kiyãmulayl. See the below Qur'ãn verses and the Hadith.

The word(s) "tahajjud" appears 4 time(s) in 4 verse(s) in the Qur'ãn.

(1) "And in some parts of the night, also, offer the Salat (prayer) with it (i.e. recite the Qur'an in the prayer), as an additional prayer [Tahajjud;  optional prayer] for you. O Muhammad [S.A.W], It may be that your Lord will raise you to Maqam Ma"hmud (a station of praise and glory, i.e. the honour of intercession on the Day of Resurrection]." [Al-Israa, Chapter 17 Verse 79]

(2) Who sees you "O Muhammad  [S.A.W] , when you stand up (alone at night for tahajjud prayers". [Ash-Shu'araa, Chapter 26, Verse 218].

(3) Verily, the rising by night (for tahajjud prayer) is very hard and most potent and good for governing oneself, and most suitable for (understanding) the Word (of Allah). [ Al-Muzzammil, Chapter 73, Verse 6].

(4) And during night, prostrate yourself to Him (i.e. the offering of Maghrib and 'Isha' prayers), and glorify Him a long night through (i.e. tahajjud prayer). [Al-Insaan, Chapter 76, Verse 26].

The Practice of the Rosuul [S.A.W] in Using Spiritual Power of Tahajjud in Winning Spiritual Battle.

The Prophet ﷺ, whose very character was the Qur’an, would pray at night for long hours. Ḥudhayfah (ra), tells us his personal experience with the intensity of the beloved Prophet’s prayer, “I prayed with the Prophet ﷺ one night and he began with al-Baqarah, and I said to myself, ‘He will do rukūʿ after one hundred verses, but he continued,’ Then I said to myself, ‘He will pray this rakʿah with it (the sūrah).’ But then he began al-Nisāʾ and read it, and then he began Āl ʿImrān and read it, too. He read slowly, and if he came upon a verse of praise, he praised, and if he came upon a (verse calling on us to) request, he would request (from Allah), and if he came upon a point of seeking refuge, he sought refuge, then he bowed in rukūʿ and began to say ‘subḥān Allāh al-ʿaẓīm’; and his rukūʿ was as his standing. Then he said ‘samiʿa Allāhu li-man ḥamidah rabbanā laka al-ḥamd’ and then stood as his rukūʿ, he then went into sujūd and said ‘subḥāna rabbī al-aʿlā’ and his sujūd was as his standing.”

 When we read this account of the Prophet’s ﷺ prayer, we have a better understanding of ʿĀʾishah’s (ra) words, “The Prophet ﷺ would stand at night until his feet swelled.”

 The prayer described by Hudhaifa opens a window into a tahajjud prayer that few of us could even hope to aspire to. On that night, he ﷺ recited a little over six sections, or 105 pages, in his ﷺ first rakʿah of prayer. On the night before Badr, when the nascent Muslim community was facing possible annihilation, the Prophet ﷺ spent the entire night in prayer. ʿAlī (r) said, “Every single one of us slept except for the Messenger of Allah who, under a tree, was praying and weeping until morning…”

 He sought strength and help in his tahajjud and Allah (swt) sent thousands of angels to the battlefield to help them.

It was reported from Abddulloh, the son of Abass [may Allah be pleased with the son and his fatger] , he said: "When the Prophet (ﷺ) got up at night to offer the Tahajjud prayer, he used to say: Allahumma lakal-hamd. Anta qaiyyimus-samawati wal-ard wa man fihinna. Walakal-hamd, Laka mulkus-samawati wal-ard wa man fihinna. Walakal-hamd, anta nurus-samawati wal-ard. Wa lakal-hamd, anta-l-haq wa wa'duka-lhaq, wa liqa'uka Haq, wa qauluka Haq, wal-jannatu Han wan-naru Haq wannabiyuna Haq. Wa Muhammadun, sallal-lahu'alaihi wasallam, Haq, was-sa'atu Haq. Allahumma aslamtu Laka wabika amantu, wa 'Alaika tawakkaltu, wa ilaika anabtu wa bika khasamtu, wa ilaika hakamtu faghfir li ma qaddamtu wama akh-khartu wama as-rartu wama'a lantu, anta-l-muqaddim wa anta-l-mu akh-khir, la ilaha illa anta (or la ilaha ghairuka). (O Allah! All the praises are for you, You are the Holder of the Heavens and the Earth, And whatever is in them. All the praises are for You; You have the possession of the Heavens and the Earth And whatever is in them. All the praises are for You; You are the Light of the Heavens and the Earth And all the praises are for You; You are the King of the Heavens and the Earth; And all the praises are for You; You are the Truth and Your Promise is the truth, And to meet You is true, Your Word is the truth And Paradise is true And Hell is true And all the Prophets (Peace be upon them) are true; And Muhammad is true, And the Day of Resurrection is true. O Allah ! I surrender (my will) to You; I believe in You and depend on You. And repent to You, And with Your help I argue (with my opponents, the non-believers) And I take You as a judge (to judge between us). Please forgive me my previous And future sins; And whatever I concealed or revealed And You are the One who make (some people) forward And (some) backward. There is none to be worshipped but you . Sufyan said that `Abdul Karim Abu Umaiya added to the above, 'Wala haula Wala quwata illa billah' (There is neither might nor power except with Allah)." See Sahih al-Bukhari 1120

On the Authority of Ãisha [R.A], she said: "Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) used to offer eleven rak`at and that was his prayer. He used to prolong the prostration to such an extent that one could recite fifty verses (of the Qur'an) before he would lift his head. He used to pray two rak`at (Sunna) before the Fajr prayer and then used to lie down on his right side till the call-maker came and informed him about the prayer." See Sahih al- Bukhari 1123.

It is reported from Mughiroh bn Shuhbah [may Allah be pleased with him], he said: "The Prophet (ﷺ) used to stand (in the prayer) or pray till both his feet or legs swelled. He was asked why (he offered such an unbearable prayer) and he said, "should I not be a thankful slave." See Sahih al- Bukhari 1130

Thirdly, part of what increases our spiritual power in fighting and winning this spiritual battle is [Voluntary fasting]. In Islam fasting is primarily an institution for a spiritual discipline and selfcontrol. It is in fact an exercise in religious devotion in the form of cheerful and willing renunciation, for a definite period, of all the appetites of flesh lawful in themselves (the unlawful ones being ruled out of course). During fasting Muslims try to maintain integrity of the human body both physically and spiritually. It not only keeps us healthy physically but also more spiritually.

The Prophet [S.A.W] said: “Whoever fasts one day in the way of Allah, then Allah will keep his face away from the fire of hell for seventy years.” (Narrated by Bukhari and Muslim). 

 The below are the wtty sayings of some scholars in the Western world.

“Fasting helps cultivate that spiritual hunger by forcing the hunger issue on us and making us ask if we really do hunger for God.”

"I believe that fasting is the "missing link" in the Western diet." "From a medical point of view, I believe that fasing is not utilized often enough." 

 “We fast to seek and submit to God's will.” “Our spiritual need for God is far more fundamental than our physical need for food and water.”   

We have seen the Hadith of the Prophet [S.A W] showcasing the greatness in fasting.

THE BATTLE WITHIN

The battle within being the biggest battle a man needs to fight and won whether or not he likes it, it will happen and be fought. On this, many Western scholars and acvhievers have made commentaries on this.

It is said:

"The biggest battle in my life which I actually fought is fight within.". 

                                           ~ Novak Djokovic

If you manage to summon the strength to start [GRINDING] despite their attempts to hold you back, the battle is far from over. As you progress and strive for consistency, these adversaries grow bolder. They linger in the background, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. They whisper temptations and excuses, urging you to give in to your old, comfortable ways. They want you to break your routine, skip a day at the gym, or procrastinate on your important tasks.

Nevertheless, the most formidable test of your determination comes when you encounter an obstacle or face a setback. Whether it's a missed goal, a rejection, or an unexpected failure, poor habits and self-doubt seize the opportunity to reassert their dominance. They try to creep back into your thoughts, their voices louder and more insistent than ever, convincing you that you're doomed to fail.

Remember this: every obstacle you overcome, every setback you endure, is a stepping stone on the path to success. It's during these challenging moments that your true strength and resilience shine through. Instead of succumbing to doubt and old habits, you can harness the power of adversity to propel yourself forward. Use setbacks as opportunities for growth, learning, and improvement. View them not as failures but as essential experiences on your journey.

In the end, the battle against poor habits, self-doubt and negative thought is a never-ending one. They may never disappear entirely, but you have the power to minimize their influence. Your journey to success is not a linear path; it's a continuous cycle of growth, setbacks, and triumphs. It's about building the habit of resilience, maintaining your commitment to consistency, and never letting self-doubt hold you back. Mostly importantly,  winning both battles: Moral and Physical, are predicated on winning [Spiritual battle]. Fight it and win it, dear brethren.

Note: it's by "winning" the [Battle Within] we overcome the [Battle Outside]. 

Adejumo Fawaz [Abu Faozaan]