'The Barriers from Al-Mohaimen are four' (qasida 5:16)

This is the motto of this section, which is for talking about the barriers that cuts off the Moslems' relations with Allah [Al-Mohaimen which is a name of Allah that means the Dominant who controls everything]. We need to know these barriers in order for us to be able to avoid or rectify them in our path to Allah.

This section started with a question from one of our viewers, which he sent to the Discussion page. We then found out that it is a big issue that needs more extensive discussion. We found a book made out of a research conducted by a group of brothers which took them 2 years to complete. This book discusses this subject extensively from the point of view of sayyidi Fakhraddin because it was made with the help of some of his older companions. The book's title is "al-Morshid al-Wagis" which means [the summarized guide].

You can find all special expressions in the Glossary. We need your comments to develop this site for you.

The Self

In language they say that the self is the soul. Many people agreed with this meaning, but we support the other opinion that says: the self is what is known from the characteristics of the servant of Allah. So it is that gentle thin thing of the servant which did not have eyes until it was connected with the soul, or when the soul entered the body. So the self appeared between the divine blow of the soul and the body. That is why the self is affected by the mood. Also the selves are ranked according to the receiving bodies not the divine blowing of the souls. The soul has two faces: one to the nature and the other to the divine soul, so it is from the isthmus world. So is the ill part of the servant's characteristics, it is from the isthmus world and it is dispraised by the people of Allah and most scholars. And from the other side that is adjunct to Allah from His doing, it is praised. Therefore, every description of the servant's self, that does not have the Truth, Almighty, witnessed in it is ill. That is why it is called "self", i.e. he did not see nothing but himself. As the self if overwhelmed with the humanity, it will be dragged to it and it will talk us down to the ground of desires, while we want to ascend to the sky of the duties and the rights. It wants to return to its origin of the world of mud and clay, and we want it to return to its soul origin in the highest of the worlds. It wants to reside in the world of ghosts, and we want to promote it to the world of souls. So look attentively to how great is our Jihad [strive] with it, exactly like what the Prophet [PPBUH] described it (We came back from the little Jihad, to the greater one), that last one is the Jihad of the self.

Therefore, we are always in Jihad against the self, it wants to get down and we want promotion. One of the saints [AAT] used to answer anyone complaining of the self saying: "As for me, I hope Allah rewards my 'Self' good for me. I do not have favors from anyone except the favor of Allah and my 'Self'. I swear to Allah, I will not forget its favor".

So the self and Satan [Devil] are from the intrinsic side two blessings, as if it was not for them you would not have directed yourselves to Allah and moved towards Him, nor you would have realized your advancing to Him. However they are two indignations from the exterior side, for whoever stayed with them and got veiled by them.

The self is one of the sides of the dispraised square of barriers, which would obstruct your way to Allah. The self is harder on the one from the Devil, because it is a connected enemy and you are kind to it, so it is more harmful than 70 Devils in obstructing the way. No look into the strangeness of this union of the barriers, as each of them does not see but its self's greatness and high value, yet they united together to obstruct your way to Allah.

As we mentioned before the saying of Imam Fakhreddin:

[The Barriers from Al-Mohaimen are four

what an evil goods, its good part is also evil] 5/16

Imam al-Bosairy [AAH] said about it that it has a characteristic to reside to the worldly life pleasure with a desire for more. As much as one responds to it and gives it what it wants, it will ask for more, and it would not stop at any limit. So it is cursed and it drags the one to fall in the net of pleasures and desires to make him forget about what the commands of Allah, Almighty, are to abide by it, and what are the prohibitions to abstain from it. Imam al-Bosairy also said that one is able to contain its whims and dispraised anticipations through striving and forcing to obey the commands of the Truth, Almighty, and abstain from its prohibitions. He said in his famous poem "al-Bordah":

[The self is like a baby, if you neglect him he will grow up

loving breastfeeding, if you wean him, he will be weaned]

[So leave its desires and beware of following it

As subjectivity would either deafen you or stain you]

[And look after it as it goes through work grazing

but if it liked the grassland then do not let it graze]

[Many times it made pleasure look good while it is a killer

and while he does not not that the poison is in the fatness]

[Be afraid of the schemes of hunger and satiety

as hunger could be worse than fullness]

[And run the tears from an eye that was filled

of the forbidden things and abide by the diet of regret]

[And oppose the self and the devil and disobey them

and if they try to purely advise you, accuse them]

They said that humbleness is the strife of the self by put it then making it fall. If we look attentively we would realize that all things are at the same level with us in creation and appearance; from the ant to the elephant. We are the same as them from point of view of the creation. The preference only came from the rules and wisdom for the people of the different parties. They see the preference for themselves over others. And if they equalize themselves with all other things, the would see that as humbleness, while in fact it is pride. As they confirmed the advantage to themselves then they take it off and confirmed it to the humbleness. So they are really the arrogant ones over the other creatures of Allah. The people who know Allah would not confirm to themselves and raising, they were humble from the very beginning, so they are actually the humble ones. One of the saints [AAT] said "Whoever see a greater value for himself over the dog, then he is an arrogant despised one for Allah".

The servant of Allah would be as humble as much as he realized the highness of his Master. The self, if not really described with humbleness and humiliation, then it is not witnessing the greatness of Allah, Almighty. Because the original foundation of the self is from the weakness, humiliation, and humbleness. It was also said that: a humble one is not the one who see himself above where he put it, rather he is the one who sees himself below where he put it.

I the Hadith from the Prophet [PPBUH] (Verily, generosity is piety, honor is humbleness, richness is certainty, and the humble people are the ones with the tribunes in the Judgment Day. If a servant of Allah humbles himself, then Allah will raise him to the seventh heaven. And humbleness will not increase the one anything except raising. So be humble so that Allah will raise you. If you see the humble people of my nation, be humble to them. If you see the arrogant ones, be arrogant with them, as that will be humiliating for them and decreasing of their value).

to be continued ... ISA

Written by Ahmed Nouraddin

Translated by Ahmed