Self determination, self restraint and earnest hard work is needed to do good and abstain from sinful actions. There is no other way around. Initially it is tough. This is the spiritual struggle (mujahida ). It brings the reward and its blessings in the here-after. This is the norm in all the things we aspire to achieve. No school or work project is successfully completed just by supplicating, reading or associating with the experts. One has to toil and labor sincerely and put up his best effort in an organized manner to do it. Therefore, praying the salah on time with the congregation, especially Fajr or having khushoo in salah or controlling anger or quit listening to music or watching the obscene on internet or ending free intermingling with opposite sex , etc. will never ever be achieved until we make a firm resolve to do so and use the self determination and restraint powers, bestowed to us by Allah, earnestly. May Allah make this clear to us. All of the spiritual seekers aspire to do good and abstain from sinful actions
However, most of us harbor a misconception regarding the means to achieve this goal. We wish for a overpowering and overwhelming state that facilitates this for us by itself. Automatically. A kind of fairy tale magic spell. Moreover, we assume that making supplications or reciting a particular litany (wadhifa) or associating with a pious individual or a group or reading classical spiritual text or visiting a holy site (like the revered Makkah and radiant Medinah) or worshiping in the blessed times (like the night of power) will create this 'state' for us. This will never happen!
'dieuf dieul' , bayefall say, to break it down, it means "give back .get back' , 'what you put in is what you'll take out' . . . .in theory . . .go hard for this if you really if you are true to it. i am nothing brother, just a muslim , who once or twice hit bottom, where Allah swt , snatched me up and cut me from the rest of the herd. Mam Cheickh Ibra Fall ra, "Lamp" "Bab'ul Mouridiyya' The Doorway to Mouridism'. asked Allah swt, in a dua, "Bring me the ones who the hyena vomits out and the vulture won't go near, and i will change him and bring him to purity'. Akasha
we've been blessed beyond our ability to ever comprehend in this dunya lifetime, just to have come to Know of Serigne Bamba, it is told that upon an occasion where a group of talibe were sitting in the presence of serigne touba ra, and he told them to say "subpana Allah" three times. one curious and brave young talibe asked, "why". Shaykhul Khadim answered him thusly, "one subpanaAllah because you could have missed me in this lifetime and the second 'subpanaAllah , because i could have missed you and the third 'subpanaAllah is for those who may forget or deny me , after knowing who i am."
