Jihad of the Pen. Rudolph Ware

usul al-din), which their intellects are unable to grasp.

      Among them is having an evil opinion (su’ al-dhann) of the Muslims. God Most High says: “Avoid most suspicion” (Q 49:12). For, whoever judges another person with evil, based solely on suspicion, Satan induces him to show disdain towards that person (ihtiqarihi), to fail to establish his due rights (‘idami al-qiyam bi huquqihi), to procrastinate in showing respect (tawani fi ikramihi), and to extend his tongue in violating his honor (italat al-lisan fi ‘irdihi). All of these qualities are among the destructive characteristics. He, may God bless him and grant him peace, once said to two men who saw him speaking to his wife Safiya: “She is the mother of you two!” He then said: “Satan flows through the son of Adam like the flowing of his blood. I feared that he would cast into your two hearts some evil.” Therefore, he, upon him be peace, showed his compassion for them; and protected them and his Umma.

      He behaved with them according to the path of precaution (tariq al-ihtiraz) against making false accusations (tahama), in order that a pious scholar not be over indulgent regarding his circumstances, as an estimation of himself that others only have a good opinion of him. He would do this being amazed with himself. This is an immense error, since the most pious of the people are those who have the most fearful awareness of God; and are aware that their actions, no doubt, are deficient.

      Therefore take precaution from the false accusations of enemies and evil people, because, by nature, they only suspect all people of evil. So each person you see who has an evil opinion of the people, seeking to manifest their faults, then know that that comes from the filth of his inward state and the evils of his inner conscious. For, the believer seeks excuses for others due to the health of his breast, while the hypocrite seeks after faults due to the filth of his inward state.

      These are just some of the incursions of the Satan Iblis, into the hearts. In them are admonitions against the remainder. In summation, there does not exist in the Adamic creature any blameworthy attribute except that it is one of the weapons of Satan. By means of these weapons, he is assisted in leading mankind astray. Therefore, return to God so that, by means of His mercy, He can redeem you from Satan’s plot and schemes. Take hold of His remembrance as a companion (samiran) or remembrance of the Hereafter as an assistant (ma‘inan); for whoever is persistent in that God will protect him, God willing, from the remainder of the destructive attributes (muhlikat).

      Realize, then that of all of these destructive traits, their actions stem from evil character (su’ al-khalq), while abandoning them springs from excellent character (husn al-khuluq). Excellent character, itself, derives from moderation of the strength of reason (i‘tidal quwwat al-‘aql), restraint of anger (i‘tidal al-ghadab) and self-control of desires (i‘tidal al-shahwa).

      The gathering of all of these traits of temperance is the sign of the attributes of excellent character in a person. For this, such a person is described with much modesty (kathir al-haya’)