This is a series of exercises designed to help you achieve practical taqwa through protective vigilance of the seven inroads (thughra) of darkness to the heart.
The use of this technique was inspired by Imam Zaid Shakir, may Allah reward him, who provided the first exercise which was slightly altered.
The number of days is forty based on the verse in the Qur'an in which Allah promised to "meet" Musa, upon him be peace, after forty days. Imam Sawi in his commentary said that this was because the complete service of the servant toward his Lord and the gifts that result from his Lord are completed in forty days based on the hadith, "The completion of vigilance on the borders (ribaat) is forty days."33
These inroads are the borders of the heart and this technique has been proven effective for many people and if done for the sake of Allah it will benefit the one who uses it to achieve taqwa.
Exercise 1: Guarding the Tongue
Qadi Abu Bakr says, "Guard your tongue and protect it from lying, and realize that it expresses your inward state. It expresses for you your knowledge and your practice."
The tongue has only one noble quality and that is truthfulness. One the other hand, it has over twenty destructive qualities, but their source lies in only four:
If you are able to overcome these four then the others are removed with ease.
In order for us to remove these qualities that take people to destruction, we must exert great effort and struggle (mujaahada).
The following is an exercise designed to help eliminate these qualities which have become daily habits for the majority of Muslims and in fact, are enormities with Allah. "Truly a man utters words to which he attaches no importance, and by them he falls into the fire of Jahannam."34 This practice uses the three pillars of change.
Remember, your eternal life is largely dependent upon whether your tongue is in submission to the commands of Allah and thus, you should take this seriously. Do this practice with your brothers and sisters that you spend time with and encourage each other to guard the tongue.
This practice takes much discipline and effort, but keep in mind Allah's words, "Those who struggle to fulfill Our rights, surely We guide them to the many paths that lead to Our pleasure, and Allah is with the people of excellence."35 This practice can change your life and your outlook, and can contribute to the unity of this Ummah as most of our trouble, if not all, comes from the harvest of our tongues.
Once you have completed forty consecutive days, you have habituated yourself to uprightness and Allah promises two things for your efforts:
"O you who believe, be conscious of your Lord and speak with uprightness; He will rectify your actions, and He will forgive your wrongs."
If you have completed this exercise successfully, then what remains is vigilant observance (muraaqaba) in order to prevent you from falling back into the previous bad habits.
Be firm with others that you do not want to listen to these things either. If it means losing a friend who is not willing to change with you for the better, then so be it.
Finally, remember that writing falls into these categories and the internet is filled with lying, backbiting, argumentation and engaging in matters of no concern. Include writing also in your vow.
Exercise 2: Guarding the Eyes
Allah, Subhanhu, says in the Glorious Qur'an, "Tell the believing men to lower their gaze… and tell the believing women to lower their gaze."
The scholars differ on this verse but generally what is prohibited to look at is anything that is deemed nakedness in sacred law though not all of them agree on what constitutes nakedness.
For the majority of scholars, this includes the entire body of a woman with the exception of her face and hands and what is between a man's navel and knees.36
However, the scholars consider anything from which sensual pleasure occurs to be prohibited to look at. For this reason, the body of a man is prohibited for a woman to look at and his face if she is attracted to it and for a man the face and hands of a woman who is young or still desired by men. The first glance is not written against a person. However if it is maintained and not averted or if a second glance occurs it is considered a venial wrong.
Ibn al-Qattaan said, "There is a consensus that the eye is not connected to any enormity, but it is the quickest inroad to the destruction of the heart."37
Of the things one should be careful of are sensory images that have a corrupting influences on the heart. Much of what is on television and around us in terms of billboards and images is actually detrimental to our hearts.
The exercise for the eyes is to make a commitment with Allah every morning for forty continuous days not to look at anything haraam.
During the day be vigilant and keep in mind that averting the glance is an essential element in the practice of protecting the eyes and therefore the heart. In other words, you will see things that are haraam, but count the day as successful if you averted your glance from the prohibited.
Mark each day and go back to day one if you fail. Use some punitive measure to discipline yourself.
Exercise 3: Guarding the Ears
Allah says, "Surely the hearing the sight and the heart, all of those man is responsible for."38 "And when they hear empty talk they turn away from it."39 In the tradition, "The one listening is one of the backbiters."40
The ears, unlike the eyes, are difficult to guard because there is no natural plug for the ears similar to the lids of the eyes. Moreover you cannot avert your hearing with ease like you can with your eyes.
Imam Malik said, "Do not give your ear to someone whose heart is deviant because you do not know what will become attached to it."41 It is a direct inroad to the heart and through it meanings enter into the understanding.
As in the other exercises, one should commit to breaking the bad habits of the ears:
Again, do the exercise for forty consecutive and successful days. If you fail to fulfill your commitment, start back to day one until you have accomplished forty straight days.
In all of these exercises, eliminate the haraam first and foremost. Things that are makruh42 or mubah can be worked on later. There is no punishment with the makruh or the mubah. Once you have eliminated successfully the haraam, then work on the makruh and then if you have high spiritual aspiration, work on the permissible.
Include avoiding listening to music in your commitment. Utilize your free time for listening to Qur'an or talks that are useful or permissible anaashid.43 There are some environments where music is piped in. Attempt to avoid such places and if they are unavoidable, then don't count it as a breech of your commitment. Necessities permit the impermissible.
Exercise 4: Guarding the Stomach
This is perhaps the most important and some may even want to begin with this exercise, particularly if they are eating foods that are clearly prohibited or they have unlawful income.
It is an obligation according to the Book, the Sunnah and the consensus of the scholars to guard that goes into our stomachs.
Allah says, "O you who believe, eat from the earth what is permissible and pure."44 Again He said, "O you who believe, eat from the pure things what We provided for you."45 Again, "O Messengers, eat from the pure things and do righteous deeds."46
The commentators say there is a direct relation to doing righteous works as a result of eating pure foods. Purity here means the contents are pure and the source from whence they came is pure.
Ibn Abbaas said, "Allah has commanded the believers to do the same thing that He has commanded the Messengers here. He has commanded them to perform righteous deeds after commanding them to eat pure foods as a reminder that one does not derive benefit from actions until one has rectified one's livelihood and position."47
Sidi Ahmad Zarruq said, "Eat what you will but know that you will act accordingly."48 The hadith states, "Flesh that has been nourished with the prohibited is more worthy of the Fire."49
The exercise should focus on removing haraam from one's food sources.
As for meat of the people of the Book, it is permissible by consensus, although there is no doubt that there are many doubtful aspects to meat production today and its purity from contamination should be a serious concern. Indeed, one should avoid many of the sources of meat today.
Eating less is also an important part of this exercise.50 Begin by avoiding excess as this is prohibited on a regular basis, "O you who believe, eat and drink but not to excess. Surely Allah loves not the excessive." Learning to control the appetite is one of the most powerful means of controlling the self and achieving taqwa which is why Allah says about fasting, "O you who believe, fasting has been prescribed for you just as it was for the people before you in order to achieve taqwa."51
Fasting is an excellent discipline and attempting at least three days a month during the full moon is a prophetic practice.
Finally, the greatest rule here is the one provided by the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, "Leave what gives you doubt for what does not give you doubt."52 Do the same for this exercise as for the previous ones.
Note: There is no special consideration for the stomach in terms of guarding it from the prohibited. The skin also must be protected in that you only wear what is permissible and pure. The vehicle you transport your body with must also be permissible and pure.
Exercise 5: Guarding the Private Parts
Allah says, "And those who protect their private parts except with their spouses..."53 Allah also says, "Do not even draw near to fornication or perversion for it is a foul thing and leads to a bad path."
The Qur'anic view concerning this is preventative. One should never under any circumstances be alone with someone of the opposite sex unless there is legal relations between them, i.e., wife, husband or direct relative. Guarding the private parts means simply avoiding places of temptation and harm.
For the believer, this should be the easiest of the seven if he or she follows the simple rule of never being alone with someone who is unrelated to him or her. The Prophet, peace be upon him, said, "Whoever guards for me his tongue and private parts I can guarantee a place in the Garden."54
As for homosexuality and lesbian acts, these are condemned by sacred law and are considered enormities that demand tawba. If Muslims are suffering from such impulses they must struggle with themselves and avoid being in situations where they can compromise themselves.
As for self-stimulation, the dominant opinion is prohibition. One should commit to stopping this also. If someone is single and has overwhelming impulses that are obstructing his or her mental health, they should marry. If they are unable to do that, and fear committing fornication, then masturbation is much less harmful than fornication and the position of Imam Ahmad is that it is like cupping, i.e., removing harmful fluids but with the condition there is no fantasizing about another person.55
One should also guard one's nakedness and avoid any displays of what is prohibited for others to see. This means a strong commitment on the part of Muslim women to cover themselves accordingly and also men.
Tight clothing for both men and women should be avoided.
Again, do this exercise like the others and maintain vigilance as this is one of Shaytan's greatest weapons, i.e., sexual appetite. If someone has committed a grave wrong, he needs to make sincere tawba and commit to never doing it again.
Exercise 6: Guarding the Hands
The blessed Messenger of Allah said, "The Muslim is one who other Muslims are safe from his tongue and his hand."56 This means protecting the hands from stealing from or harming any of the creation of Allah without just right.
According to the Qur'an, the hands will bear witness against the sons of Adam. They are one of the greatest gifts of Allah and distinguish us from other animals including apes as they do not have an opposable thumb.
We should never raise our hand to any Muslim unless it is in self-defense. Nor should we do so to any non-Muslim unless in self-defense or a legitimate struggle for the defense of homeland or a jihad under legitimate authority of the Khalifah.
We should not use our hands to sow any corruption in the earth.
Exercise 7: Guarding the Feet
This is the same as the hands and you should include in this driving to any prohibited place. Any endeavor you wish to do has a ruling.
For the most part, things are permissible. Allah has prohibited very few things. Learn them and avoid them.
When you set out to a place, say the prayer of the Prophet, peace be upon him, "O Allah, I seek refuge in You that I should go astray or lead others astray; that I should trip or trip others; that I should oppress or be oppressed or that I should show ignorance or be the brunt of ignorance."
Reflect on why you are going somewhere and remember the hadith, "Avoid places that will bring suspicion from others down on you."
Summary
If these seven inroads to wrong actions are guarded, you are actually guarding your heart as it is the city and these are its borders.
There is a war being waged for it between light and darkness, and just as night turns into day and day turns into night, our war with our enemies is one with alternate success (sijaal).
Do not despair when you lapse and show weakness. This is to keep us humble before our Lord and others.
Do not give up this struggle as there is no other as worthy of our efforts. Take this seriously and remember that taqwa is the key to every good in this life and the next and it is a reality that can be achieved.
Finally, some of our scholars have said that all of Islam revolves around four hadiths. If we take them seriously and practice them we will be people of taqwa, insha'Allah.
If we simply took those four hadiths to heart and based our lives upon them, we would indeed have success.
May Allah forgive us for words without deeds and not make our Din a proof against us on the Day the debts fall due.
Prayers and peace be upon the Messenger of Allah as long as those who remember, remember, and those who forget, forget.