| Accountable for our Thoughts
Question:
Dear Uzma
Assalam U Alaikum
I'm sorry if this may seem a bit long sister. My question is essentially about whether in Islam we are accountable for our thoughts. Recently during last Ramadhan I was pregnant and my baby was nearly due - During this month I was praying alot and doing alot of zikr - My whole time would be spent in zhikr or prayer - I felt spiritually 'overwhelmed' but it was a nice
feeling. I then listened to a lecture which was talking about the high and beautiful status of the Prophet (SAW) and I because I had only been thinking about God - I thought well maybe I can complete my Imaan and think about the great status of the Prophet (SAW). Just as I stood for prayer I thought that I must think -'The Prophet is the Greatest' (greatest after God of course) if I want my spirituality to increaese - as I was going to think that - instead of
thinking 'the greatest' I sudenly thought of the worse swear word you can think of - it was totally out of the blue - uncontrolled thought and after that I felt so distressed and guilty as to how I could ever think this especially when I have such a high regard of the Prophet in my heart. The more I tried to correct the thought the more I would think of the bad word - since then I have been severly down and my mind feels like it is going to explode - I have had my baby and the pressure of that with this other problem seems too much for me - it is affects my family life - but I am too ashamed to tell anyone my problem. Please can you tell me whether I will be punished for this and what I can do to correct my thoughts. JazakhAllah for your time. Wassalam.
Saira
Response:
Wa Aleikum Salam Saira
About the issue of unwanted thoughts:
According to Islamic belief our thoughts come from Allah that guide us, or from
Shaytân that deviate us from the right path.
From Quran: check Sûrah Nâs. 114. 4-5
"From the evil of the sneaking whisperer (shaytân). Who whispers in the hearts of mankind." (obviously he is not whispering good thoughts ;-)
From Hadith: Sahih Muslim
Chapter 59, Book 1, Number 0231:
It is narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) observed: Verily the Great and Mighty Allah forgave my people the evil promptings arising in their minds, as they neither talked about them nor acted upon them.
The same hadith has been narrated by Zuhair b. Harb, Waki, Ishaq b. Mansur and Husain b. 'Ali.
Chapter 60, Book 1, Number 0235:
Abu Huraira reported that Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him), said: When it occurs to my bondsman that he should do a good deed but he actually does not do it, record one good to him, but if he puts it into practice, I make an entry of ten good acts in his favour. When it occurs to him to do evil, but he does not commit it, I forgive that. But if he commits it, I record one evil against his name. The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) observed. The angels said: That bondsman of Yours intends to commit evil though His Lord is more Vigilant than he. Upon this He (the Lord) said: Watch him; if he commits (evil), write it against his name but if he refrains from doing it, write one good deed for him, for he desisted from doing it for My sake. The Messenger of Allah said: He who amongst you is good of faith, all his good acts are multiplied from ten to seven hundred times (and are recorded in his name) and all the evils that he commits are recorded as such (ie. without increase) till he meets Allah.
Similar hadith narrated by Ibn Abbas.
Our initial thought is beyond our control... what we do with it is what matters. Good thoughts we encourage and if needed take action on. Negative thoughts we try to redirect and move away from. These thoughts are a test for us to see how committed we are to the good. Our mind tends to get stuck on some thoughts and it helps to examine why we get stuck, what is it in us that keeps us there.
In spirituality the function of the negative thoughts is to separate and create a distance between us and God... and our role is then to discipline and overcome this lower self. This has been referred to as Jihad an Nafs. The lower self has to be trained to do good, it typically resists as by becoming disciplined it is losing control. When you recognize and are consciously aware that these thoughts are from the lower self and it is trying to keep you from doing good this helps in decreasing the power of that thought over you. Because as you become aware you now also have the ability to make a choice of what you will do with it. So it is good that you have this lower self to struggle with, as when you overcome it you will have gained stronger faith. Faith always increases through such struggles. Without such struggles how would we know if we truly have faith?
Regards,
Uzma Mazhar |
