Hadith on Jihad: You have come from the lesser Jihad unto the great Jihad against desires

Jabir reported: Some people returned to the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, from an expedition. He said, “You have returned with a good return, from the lesser Jihad unto the greater Jihad.” They said, “O Messenger of Allah, what is the greater Jihad?” He said, “It is the servant’s struggle against his desires.”

[Al-Bayhaqi, Kitab Az-Zuhd, Number 383, Da’eef]

عَنْ جَابِرٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ قَدِمَ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَوْمٌ غُزَاةٌ فَقَالَ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَدِمْتُمْ خَيْرَ مَقْدَمٍ مِنَ الْجِهَادِ الأَصْغَرِ إِلَى الْجِهَادِ الأَكْبَرِ قَالُوا وَمَا الْجِهَادُ الأَكْبَرُ ؟ قَالَ مُجَاهَدَةُ الْعَبْدِ هَوَاهُ هَذَا إِسْنَادٌ ضَعِيفٌ

الزهد الكبير للبيهقي الزهد الكبير للبيهقي فصل في ترك الدنيا ومخالفة النفس

Ibn Taymiyyah: Jihad against the soul is the foundation for all other types of Jihad

Ibn Al-Qayyim reported: Our Sheikh, Ibn Taymiyyah, said, “Jihad against the soul and desires is the foundation of Jihad against the disbelievers and hypocrites. Indeed, it is not possible to strive against them until one strives against himself and his desires; then he can go out against them.”

[Ibn Al-Qayyim, Rawdah Al-Muhibbeen]

قال ابن القيم شيخنا يقول جهاد النفس والهوى أصل جهاد الكفار والمنافقين فإنه لا يقدر على جهادهم حتى يجاهد نفسه وهواه أولا حتى يخرج إليهم

روضة المحبين ونزهة المشتاقين

Hadith on Authority: The Prohibition of Desiring Power and Authority over People

Narrated Abu Musa : Two of my cousins and I entered (the house of) the Prophet. One of them said: “Messenger of Allah, appoint us rulers of some lands that the Almighty and Glorious God entrusted to your care.” The other also said something similar. The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: “Without doubt, by Allah, we do not appoint anyone to this position who asks for it or desires it.”

[Sahih Muslim, Book 20, Number 4489]

عَنْ أَبِي مُوسَى، قَالَ دَخَلْتُ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنَا وَرَجُلاَنِ مِنْ بَنِي عَمِّي فَقَالَ أَحَدُ الرَّجُلَيْنِ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَمِّرْنَا عَلَى بَعْضِ مَا وَلاَّكَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ ‏.‏ وَقَالَ الآخَرُ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ‏ إِنَّا وَاللَّهِ لاَ نُوَلِّي عَلَى هَذَا الْعَمَلِ أَحَدًا سَأَلَهُ وَلاَ أَحَدًا حَرَصَ عَلَيْهِ

Hadith on Greed: Nothing can satisfy the greed of mankind

Narrated Anas bin Malik: The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said, “If the son of Adam had a valley full of gold, he would like to have two, for nothing fills his mouth except dust. And Allah forgives him who repents to Him.”


[Sahih Bukhari, Volume 8, Book 76, Number 447]

أَنَسُ بْنُ مَالِكٍ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ لَوْ أَنَّ لاِبْنِ آدَمَ وَادِيًا مِنْ ذَهَبٍ أَحَبَّ أَنْ يَكُونَ لَهُ وَادِيَانِ، وَلَنْ يَمْلأَ فَاهُ إِلاَّ التُّرَابُ، وَيَتُوبُ اللَّهُ عَلَى مَنْ تَابَ