MUZAKRA – 17

PREPARE WISELY AND EARLY FOR THE BATTLE

SOUL: My dear Lord, how should I prepare myself for Your service?

SELF: When you first awake, think of Me, recite Kalima, and thus open the
windows of your soul. Recite and chant My Holy Name vigorously, and then meditate on
the situations that will face you during the coming day. Consider yourself on a
battlefield, facing a terrible enemy, and bound by an ironclad oath to either fight and win
or die.

With your mind’s eye, see the enemy before you. He may be disguised as a
friendly vice or a harmless passion, but in reality, he is a snake poised for the kill. Know
that either you will fight and kill him, or he will feast upon you. Picture how this hideous
beast is about to leap upon you, and, at the same time, imagine that I am at your side.
With the eye of faith, see Me accompanied by all the great Prophets and, saints and pure
devotees – past and present – who are the special guardians and protectors of today’s
warriors.

On your left, see Satan, the Princess of Darkness. Imagine that he and all his
cohorts are standing ready to support the vice you are so valiantly fighting against. They
are resolved to do whatever they can to bring about your defeat.

SOUL: You are describing this wonderfully, Lord! You’re enabling me to see the
battle realistically. I’m actually starting to enjoy the fight.

SELF: That is very good. Now, imagine your holy teacher (Murshid), and all the
holy teachers (Aulia) before him, spurring you on, saying, “This day, my boy, you have
the great privilege and opportunity to conquer your enemies.”

Now be courageous. Do not be afraid or cowardly. Remember all that you have
been taught and all you have heard. Remember that I, the Supreme Lord, am your
captain, and that I am present with all the power of the transcendental world. I promise
to protect you from your enemies. I will see that you are never defeated. Just hold your
ground and stand firm, regardless of consequences – success or failure, pleasure or pain.
Raise the battle cry of the Holy Name – Allahu Akbar! – And beg for help for in this
Dark Age. If you do this, you will surely be victorious. I promise you this.

SOUL: But, O merciful Lord, just see how ferocious the enemy appears. I am
trembling and my knees feel weak. Please protect me, O Lord.
 SELF: Be of good cheer, My friend. It does not matter how terrifying the enemy
appears, or how weak you feel. These are all vain imaginations of the body and mind. I
am here to defend you. Do not be discouraged or faithless. The help that I give you is
greater than all the forces of hell combined. I, your creator and maintainer, desire your
salvation more than the evil one desires your bondage and destruction.

Now just get up and fight courageously. Do not neglect the means of spiritual
strength that I have given you. Constantly chant My Holy Name, and be sure to
constantly battle your uncontrolled mind and senses by following the regulative
principles of freedom. (No illicit sex, no intoxication, and no gambling and no haraam)

Fight! Now is the time to remember all that I have told you. Be free of the false,
fallible defenses of the mortal body by having an intelligent distrust of yourself. At the
same time, protect yourself with unlimited confidence in Me. Arm yourself with the
impregnable shield of the Holy Name. Be encouraged by regular communion in prayer,
and be sure to study My word (Qur’an). Nourish yourself with prayers and spiritual
foods offered to Me with love by My devotees.

With these weapons, attack and slay the enemy. In this way, by means of heroic
resistance, by discipline and virtue, drive the offender out of your heart, and do not rest
until the enemy is gone from your life.

Give your foe neither rest nor reprieve, lest he gains strength and again attacks
you. Rest assured, I will surely reward your endurance and determination.

SOUL: How long will this warfare continue my Lord?

SELF:I see that your old material attitude is not dead. Why are you so eager for
this warfare to be over? You must never be tired of this struggle. It is your eternal,
constitutional position to love and serve Me. It is impossible for anyone to avoid this
fight. If one tries to flee, his flank is immediately exposed, and he is sure to be wounded,
if not killed.

You will have great difficulty if you try to avoid My service. Are laziness and
inactivity really synonymous with happiness? Are luxury and opulence really the same
as peace and contentment? Does sense gratification really yield satisfaction? If this were
so, the modern world would be most happy in its economic advancement. However,
people have never been more miserable. A life of unlimited sense gratification cannot
make you happy because you are not this body. No amount of sense pleasure can satisfy
the soul.

I described two different paths to a very dear devotee of Mine. One of these
paths, I told you, was sweet and pleasant in the beginning, but ultimately led to great
suffering and death. The other path, I pointed out, was a little hard and rough to start, but
ended in beauty, opulence and bliss.
 Unfortunately, people today lack spiritual vision and real intelligence. They are
shirking small difficulties that will soon come to an end. By so doing, however, they
reject an eternity of bliss and knowledge for the temporary pleasures of this world. At
best, these pleasures last but a season. After that, they lead to spiritual death in this
miserable material world. Why do such foolish people not listen? Please try to help
them, My dear devotee. Nothing would please me more.