Saturday, August 22, 2026

Hunger as a Spiritual Shield: Controlling the Nafs, Resisting Satan and Fearing Allah’s Hidden Plan

Reason of nocturnal emission

Sayyidunā Abū Sulaymān Dārānī has stated that nocturnal emission is troublesome. He mentioned this because one misses many acts of worship due to the untimely need of Ghusl. He has further stated that sleep is the root of all troubles and filling the stomach with food is one of its causes. Its cure, however, lies in remaining hungry.

(ibid)

Satan circulates in body like blood

A Mursal Ḥadīš states, 'Without doubt, Satan circulates in man's body like blood. Therefore, one should narrow (Satan's) ways by hunger and thirst.'

(Itḥāf-us-Sādat-il-Muttaqīn, vol. 9, pp. 12)

Dear Islamic brothers! A Mursal Ḥadīš is the one a Tābi'ī narrates directly from the Beloved and Blessed Prophet leaving the companion out.

(Nuzĥat-un-Naẓr fī Tauḍīḥ Nakhba-tul-Fikr, pp. 63)

Two rivers

The pious saints have stated, 'To eat food to a full stomach is a stream in Nafs through which Satan makes his inroads. On the contrary, hunger is a stream of the soul through which angels pass.'

(Sab'a Sanābil, pp. 241)

Hungry for forty days

Dear Islamic brothers! The pious saints would narrow the path of Satan by bearing hunger and thirst. Sayyidunā Sahl Bin 'Abdullāĥ Tustarī used to remain hungry for forty consecutive days and then he would eat a little.

(Iḥyā-ul-'Ulūm, vol. 3, pp. 98)

Merely one dirham was sufficient for the expenses of his supply of food for a year.

(Risāla-tul-Qushayriyyaĥ, pp. 401)

Six Madanī pearls

Listen to the following six pieces of advice given by Sayyidunā Saĥl Bin 'Abdullāĥ Tustarī:

1.     On the Day of Judgement, no deed will be more beneficial than (the deed of) refraining from excessive eating because this is the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet .

2.     The wise consider hunger as an extremely advantageous thing for religious and worldly matters.

3.     I do not consider anything more harmful than excessive eating to those who desire absolution in the Hereafter.

4.     Knowledge and wisdom have been placed in hunger while sin and ignorance have been placed in filling the stomach.

5.     He who keeps his Nafs hungry is not disturbed by satanic deceptions (Wasāwis).

6.     When a person undergoes hunger, sickness or tribulation the mercy of Allah turns towards him at that time.

(Iḥyā-ul-'Ulūm, vol. 3, pp. 91)

The one who fills his stomach is disgraced

It is stated in Qūt-ul-Qulūb, 'Hunger is (like) a king and filling stomach is (like) a slave. The hungry person is respected while the one stuffing oneself is humiliated.' It has also been said that hunger brings about a great respect while filling the stomach causes an intense humiliation. Some saints have stated, 'Hunger is the key to the Hereafter and the door of asceticism, whereas filling the stomach is the key to the world and the door of indulgence in worldly pleasures.'

(Qūt-ul-Qulūb, vol. 2, pp. 332)

Why emphasis on remaining hungry?

Someone once asked Sayyidunā Bāyazīd Bisṭāmī as to why he emphasized on remaining hungry. He replied, 'If Pharaoh (Fir'awn) were hungry he would never have claimed divinity. If Qārūn were hungry, he would never have rebelled (against the Almighty ).' (In other words, their wealth led them to defiance and disobedience to their Creator).

(Kashf-ul-Mahjūb, pp. 647)

Fearlessness from Hidden Plan of Allah is grave sin

Dear Islamic brothers! Truly, good health and excessive wealth often lead to indulgence in sins. Therefore, those who possess good health or wealth or have authority should fear the Hidden Plan of Allah. Sayyidunā Ḥasan Baṣrī has stated, 'If a person possesses ample sustenance, obedient children, wealth, good health, status, respect, property or position in the government, but he does not fear the Divine Hidden Plan – such a person is heedless of the Hidden Plan of Allah.'

(Tanbīĥ-ul-Mughtarīn, pp. 54)

Sayyidunā Imām Muhammad Bin Aḥmad Żahabī has included fearlessness from the Hidden Plan of Allah in the list of major sins in his book 'Kitāb-ul-Kabāir.' Therefore, the poor, the sick and the troubled should also fear the Hidden Plan of Allah as it is possible that these troubles befall them as a test and incessant complaints, impatience and efforts to get rid of poverty through Ḥarām means lead them to ruin in the Hereafter. Furthermore, it is also Wājib for those who live comfortably to fear the Hidden Plan of Allah lest this wealth and worldly comfort engender pride, decadence and transgression and, thus this body and wealth become the cause of them burning in the fire of Hell. In this regard, listen to a Quranic verse and a Ḥadīš and fear the Hidden Plan of Allah.

Respite from Allah

Sayyidunā 'Uqbaĥ Bin 'Āmir has narrated that the Prophet of Raḥmaĥ, the Intercessor of Ummaĥ has stated, 'If you see a person upon whom Allah bestows (His favours), (but) the person persists in committing sins; (then) this is a mere respite (from Allah). The Beloved Prophet then recited the following verse:

فَلَمَّا نَسُوْا مَا ذُکِّرُوْا بِهٖ فَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ اَبْوَابَ کُلِّ شَیْءٍ
حَتّٰۤی اِذَا فَرِحُوْا بِمَاۤ اُوْتُوْۤا اَخَذْنٰهُمْ بَغْتَةً فَاِذَا هُمْ مُّبْلِسُوْنَ

Then when they forgot the admonition made to them, We opened to them the gates of all things until when they became delighted at what they were given, then We seized them suddenly, now they were left in despair.'

[Kanz-ul-Īmān (Translation of Quran)] (Musnad Imām Aḥmad, vol. 6, pp. 122, Ḥadīš 17313) (Part 17, Sūraĥ Al-An'ām, verse 44)

Regarding sin as a good act is Kufr

Commenting on the foregoing verse, Muftī Aḥmad Yār Khān has stated, '(From this) we have learnt that the worst of punishments is the hardness of the heart, (because of which) the teachings of the Holy Prophet do not have an effect on the person. We have also come to know that getting worldly pleasures, despite persistence in sins, is the wrath and punishment from Allah as the person becomes heedless and indulges fearlessly in sins due to his luxurious possessions. At times, the person is under the impression that sin is good - otherwise, he would not be receiving such bounties. Remember that such a notion is Kufr. (It is Farḍ to consider a sin as a sin and deliberately considering or declaring a sin as good is Kufr.) We have also come to know that the difficulties faced by the pious are a form of divine mercy whereby their (spiritual) status is raised to higher degrees.'

(Nūr-ul-'Irfān, pp. 210)

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