Overcome your temptations: Part1

 How to overcome impure thought, temptation, compulsive behavior to attain the pleasure and closeness of ALLAH ta ala in this blessed month of Ramadan and for good.

 Scientific and Spiritual perspectives in the light of the Noble Quran, The Gospel of Isa and Prophetic Sayings

PART1: Scientific perspective by understanding the relationship between our Brain, our Mind and our action or behavior

In the brilliant book “You are not your brain” two neuroscientists Expert Jeffrey M. Schwartz and Rebecca Gladding explain how their 4-steps method can help break impure and destructive thoughts and change bad habits to good ones. If we adopt these 4 steps with God consciousness, this can be tremendously helpful for our Ummah to counter attack this corrupted Global secular culture which promotes immorality and immodesty as a way of life.

In an article written by John lee on the website choosehelp.com, he majestically explains the process like this:

“The philosophy behind the program is that your mind and your brain are not the same. Your brain influences your thoughts (your mind) and through this it can influence behaviors (such as drinking, or gambling etc.).

However, the same process can occur in reverse – your mind can also influence and change your brain and in doing so it can help keep you away from behaviors you feel negative. Through directed, intentional and conscious thinking (mindfulness), you can retrain your brain to stop sending harmful messages to your mind.

• When your brain sends an urge message and you give into it – you strengthen the brain pattern
• When your brain sends an urge message and you fight it – you also strengthen that brain pattern
• But when your brain sends an urge message and you acknowledge it, recognize its true source and re-label it as a false and harmful message – you weaken the brain pattern”

 Next is the 4 steps developed in the Book.

First Step:  Re-LABEL

When you receive the Whisper of Shaytan in your brain, don’t fight the thought, simply and deliberately acknowledge the urge or cravings, then look at it from the perspective an impartial outsider and literally say to yourself:

“this is a whisper of Shaytan, it is not a true need that I’m feeling right now, I don’t have to fantasize and act upon it, it is not real and it will pass and leave me in few minutes with the Help of Allah ta ala, though it may come back again,”

Second Step:  RE-ATTRIBUTE

This is the crucial part of the method and actually the title of the book “you are not your brain”. In this step you should define the source where the urge, impure thought is coming from and once again say to yourself:

“This urge, sinful thought is coming from my brain, my brain is sending me a false message, a whisper from shaytan the accursed, my enemy, and I don’t have to listen to the false call. And remind yourself that it may come back sooner or later as this will help you weaken the intensity of future whisper of shaytan”

Golden rule:” if you give in to your temptation, you will become the slave of your desire and a prisoner of your urge and cravings.”

Third Step: RE-FOCUS

 Temptations, impure thought can sometimes be really strong, but fortunately if you don’t give in, they tend to go away. So say to yourself:  “I’m experiencing something against my Muslim faith, I don’t want to displease ALLAH ta`ala, use this third step to turn to Allah for help.”

Some tips: Try to meditate by closing your eyes and picture or imagine the Glorious Name of our Creator “ALLAH” ta`ala and speak to Him with your heart or you may try this daily technique of visualization of the name “ALLAH” on http://www.prophetic-path.com/  it has always works for me and many of my friends to overcome impure thoughts. And if you can, try to perform the minor or major purification and pray salatul Hajah.

In case any lust is concerned, add reality to the fantasy, imagine he or she may have crooked teeth, bad breath and so on or just find something that will work for you before the tempest visits you.

More tips: take 15 mn walk, don’t remain still, do some push-ups or any physical exercise, or simply call a friend to speak about important things.

 Fourth Step: RE-VALUE

This last step is after the tempest has passed, now think honestly about past times when you used to give in to your temptation, urge and impure thoughts, the feeling of guilt, shame, abasement, dissatisfaction that follow the moment of sin. Recall some specific misfortunes that happened in your life and hurt the feelings of the people around you, your family etc. because you didn’t manage to overcome your bad behavior.

Golden rule: “Always remember temptation always promises you freedom but it never and will never deliver it to you.”

Conclusion

Adopt the following mindset: you are not your brain. You cannot in any way stop your brain to wander or receive impure and false message from Shaytan, however you can control how your response to any urge and temptation by using your will can power you with the Help of Allah ta`ala. Moreover, it is not what you think that matters at the end, but your actions and behaviors that will be accountable on the day of judgement.

Important: The 4 steps will only work in sha Allah when it is practiced on a daily basis in a very conscious and deliberate way and make sure you have this 4 tools at hand when you are BROKE, HUNGRY, ANGRY, LONELY and TIRED, because shaytan tend to win the battle when we are in those states; but with mindfulness, we can knock him down.

And remind yourself that you abstain yourself for the pleasure and closeness of Allah ta`ala, The Lord of the worlds. May peace and blessing be upon the best of creature, the Beloved, Al Mustafa and his Family.

To be continued…

Moustapha EEnuwa Kassim (MeeK)