The Essential Components of Self-Mastery

The following advice of Ibn al Qayyim (رحمه الله) is extremely useful and comprehensive. I first heard it nearly 25 years ago from my dear brother Abu Uwais Abdullah Ahmad ‘Alī (رحمهما الله تعالى) from the book Al Fawa’id in a brief reminder in Detroit. It resonated strongly with me, particularly the part about cautiously interacting with others; I rediscovered it a little over 15 years ago and memorized it verbatim. Since then, I have shared it on many occasions, and have especially directed it at youth at the cusp of adulthood. Each characteristic is explained in significant detail elsewhere in his writings. Do yourself a favor and give it a quick, yet careful & contemplative, reading:

طَالب النّفُوذ إِلَى الله وَالدَّار الْآخِرَة بل وَإِلَى كل علم وصناعة ورئاسة بِحَيْثُ يكون رَأْسا فِي ذَلِك مقتدى بِهِ فِيهِ يحْتَاج أَن يكون:

“The seeker of progress toward Allah and the Hereafter, and indeed toward all knowledge, tradecraft, and leadership, to the extent that he becomes a leader in that and an example to be followed, needs to be:

شجاعا مقداما حَاكما على وهمه غير مقهور تَحت سُلْطَان تخيّله

Brave, daring, a master over his delusions, not subdued under the dominion of his imagination;

زاهدا فِي كل مَا سوى مَطْلُوبه عَاشِقًا لما توجه إِلَيْهِ

Disinterested in everything except his goal; Loving what he is directed towards;

عَارِفًا بطرِيق الْوُصُول إِلَيْهِ والطرق القواطع عَنهُ

Knowledgeable of the path to reach it and the obstacles preventing it;

مِقْدَام الهمة ثَابت الجأش

Ambitious and steadfast in resolve;

لَا يثنيه عَن مَطْلُوبه لوم لأثم وَلَا عذل عاذل

Not deterred from his goal by the blame of the blamer nor the reproach of the reproacher;

كثير السّكُون دَائِم الْفِكر

Constantly calm and continually thinking;

غير مائل مَعَ لَذَّة الْمَدْح وَلَا ألم الذَّم

Not swayed by the pleasure of praise nor the pain of blame;

قَائِما بِمَا يحْتَاج إِلَيْهِ من أَسبَاب معونته

Taking it upon himself to take the means to support himself;

لَا تستفزه المعارضات

Not provoked by adversity;

شعاره الصَّبْر

His motto is patience;

وراحته التَّعَب

His comfort is in fatigue;

محبا لمكارم الْأَخْلَاق

Loving noble morals;

حَافِظًا لوقته

Guarding his time;

لَا يخالط النَّاس إِلَّا على حذر كالطائر الَّذِي يلتقط الْحبّ بَينهم

Not mingling with people except cautiously, like a bird plucking seed from their midst;

قَائِما على نَفسه بالرغبة والرهبة

Personally undertaking self-motivation and self-dissuasion;

طامعا فِي نتائج الِاخْتِصَاص على بني جنسه

Aspiring for the results of exceptionality in surpassing his own kind;

غير مُرْسل شَيْئا من حواسه عَبَثا وَلَا مسرحا خواطره فِي مَرَاتِب الْكَوْن

Not letting any of his senses roam in vain nor letting his thoughts wander in the realms of the universe.

وملاك ذَلِك هجر العوائد وَقطع العلائق الحائلة بَيْنك وَبَين الْمَطْلُوب

The essence of this is abandoning (individual or cultural) habits and severing ties that come between you and your goal.

وَعند الْعَوام أَن لُزُوم الْأَدَب مَعَ الْحجاب خير من إطراح الْأَدَب مَعَ الْكَشْف

And among the common people, adherence to decorum while remaining unenlightened is better than casting off decorum while achieving enlightenment.”