With extreme apologies, there’s a correction that’s needed:
Mujaahida is to struggle
one of the forms of mujaahida, then is to struggle against one’s self.

Wassalaam ma’al ikraam,

AlhamduLillah, May Allah guide us all to the true path, and grant us allll with hidaaya and the talab (the want) for His Deen (Islam)…

Everyone of us is in need of duaaz.

And truly. Allah Knows Best!

AlhamduLillah, May Allah guide us all to the true path, and grant us allll with hidaaya and the talab (the want) for His Deen (Islam)…

Everyone of us is in need of duaaz.

And truly. Allah Knows Best!

JazakAllahu Khair Brian for instigating such a thoughtful and mind provoking dialogue. Hope has indeed added much for our understanding.
Allah’s kindness is beyond our comprehension. Allah promises us that His help is always near but the responsibility of taking that first crucial step is ours. Allah no doubt takes into account our intentions. It is thus out of Allah’s infinite mercy that He may forgive our sins, big and small, done knowingly or unknowingly… as long as our intention is pure for Him and our efforts (according to our own capacities) are sincere… and Allah’s knows best… May He accept from all of us, Ameen!

These are inspiring notes that Hope has added here. I may not be so well versed in hadith and scholarly aspects of Islam, but I have read that at the time of the Prophet Muhammed,(peace be unto him,) even the then arabic speakers there who welcomed the original recitations were seen thus as converts.So there’s no shame sometimes in ignorance of terms even subtleties of meaninggiven that one
may have proceeded in the morning with a work effort like a bird seeking food, and trying to
follow the precepts set out in the Qur’an. Hope’s reply is like a signpost to me,and as such much appreciated. Inshallah..one can work on much encouraged.Brian Cokayne,Btockport, England

JazakAllah for your thoughtful comments. You are absolutely right… Indeed Allah is the most merciful and repeatedly forgiving. If one errs while trying (and everyone makes mistakes for no one is perfect) Allah will surely forgive any shortcomings. Allah judges intentions and takes into account all efforts. However, my focus is just on so many of our brothers and sisters who knowingly deprive themselves of knowledge just because they are afraid of submitting. For such ignorance, there will be no justification… and Allah knows best!