Jihad against One’s own Soul
Shamsuddeen Muhammad bin Abee Bakr Ibn Qayyim aj-Jawzeeyah as-Salafi (d.751 A.H.) -Rahimullaah- said:
‘Since Jihad against the enemies of Allaah outwardly is a branch of Jihad a slave of Allaah makes against his-own self for the sake of Allaah, as the Prophet -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam- said: ‘The Mujahid is the one who makes Jihad against his own-self and his desires for the sake of Allaah.’ [From: ‘Silsilah Saheehah’ No. 1496]
Then the Jihad of one’s own self precedes the outward Jihad of the enemy, and this Jihad is foundation for the Jihad against the enemy, since whoever does not make Jihad against one’s own self firstly, so he does that which he has been commanded with and leaves that which he has been prohibited against, and he fights his soul for the sake of Allaah, then he cannot outwardly do Jihad against the enemy, so how can he possibly do Jihad against his enemy and deal with him justly, while his own enemy who is within him is overpowering him, controlling him, and he did not fight him, and he did not fight against him for the sake of Allaah, rather he cannot have the capability to go against his enemy until he makes Jihad against his own soul.’
[Take from: ‘Zad al-Maa’ad’ 3/p.6]