❖ Allah, exalted, says, “Many prophets have fought, with large bands of godly men alongside them who, in the face of their sufferings for Allah’s cause.” (Al `Imran: 146)
❖ Allah, exalted, says, “Do not lose heart or despair - if you are true believers you have the upper hand.” (Al `Imran: 139)
❖ Thawban, Allah be pleased with him, said, “Allah's Messenger ﷺ said, ‘Nations will soon summon one another to attack you just as people eating together invite one another to their dish.’ Someone asked, ‘Will that be because of our few numbers at that time?’ He replied, ‘No, you will be many then, but you will be scum and rubbish like that carried down by a torrent, and Allah will take fear of you from the breasts of your enemy and cast enervation into your hearts.’ Someone asked, ‘What is enervation, Messenger of Allah?’ He replied, ‘Love of the world and dislike of death.’” [1284] Reported by Abu Dawud (4297) and the wording is his, as well as Ahmad (22397).
Causes of impotence:
1- Weak faith.
2- It normalises enervation and contentment with humiliation.
3- Love of the worldly life and attachment to it.
4- Having covetousness for and immersion in its pleasures.
5- Disliking death, clinging to whatever life there is, even if filled with denigration and shame.
6- Division and splitting up over petty differences is a great cause of impotence, weakness, and enervation in the heart of the Ummah.
7- Poor nurture and cultivation of moral values.
8- Despair of the bitter state the Ummah is currently experiencing, having no hope for its future.
9- This kills one’s resolve, aspiration, and ambition.
10- Accompanying the deserting betrayers, and heeding the words of the doubtful and the despairing.
Harms of impotence:
1- It is one of the reasons for incurring Allah’s hatred as well as His Messenger’s.
2- It is a cause for the enemy’s empowerment over the Ummah and humiliating it, stealing its resources, and violating its sanctity.
3- Impotence does away with protective jealousy.
4- It allows for people’s honour to be desecrated, the removal of their rights, and transgression against their inviolables and wealth.
5- A cause for the loss of the Ummah and its division, belittlement, and lack of awe.
6- It is a cause of the earth’s destruction, the corruption of land, and this as a result of the empowerment of tyrants.
Curing impotence:
1- Strengthening and increasing one’s faith.
2- Faith is a flame which is set alight in one’s heart, dispelling enervation and incites its resolve.
3- Asceticism and renunciation of the worldly life, taking from it only that which a traveller would at a pitstop.
4- This is a sure means to invigorate one’s strength.
5- Welcoming death, wholly accepting it if for the sake of the religion and its sanctity.
6- Not rushing victory and empowerment, being patient over calamities, and having certainty in Allah’s coming victory and His honouring His forces, empowering His allies.
7- Comparing the state of the believers with that of the disbelievers when calamities befall them.
8- Whatever anguish befalls the believers, the like of it struck the disbelievers.
9- The difference is that whilst the believer experiences physical pain, he is spiritually strong, having strong faith and a noble cause, awaiting the Garden in the next life. Allah, exalted, says, “You can hope to receive from Allah what they can never hope for.” (al-Nisa’: 104)
10- Certitude in the empowerment and elevation of the religion, facilitated for by Allah giving it and its people victory.
Impotence in proverbs and sayings:
❖ It is said, “Mix not your certitude with doubt such that your resolve is lost, nor let your taking action reside on doubt such that impotence enters you.” [1285] al-Tadhkirah al-Hamduniyyah, Ibn Hamdun (1/380).
❖ They say about the weak and impotent, “He has no might (budhm); no resolve (sayyur); no bite (ukl).” Meaning, he has no valuable opinion and no strength. [1286] al-Amthal, Ibn Salam (1/21).
❖ “The head of the ignoble may bear impotence, but not blandishment.” [1287] al-Tamthil wa al-Hadarah, al-Tha`alabi (1/62).
Summary of Ethics
