One of the supplications attributed to our Immaculate Imams (a) states,
[O’ Allah!] Do not disgrace me alongside the wicked.
Allow me to join the righteous who have passed, and make me one of the righteous who remain. Seal my deeds with the best of them and guide me on the path of the righteous...
And assist me against my soul with that which You assist the righteous against themselves...
And do not let me fall into evil from which You have saved me, O’ Lord of the worlds...72 This text portrays a state of conflict between two parties; between the individual and his own self (the soul of the individual). The Imam (a) teaches us that humans live in a state of internal conflict and they must seek help from Allah Almighty in this struggle.
Each of us lives a struggle with their internal self which commands them to do evil,73 adorning all prohibited and forbidden acts. We live this struggle constantly, and must seek assistance and support from Allah Almighty so that we can prevail in this struggle and overcome our own desires and inclinations.
The supplication reveals that this issue must be a concern for all of us. Even the righteous are in need of divine assistance in their struggle with themselves. It is Allah who gives the means of success in this struggle, such as piety, righteousness, faith, and fear of Him. We are in need of divine assistance to achieve
and maintain all of this. This is what the Imam (a) means when he teaches us to say,
And assist me against my soul with that which You assist the righteous against themselves.
No matter how righteous and pious a person may be, even when they reach these high levels, they still need divine help because of the stakes and difficulty of this battle. The parties involved are not on equal footing in terms of potential success or failure.
The evil-bidding soul possesses many means to tempt and seduce humans, including temptations and desires. It uses these means to entice the individual and lead him towards disobedience of Allah Almighty.
What are the means that grant immunity against the temptations and seductions of the self?
Piety, righteousness, and fear of Allah fortify a person against being swayed by what their soul desires and submitting to its whims. But not everyone possesses the means to avoid temptation and desire. Even those who possess the means granting immunity still need divine help and assistance.
A person can stand against his evil-bidding soul and say “No!” This requires immunity fortified by righteousness, piety, and fear of Allah.
Those who do not possess these means have a lamentable state.
Immunity against temptation does not come just from praying and fasting; they alone are not sufficient! It is necessary to combine them with righteousness, piety, and fear of Allah. Only then can a person possess immunity against the evil-bidding soul.
Even then, we cannot guarantee victory in this struggle. We are constantly in need of divine help, assistance, and kindness.
The Imams (a) teach us that no matter how much righteousness and piety each of us attains, we always need divine assistance! So turn to Allah Almighty and ask Him for assistance in this struggle until you conquer the evil-bidding soul, overcome it, and subdue it to your will.
Divine assistance is necessary! No matter how righteous a person may be, he cannot do without divine care and divine help!
We should remember this and turn to Him, asking Him to help us against ourselves as He helps the righteous against themselves. We ask Allah for success for us all.