1. Riyaad-us-Saliheen Struggling for the cause of Allah Taught by Br Wajdi Akkari Commentary of Shaikh Ibn Uthaymeen Lesson 24

2.  Mujahadah - derivative Jihad  Jihad is struggling and striving  Fighting against the enemies of Allah is also a struggle - Jihad  Militant fighting is Qitaal Notes

3.  " As for those who strive hard in Us (Our Cause), We will surely, guide them to Our paths (i.e., Allah's religion - Islamic Monotheism). And verily, Allah is with the Muhsinun (gooddoers)". (29:69) We need to take steps as opposed to asking others to make Duaa for us  "And worship your Rubb until there comes unto you the certainty (i.e., death)". (15:99) Sufis claim they have reached certainty and use this Ayah as a reason for not praying – Yaqeen here means death as every thing upon earth will die  "So whosoever does good equal to the weight of an atom (or a small ant), shall see it". (99:7)  "And whatever good you send before you for yourselves (i.e., Nawafil - non-obligatory acts of worship:prayers, charity, fasting, Hajj and Umrah, etc.), you will certainly find it with Allah, better and greater in reward.'' (73:20)  "And whatever you spend in good, surely, Allah knows it well.'' (2:273) Verses

4. Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Messenger of Allah ( ﷺ ) said, "Allah the Exalted has said: 'I will declare war against him who shows hostility to a pious worshipper of Mine. And the most beloved thing with which My slave comes nearer to Me is what I have enjoined upon him and My slave keeps on coming closer to Me through performing Nawafil (prayer or doing extra deeds besides what is obligatory) till I love him. When I love him I become his hearing with which he hears, his seeing with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes, and his leg with which he walks; and if he asks (something) from Me, I give him, and if he asks My Protection (refuge), I protect him". [Al-Bukhari]  The definition of Wali’ are those have Iman and Taqwa, we do not have saints in Islam, we have righteous people or wicked people, and there are different levels among these  Those who establish Iman in their hearts concerning everything they are obliged to believe in, those who fulfil the righteous deeds with their limbs, they protected themselves from all violations, they have combined Iman with Taqqwa these are the Awliyya of Allah, it is not something established by claim. Hadith

5.  Whoever has enmity against the Awliya’ (Those who believe and are among the Muttaqeen), Allah has declared war against them (hadith)  In the Qur'an those who consume or deal with Riba, they are also at war with Allah  We have to be careful as some think that when a person has made a mistake it is fine to belittle and demean the Ulama. Nobody is perfect  Verily the only ones who fear Allah among the people are the Ulama (the scholars)  Unless, they clearly go against Islam or have some clear major issues in belief. An example is Hamza Yusuf, a known Sufi teaching different ways of Ibaadah  This hadith also proves the existence of Wilayah between Allah and His creation (of two types): General, having authority over all of creation nothing we do will affect it; "Our messengers [i.e., angels] seize his soul, and they do not fall short of their duty"' (Surah al An’am 6:61) And Allah acting according to what is befitting for each person this requires actions of a person, it is the one who have the correct belief and actions who will attain the help of Allah; Allah is the ally of those who believe. He brings them out from darknesses into the light. And those who disbelieve - their allies are Taghut. They take them out of the light into darknesses. Those are the companions of the Fire; they will abide eternally therein. (Surah Baqarah 2:257) Explanation