The Difference Between Striving Against the Self and Striving Against Satan, and Which Is More Severe

Question:
May Allah reward you, Honorable Shaykh. This questioner says: I have not been able to distinguish between striving against the self and striving against Satan, so what is the difference between them?

Answer:
What Allah willed, there is no difference between striving against the self and striving against Satan. Striving against your self: your self wants to sleep, it wants rest, it does not want to stand in night prayer, it does not even want to get up for the Fajr prayer. It does not want to fast, so you need to strive against it regarding that and make it patient for that. This is striving against your self: it wants desires and turns away from acts of obedience. So you must be with your self Your self is the most difficult thing for you, and it is the first of your enemies that you must strive against. Satan is an external enemy, and your self is an internal enemy. Yes.