Is it permissible to say that the struggle against oneself must precede the struggle against the enemy?

There is no harm in the saying, "The struggle against oneself (jihad al-nafs) comes before the struggle against the enemy (jihad al-aduw)," because the struggle against oneself is the foundation for struggling against the enemy, for enduring its hardships, and for seeking reward therein. Furthermore, some hadiths prefer the struggle against oneself.