Nafs - The Base Self

 There is a potency inside human beings which always encourages mischief and evil instincts.  It is called the Base Self (Nafs).  Contrary to it, the Soul (Ruh) always desires good and virtuous.  The Heart (Qalb) is between the Self and the Soul.  Sometimes it leans towards the Self and sometimes, towards the Soul.  For that reason, it is called Qalb, i.e. one which keeps rolling here and there.

 

The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) says:  The heart is like a feather in a plain.  Breeze from this side whisks it away to that side and breeze from the other side to the other.  Similarly, the Heart doesn’t remain in 1 state.  That’s why sometimes it is pious and at other times, a sinner.  The way smoke gradually darkens the roof, similarly the smoke from the evils of the Self also darken the heart.  Gradually, this darkness becomes a veil for the Soul and the Heart.  Then, the effect of the Soul on the heart becomes almost negligible and the Heart goes blind.  One doesn’t understand what is correct.  Similarly, the hereafter has no importance for the heart and the world becomes the be all and end all.  That person hears the tribulations of the hereafter and the conditions of hell and simply ignores them.  For a person with such a Heart, even his intellect becomes useless in matters of the hereafter.

 

        Now only the Soul remains.  It becomes like rusted iron.  A Soul like that doesn’t have any effect and the Self rules all over.  It orders various evil.  The Soul becomes helpless and the Heart and the intellect have surrendered to the Self.  Then evils keep happening and this is called Nafs ‘Ammaarah (The Self which always incites towards evil).

 

This is the reason the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said:  The greatest enemy is your Self, which is inside you. 

 

If Almighty Allah graces you, you get some virtuous company or somebody’s advice affects you, then the path to guidance opens.  Even though, mischief is the nature of the Self and it desires it, then again it reproaches itself.  It sins, then regrets and repents.  This is called Nafs Lawwama.  This is a very good attribute.  It gives the foundation for good deeds and guides one to save oneself from sins.

 

By profuse remembrance of Allah Most High and following the Shariah against the Self, the radiance of the Soul illuminates the Self along with the heart.  Mischief is the nature of the Self, but due to the radiance of the Soul, praiseworthy attributes are developed in the Self like chastity, piety, patience, etc.  By turning to Allah Most High in all situations, by thinking that everything that happens is from Allah Most High and acquiescing to it, a kind of contentment is developed.  This is called Nafs Mutmainna.

 

We have been blinded by the illusions of this world in such a manner that we don’t even know what kind of Self do we have.  Just wait!  Let the curtains be lifted, then you will know that what had to seated by your side, you have made it to sit at the door and what had to be seated at the door, you have brought it inside.

 

One more thing!  As long as you are alive, no matter how content the Self is and seems like a saint, one should never become carefree about it.  All this sainthood is a mere necessity of the moment.  It is still full of mischief.  It appears pious only because there are no openings for sinning.  If these openings become available, then one can see what mutations it shows.  Contrary to this, the Self of the Prophets becomes Mutmainna in such a way that there is no possibility of regression again.  The reason is that the radiance of their Souls is so overwhelming that the Self doesn’t even think of any mischief.  Though, there is mischief in their Selves but it cannot ever be expressed.  That is why it is said that the Prophets are Innocent (Ma’asoom).

 

The Self is a close enemy which practices its enmity in the guise of friendship.  For that reason, always keep disobeying it.  If you take courage and are patient, it will become subservient to you.

 

        Manhood is that one has control over one’s Self.  No matter how death-like it appears one should never consider it dead.

 

Alas!  We consider this Self to be our friend.  With its conspiracies Satan loots the heart and no desire to worship Allah Most High is left.  If worship is performed sometime, there is no pleasure in it.  One doesn’t understand what is correct.  For such a heart, preparing for the hereafter seems very difficult.

 

On the other hand, for the person who considers the Self as an enemy and has turned this saboteur out of the heart the Satan doesn’t get a chance to enter and steal.  In such a heart, a radiance is cast through which that person sees that there 2 doors before him (or her).  One of the hereafter and the other of the world.  The door of the hereafter is piety and the door of this world is desires and Self.  The Self stands at the door of the world and calls out to that person and the Soul stands at the door of the hereafter and calls out to that person.  That person busies himself in preparation of the hereafter.

 

Hadhrat Bayazeed Bustami (May Allah shower His Mercy on him) saw Almighty Allah in a dream and entreated:  O Lord Almighty!  What is the closest means of coming closer to You.  It was said:  O Bayazeed!  Stop obeying your Self.  Then the path is straight.  Keep coming.

 

Words of disbelief and polytheism don’t allow the love of Almighty Allah to develop and keep one away from it.  The way to a person bitten by a snake, a Neem leaf seems sweet, similarly to a person who has been bitten by the Self, which is a snake, words of disbelief and polytheism, which are truly bitter, seem sweet.  After death, when the venom is removed, then their bitterness will be apparent.

 

Permissible things are beneficial to an extent.  When they become excessive, they also become harmful and the heart becomes hardened.  The Self is like a wild-running horse.  Once it escapes one can rein it in only with difficulty.  That is why if permissible acts exceed their limits, stop them then and there.  If the Self starts wandering in the permissible things, it will start wandering in the impermissible as well and will not stop even upon trying.  For this reason, my friends!  It has to be watched very carefully.

 

[Excerpted from Mawaaiz-e-Hasana, Vol. 1]