Nafs

[Muhammed Bahauddin]

As Salamu Alaikum

Can we call the Nafs a Kafir? And if he isnt a Kafir, what is it then?

As Salamu Alaikum

[dawaman]

Eudhubinlahiminseytanirrajim
Bismillahirrahmanirrahim
Allahumme sali ala seyidina Muhammadin wa ala alihi wa sahbihi wa sellem.


GHAZALI ON JIHAD AL-NAFS [FIGHTING THE EGO]

Translated from the following parts of 'Ihya' `Ulum al-Din' [The Revival of the Religious Sciences]:

a)Definitions at the beginning of the book "Kitab sharh `aja'ib al-qalb" [Book of the Explanation of the Mysteries of the Heart]

b)Section entitled: "The Soldiers of the Heart" in the same book

c)Section entitled: "Shaytan's domination over the heart through whispering [al-waswas]" in the same book

d)Section entitled: "Proofs..." from the book "Kitab riadat al-nafs wa tahdhib al-akhlaq wa mu`alajat amrad al-qalb" [Book of the training of the ego and the disciplining of manners and the healing of the heart's diseases]

a) Meaning of nafs: It has two meanings. First, it means the powers of anger and sexual appetite in a human being... and this is the usage mostly found among the people of tasawwuf [sufis], who take "nafs" as the comprehensive word for all the evil attributes of a person. That is why they say: one must certainly do battle with the ego and break it (la budda min mujahadat al-nafs wa kasriha), as is referred to in the hadith: A`da `aduwwuka nafsuka al-lati bayna janibayk [Your worst enemy is your nafs which lies between your flanks. Al-`Iraqi says it is in Bayhaqi on the authority of Ibn `Abbas and its chain of transmission contains Muhammad ibn Abd al-Rahman ibn Ghazwan, one of the forgers].

The second meaning of nafs is the soul, the human being in reality, his self and his person. However, it is described differently according to its different states. If it assumes calmness under command and has removed from itself the disturbance caused by the onslaught of passion, it is called "the satisfied soul" (al-nafs al-mutma'inna)... In its first meaning the nafs does not envisage its return to God because it has kept itself far from Him: such a nafs is from the party of shaytan. However, when it does not achieve calmness, yet sets itself against the love of passions and objects to it, it is called "the self-accusing soul" (al-nafs al-lawwama), because it rebukes its owner for his neglect in the worship of his master... If it gives up all protest and surrenders itself in total obedience to the call of passions and shaytan, it is named "the soul that enjoins evil" (al-nafs al-ammara bi al-su')... which could be taken to refer to the ego in its first meaning.

b) God has armed soldiers which He has placed in the hearts and the souls and others of His worlds, and none knows their true nature and actual number except He... [He proceeds to explain that the limbs of the body, the five senses, will, instinct, and the emotive and intellective powers are among those soldiers.] Know that the two soldiers of anger and sexual passion can be guided by the heart completely... or on the other hand disobey and rebel against it completely, until they enslave it. Therein lies the death of the heart and the termination of its journey towards eternal happiness. The heart has other soldiers: knowledge (`ilm), wisdom (hikma) and reflection (tafakkur) whose help it seeks by right, for they are the Party of God against the other two who belong to the party of shaytan...

God says: "Have you seen the one who chooseth for his god his own lust?" (25:43) and "He followed his own lust. Therefor his likeness is as the likeness of a dog; if thou attackest him he panteth with his tongue out, and if thou leavest him he panteth with his tongue out" (7:176) and about the person who controlled the passion of his ego God says: "But as for him who feared to stand before his Lord and restrained his soul from lust, Lo! The garden will be his home" (79:40-41).

Know that the body is like a town and the intellect of the mature human being is like a king ruling that town. All the forces of the external and internal senses he can muster are like his soldiers and his aides. The ego that enjoins evil (nafs ammara), that is, lust and anger, is like an enemy that challenges him in his kingdom and strives to slaughter his people. The body thus becomes like a garrison-town or sea-outpost, and the soul like its custodian posted in it. If he fights against his enemies and defeats them and compels them to do what he likes, he will be praised when he returns to God's presence, as God said: "Those who strive in the way of Allah with their wealth and lives. Allah hath conferred on those who strive with their wealth and lives a rank above the sedentary" (4:95).

c) The thoughts that stir one's desire are of two kinds... praiseworthy, and that is called "inspiration" (ilham), and blameworthy, and that is called "whispering" (waswasa)... The heart is owned mutually by a shaytan and an angel... The angel stands for a creature which God has created for the overflowing of benefit, the bestowal of knowledge, the unveiling of truth, the promise of reward, and the ordering of the good... The shaytan stands for a creature whose business is to be against all this... Waswasa against ilham, shaytan against angel, success (tawfiq) against disappointment (khidhlan).

The Prophet (s) said: "There are two impulses in the soul, one from an angel which calls towards good and confirms truth; whoever finds this let him know it is from God and praise Him. Another impulse comes from the enemy which leads to doubt and denies truth and forbids good; whoever finds this, let him seek refuge in God from the accursed devil." Then he recited the verse: "The devil shows you fear of poverty and enjoins evil upon you" (2:268) [Tirmidhi: hasan; Nisa'i; `Iraqi did not weaken it].

Hasan al-Basri said: "Two thoughts roam over the soul, one from God, one from the enemy. God shows mercy on a servant who settles at the thought that comes from Him. He embraces the thought that comes from God, while he fights against the one from his enemy. To illustrate the heart's mutual attraction between these two powers the Prophet (s) said: "The heart of a believer lies between two fingers of the Merciful" [Muslim, Ahmad, Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah]... The fingers stand for upheaval and hesitation in the heart... If man follows the dictates of anger and appetite, the dominion of shaytan appears in him through idle passions [hawa] and his heart becomes the nesting-place and container of shaytan, who feeds on hawa. If he does battle with his passions and does not let them dominate his nafs, imitating in this the character of the angels, at that time his heart becomes the resting-place of angels and they alight upon it...

The Prophet (s) said: "There is none among you in whom there is not a devil" They said: "Even in you, O Messenger of God?!" He said: "Even in me, but God helped me to overcome him and he has submitted to me, so he doesn't order anything except good" [Muslim]... The mutual repelling of the soldiers of the angels and the devils is constant in the battle over the heart, until the heart is conquered by one of the two sides which sets up its nation and settles there... And most hearts have been seized by the soldiers of shaytan, who fill them with the whispers that call one to love this passing world and disregard the next.

d) The Prophet (s) said: al-mujahidu man jahada nafsahu fi ta`at Allah `azza wa jall [The fighter against unbelief is he who fights against his ego in obeying God; Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah, Ibn Hibban, Tabarani, Hakim, etc.]... Sufyan al-Thawri said: "I never dealt with anything stronger against me than my own ego; it was one time with me, and one time against me"... Yahya ibn Mu`adh al-Razi said: "Fight against your ego with the four swords of training: eat little, sleep little, speak little, and be patient when people harm you... Then the ego will walk the paths of obedience, like a fleeing horseman in the field of battle."

Here I start: :D

The Nafs has 7 maqams (levels) we muslims are on the 1st level called
Ammara.Kafirs are below the Ammara nafs because they deny Allahs existances.

when a person performes biat(swearing Alliegence to Allah and his prophet throw a an designated Awliya) with a Shayk a Tariqat they automaticaly move to level 2 Lavvame. And with the spiritual training the Shayk aids the student(mureed) to come to higher stations.

Bismillah,
Ya ayyatuha aln nafsu almutmainnatu89:27 (To the righteous soul will be said:) "O (thou) soul, in (complete) rest and satisfaction!
89:28 IrjiAAee ila rabbiki radiyatan mardiyyatan Come back thou to thy Lord,- well pleased (thyself), and well-pleasing unto Him!

89:30 Waodkhulee jannatee"Yea, enter thou My Heaven! "

When one dies being on the 4 level Mutmainne (the satisfied nafs) He is pleased with Allah and Allah SWT is pleased with him. Allah grants this person a special Jannah

The hadith master Mulla `Ali al-Qari relates in his book al-Mawdu`at al-kubra, also known as al-Asrar al-marfu`a :

Suyuti said: al-Khatib al-Baghdadi relates in his "History" on the authority of Jabir: The Prophet (S)came back from one of his campaigns saying: "You have come forth in the best way of coming forth: you have come from the smaller jihad to the geater jihad." They said: "And what is the greater jihad?" He replied: "The striving (mujahadat) of Allah's servants against their idle desires."

{1) Emmâre 2) Levvâme 3) Mulhumme , 4) Mûtmainne, 5) Râzıyya , 6) Mardiyya ve 7) Kâmila .}

[Travelleress]

As Salamu Alaikum

Can we call the Nafs a Kafir? And if he isnt a Kafir, what is it then?

As Salamu Alaikum

Asalamu 'alaykum,

Shaykh Nuh, may Allah protect him, advises not to hate on the nafs too much. After all, the nafs is what can take you to the ranks of the awliya...insha Allah...

Wasalam

[Omar HH]

The nafs is the same thing as the Ruh (it is a level of Ruh).

How can you hate your own soul?

And how can your own soul be kaffir if you are Mumin?

The ascription of Muslim or kaffir applies to the individual and NOT to objects or things or parts of a human. "Is my leg kaffir" "Is that tree kaffir" "Is the pig kaffir" are similiar questions.

Wassalam.

[bd_syed]

Assalamu alaikum Brother,
Shaitan is afraid of the words ,“ Auju Billahi Minash Shaitanir Rajim” and the burning flame of Noor , in the heart of the devotee.
I am extremly sorry to say that you are in darkness about Nafs.
Please do not misguide anybody without knowing. Allah Rabbul Ijjat has mentioned about Kalb, Ruh, Sir, Khafi, Akhfa & Nafs seperately. Ruh is different than Nafs. Ruh has no desire, Nafs has desire.
NAFS -E- AMMARA
Nafs- e -Ammara is more dangerous than Iblish and it is the main enemy of men. The habit of Nafs-e-Ammara is to work as per directives of Shaitan and try to guide the men towards the destruction. The greediness of Nafs is very strong. So it is very necessary to oppose Nafs-e-Ammara and work against it’s demand. Due to the influence of Shaitan and Nafs-e-Ammara , in general men face problem in doing honest work, leaving the restricted works and sinful act as per rules & regulation of Shariat. As such it is not possible for everybody to achieve ‘Spiritual Character’, even the learned man knowledgeable in religious knowledge sometimes becomes derailed. It is not possible to get Allah with only Elme Jaher (External knowledge). Those who are knowledgeable in both Elme Jaher and Elme Baten (Hidden knowledge) and practice accordingly , only they can expect the meeting (Blessings) of Allah.
“Oh Almighty Allah please save us from the bluff / trickery of our main enemy Iblish and Nafs-e-Ammara.”
The main key to acquire ‘Spiritual Character’ is to be free from the hidden or internal qualities of Sinfulness / Bad Habits / Tendency to evil act. . Internal bad qualities influence man to be involved in sin. These bad qualities are:
a. Pride b. Self-conceit c. Misery d. Cheating e. Jealousy f. Anger g. Suppression/ Oppression h. Desire for enjoyment /oppression,
i. Desire to gain wealth and fame.
2. For the emancipation on the day of Judgment the following ten (10) good qualities are essentially required to be acquired by everyone.
a. Be ashamed of Sinful work (Tawba )
b. Have patience in sufferings/ misfortune (Sabar)
c. Remain pleased with the wish /order of Allah ( Reja)
d. Be grateful to the blessings of Allah (Shukur)

e. Be afraid of Allah ( Khauf)
f. Remain hopeful for the blessings of Allah (Rwaja)
g. Practice austerities and self-restraint (Johod)
h. Perform prayer to Allah sincerely and wholeheartedly (Ekhlas)
i. Well behave with all the creature of Allah (Good Behave)
j. Have Love & Respect for Allah (Hobbey Fillah)

NAFS There are three types of Nafs.
Nafs -e- Ammara,
Nafs -e- Lawama ,
and Nafs-e-Mutmayenna.
Nafs-e-Ammara: It is very dirty, worst, and sinful. As such always try to provocate for doing sinful work. It does not repent after doing sin. It is uncultured, shameless and immodest.
Nafs-e-Lawama: It is a bit modest and pious. As such it can identify good and bad. If it does any wrong , then & then it repent for that and self reproach is created.
Nafs-e-Mutmayenna: This is educated and perfectly pious. It never does any wrong and sin. It becomes visible due to enlightening by luster of Allah.
Without the knowledge of Elme Marifat it is not easy to discuss these things.
wa Salam

[lumumba_s]

:salam:

The wali al-kabir, sayyid of the `awliya, qutb of his age, and psion of the Prophetic household, Mawlay al-Arabi Darqawi says in his Rasa'il ad-Darqawiyya,
The ruh (spirit) and the nafs (self) are the same luminous thing from the world of light. Allah knows best, faqir, but it is not two different things even though it has two descriptions: purity and turbidity. The root is purity and the branch is turbidity. If were to you ask, "How is that?" I would reply that as long as the ruh retains its purity, excellence, radiance, beauty, nobility, height and elevation, then only the name 'ruh' is true for it. When it leaves its original purity, excellence, radiance, honour, height, and elevation, and becomes turbid by leaving its homeland and relying on other than its loved ones, then it is true to call it 'nafs'. We can designate it according to its low ranks - 'commanding evil", "reproachful", and other names, and we cane also designate it according to high ranks which are very numerous. It is said that it has as many imperfections as Allah has perfections.

My brother, if you wish to return to your homeland from which you came - and it is the world of purity - and to leave a foreign land behind - which is the world of turbidity - then act! If you ask, "How shall I act?" I reply, "Strip yourself of the world of impurity as a sheep is stripped of its skin. Forget it, and do not remember it at all." Then, Allah willing, your luminosity will grow stronger, i.e. the meanings will come to you with their immense, powerful, force armies. They will carry you swiftly to your homeland. However, test it. The knowledge of the realities lies in the testing.

There is no doubt that Allah knows the reality of the ruh since it has secrets which cannot be counted or enumerated as Allah said to His Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, when the Jews asked about its reality. He did not know, rather he could not know its reality. When they wanted to question him about it, they said, "If he answers us, he is not a Prophet. If he does not answer us, then he is indeed a Prophet." He did not answer them until Allah taught him what to say to them. There is no doubt that incapacity is the attribute of the slave. Slaveness is nobility. Because of that, Allah praises His Prophet with it when He says in His Book, "Glory be to the One who travelled with His slave by night." He did not say, 'His Prophet' or 'His Messenger' or anything else. He chose the name 'slave' for him because nobility lies in slaveness. It is said that the nafs has a secret and that that secret did not manifest itself to any of Allah's creation except for Pharaoh. That is why he said, "I am your Lord Most High."

Wa salam.Don't ask me to explain that last part. Perhaps someone can quote the words of Imam Sha'rani, Shaykh Qunawi, or another of the `arifeen who explained this statement.