Refinement of the nafs (ego)

Dear Readers,

Islam is a divine order that tries to save human from everything his nafs idolized and to connect him with his real creator, Allah (swt). The basis of this order is "faith". This order aims at improving and nurturing the human by getting to know Allah (swt). Refinement of Nafs (tazkiyatun nafs) and Purifying the Heart (tasfiatul qalb) are two important stages of the maturation. This article is about "Refinement of Nafs".

Nafs is the self, which is composed of wishes and desires of the person. The ego, which expresses some wishes emerging from the vital needs for the person's life, is not what we call as nafs. The nafs that we mention about being refined is covered with evil desires and wishes that some of them has become passion because of continuous repetition. This is called "Nafs-i Ammara" (the evil-commanding nafs). "Nafs-i Ammara" is a nafs that doesn't know Allah nor pay attention to mind or heart. It pushes the person until it achieves what it wants by repeating them. Allah (swt) orders for such egos:

"The (human) soul is certainly incites to evil." [Yusuf, 53] 

This kind of personality needs the knowledge of Allah (Swt) and a divine training. Otherwise, the person will cause problems for himself and the society.

# The biggest struggle!

Rasulullah (s.a.w) ordered in the Hadiths that:

"The nafs surrounding you is the worst enemy of yours." [Deylemi] 

"The strongest enemy of the human is his nafs, then comes his family." [Deylemi] 

The nafs is a powerful enemy and it is hard to overcome it without the help of Allah. On returning from a holy war Rasulullah (s.a.w) said, "We returned from the Small Jehad, now it is time for the Big Jehad". The companions of Rasulullah (s.a.w) asked "What is the Big Jehad, ya Rasulullah?" He answered, "It is the struggle with the nafs". In another Hadith, it is ordered that:

"The supreme Jehad is the one with the nafs in the way of Allah" [Taberani] 

It is seen that to control the nafs is not easy and it is a supreme Jehad. It cannot be done without the help of Allah (swt).

Ruknaddin Abul Fath hazrats stated that:

"Refinement of nafs is only possible with help of Allah and seeking refuge in Allah. It is ordered in Qur'an that: "Yet I do not absolve myself (of blame): the (human) soul is certainly incites to evil, unless my Lord do bestow His Mercy: but surely my Lord is Oft- forgiving, Most Merciful" (Yusuf, 53). Nafs cannot be refined without the mercy and help of Allah. It is also ordered: "Were it not for the grace and mercy of Allah on you, not one of you would ever have been pure: but Allah doth purify whom He pleases: and Allah is One Who hears and knows (all things)" (Nur, 21). The sign of this mercy and grace is being shown his disgraces." And continues:

"...If a small piece of light from divine grandness shines in the heart of a person, he will value all the important people in the world as soil. The realities of the world would not be important for him. As it covers his heart, he hates the animal characteristics of the realities of the world.” ¹

# If a person counts on himself rather than Allah (swt)

If a person counts on his small will rather than Allah (Swt) about refinement of his nafs, he will learn the reality by swearing to give up and break his oaths many times, as I did before.

Dear Readers, our hearts must not be blind. Nothing happens in the universe without the permission and order of Allah (swt). Even a leaf cannot move nor can a feather fly. Therefore, we must ask Allah's help for everything in our lives and devote ourselves to Him and trust Him. Allah (swt) Who is merciful and graceful always responds His servants.

A person must be intelligent and try to refine his nafs. Allah (swt) orders that:

"Truly he succeeds that purifies it, And he fails that corrupts it!" [Shams, 9-10]

In Hadith it is also ordered that:

“The smart person is the one who takes control of their self and acts for what which comes after death; and the foolish person is the one who simply follows their whims and then has false hopes with Allah.”  [Tirmizi] 

Abu Bakr Tamsitani ordered, "Salvation from obeying the nafs is the biggest blessing, because nafs is the biggest obstacle between the human and Allah (swt)". ²

Sahl bin Abdullah Tusteri hazrats also ordered that: "The most precious worship is not to obey the wishes of nafs." ²

We shouldn't let our nafs free but try to dominate it with the help of Allah and refine the nafs from all kind of evil things in order to reach salvation.

# Refinement of nafs

Dear Readers,

Refinement of the nafs is controlling the never ending desires and wills of nafs, being saved from its passions and addictions, teaching the nafs to accept what Allah gives, disciplining it by nurturing its desires and training it to have its desires by the limits of religion rather than unlawful ways.

In brief, refinement of the nafs means controlling the negative desires and wishes of the nafs that may harm himself as they are excessive.

Allah (swt) ordered in a Hadith Qudsi that:

"Struggle with your nafs! Because your nafs is my enemy."

In Hadith, it is also ordered that:

"The supreme Jehad is the one with the nafs".  [I. Neccar]

This Jehad with the nafs is achieved by doing Riyazat and Mudjahada.

# Riyazat (Self Discipline)

"Riyazat means not performing the actions that nafs wishes."

"It is done by taqwa and wara. Taqwa means avoiding the things that are forbidden by religion. Wara means to avoid using the permissible things not more than needed, besides things that are forbidden by religion." (Muhammed Hadimi) ³

Dear Readers,

Self-discipline is helpful only when it is achieved within the frame of our religion's definition. Otherwise, it won't be helpful. "People understood that self-discipline meant starving and fasting. However, it is more difficult and helpful to eat as our religion orders than fasting for years. When a person is offered delicious food and he accepts only the amount that is ordered by our religion, which will be a superior self-discipline. If a person, who performs worship for a thousand of years and self-discipline with a difficult struggle, doesn't obey Rasulullah's order, all of his works will not be valuable. It is useless like a mirage in the desert." (Imam-i Rabbani)⁴

Sharafuddin Ahmet bin Yahya Muniri orders that:

"Islam doesn't order suppressing the lust and rage of the nafs but to make use of it according to the religion by controlling both of them. Riyazat is not used to suppress them, but to train them in accordance with the religion."²

# Mudjahada (Self-struggle)

Mudjahada means performing the unwanted and difficult actions for the nafs. In brief, it is worship and obedience to Allah's orders. "Worship means both training the nafs by struggling, and relieving the heart by having a spiritual connection with Allah (swt)." (Ali ibn Amrullah) ⁴

"The evil ideas that nafs reminds to a person are surpassed only by struggle (worship and obeying Allah's orders)". (Muhammed Hadimi) ⁴

# The thing that impedes recognition of Allah is the desires of the nafs!

Muhammed Masum hazrats orders that:

"The youth is the most precious times of a life. It is when a person is healthy and strong. As the time passes, we become older. Unfortunately, we leave reaching to Marifetullah (Knowledge of Allah) to the last phase of our lives, which are dreams... We spend the most honorable times of our lives on reaching the desires of the nafs which is the most harmful and worst thing."

"Allah (swt) created human and djinn to make them reach Marifetullah, His will and love. The strongest obstacle that prevents a person from reaching Marifetullah is his nafs."²

# Fanaa (Extinction) and Baqaa (Permanency) Stages

Dear Readers,

The reason of all prohibitions and orders of the religion and Riyazat and Mudjahada to obey them is to train the nafs to stop its wild wishes. The wishes of the nafs diminish as one obeys the rules of religion. As the visions of these heart-capturing desires disappear, the signs of Allah in the heart become clear. Muhabbetullah (love for Allah) replaces the love for the world in the heart.

[The meaning of Allah's signs becoming clearer in the heart is metaphorical. It means dhikr and remembrance of Allah in the heart.

Allah is excluded from all kind of thoughts, opinions, illusions, dreams and envisions in mind or heart. All of these envisions are created by Allah in our minds and they are not Allah Himself. Allah doesn't resemble anything that is created by Him.]

When the visions of world emerged in the heart because of the desires and wishes of nafs (ego characteristics as covetousness, arrogance, jealousy, vindictiveness) disappear, it is called "Fanaa" status. When the dhikr of Allah becomes continuous, it is called "Baqaa" status.

Refinement of the nafs helps someone achieve Fanaa stage although it is not enough for Baqaa stage. Therefore, the heart must be purified. I hope to write about purifying the heart in my next article.

Be entrusted to Allah.

----------- 
(1) Der. Abdullah Yildiz. Ruknaddin Abul Fath. Turkiye Gaz. Hikmetler kosesi 
(2) Der. Ali Guler. Nefsin terbiyesi. Turkiye Gaz. Bir Bilene Soralim kosesi 
(3) Dini Terimler Sozlugu, Vol. 2, p.141 
(4) Dini Terimler Sozlugu, Vol. 2, p.53 

The biggest worship

Dear Readers,

As one of the most important spiritualists, Ibrahim Hakki hazrats from Erzurum states love, affection and passion for Allah have solution for every problem. Because the love for Allah is the "light of the faith". The more this light is, the stronger the belief becomes. As belief progresses, a person is freed from his passions and addictions caused by the wishes and desires. One begins breaking the chains of "ego" which is the biggest captivity. He begins to surpass beyond his "egocentric" personality by getting away from egoism gradually. He realizes the other values rather than himself. While he doesn't care anything except himself by considering his will and desires, he explores new realities by breaking the imaginative fiction world of his ego. He realizes what his ego has done to him gradually. This means knowing his nafs (ego) and Allah gradually. This is the beginning of salvation from unawareness. It is called "yakaza" state in Tasawwuf.

"Yakaza" state is a transition where one escapes from "meaning blindness" and realize "meaning realities" (Al Haqq ). The relation between a person in "yakaza" state with meaning realities is alike the relation between semiconscious person and real world.

# The status of a person who deifies his own whim

Be careful when a person, whose heart is blind, captured by his ego, says he believes in Allah (swt). Because his real god is the passion of his nafs. Allah (swt) orders:

"Seest thou such a one as taketh for his god his own passion (or impulse)? Couldst thou be a disposer of affairs for him?"  (Furqan, 43) 

"Then seest thou such a one as takes as his god his own vain desire? Allah has, knowing (him as such), left him astray, and sealed his hearing and his heart (and understanding), and put a cover on his sight. Who, then, will guide him after Allah (has withdrawn Guidance)? Will ye not then receive admonition?" (Jathiya, 23)
 

If those people are forced to choose between their passions and works appropriate to Allah's will, they always prefer to be subject to their own desires. However, as his love for Allah (swt) increases and his belief becomes mature, he prefers Allah's will. Dear Readers, never look down on someone who says I believe in Allah (swt) regarding his state. As Allah's mercy is wide enough to cover everyone having a piece of belief in his or her hearts. It is ordered in the verse from the Qur'an that:

"The desert Arabs say, "We believe." Say, "Ye have no faith; but ye (only) say, 'We have submitted our wills to Allah,' For not yet has Faith entered your hearts. But if ye obey Allah and His Messenger, He will not belittle aught of your deeds: for Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." (Hujurat, 14)

It is seen that even the belief doesn't cover the heart totally, anyone who obeys Allah (swt) and Rasulullah (pbuh) are gifted with unlimited mercy of Allah. Therefore, never try to evaluate someone's belief by considering his sins. Allah (swt) has the judgment. Try to be close to Allah (swt) and work for your own salvation by having Allah's sake. Help yourself first to help others salvation.

# The way to escape from unawareness: Remembering Allah

Dear Readers, the biggest disaster that a person can experience is being unaware of Allah (swt), his creator. Then a person doesn't realize that Allah (swt) decides on everything about his life, as life and death, world and Hereafter, richness and poverty, good and bad, wellness and illness, but thinks that some weak and unable things have some power and strength. He can understand the reasons but he cannot understand the reason of reasons. However, even a leaf cannot move without Allah's will.

The most significant way to be saved from this unawareness is reading Qur'an, the words of Allah and mention Allah as much as possible. It is ordered in the Hadiths that:

"Qur'an and dhikr strengthens the faith in heart just as the water grows the grass" (Ramuz al-Ahadis) 

"For everything there is a polish and the polish for the heart is the dhikr of Allah" [Bayhaki] 

"The difference between someone who remembers His Lord and someone who does not is like the difference between the living and the dead." (Bukhari) 

# The biggest worship is mentioning Allah

Dear Readers, I stated in my previous article that spending time with something and remembering it often creates spiritual connections that we are not aware of by forming "spiritual closeness". I also stated that this spiritual closeness is transformed into "spiritual passion" in time if the remembering is repeated continuously. It is a characteristic of human nature. It is completely natural. Remember how lovers, game addicts, fans of Metallica and sport fans become addicted.

Love and passion for Allah is a source of mercy and goodness that controls all harmful passions of the nafs. We must transform the love and belief of Allah (swt) in our heart to a passion, to get rid of or at least control all other passions and commitments of our nafs. It can be accomplished by obeying orders of Allah (swt) and remembering Him as much as possible. Therefore, it was very important for Allah and His messenger Rasulullah (saw), that people read Qur'an and remember Allah (dhikr). "Dhikr" is given a great importance. Even Allah (swt) mentioned Qur'an and Salah as dhikr. As M. Esat Cosan hazrats stated, dhikr is mentioned 200 times in Qur'an and it is ordered that Allah (swt) must be remembered often. These are the evidences to show how important remembering Allah is. Remembering Allah is so important that, it is ordered in Ankabut, 45 that:

"Remembrance of Allah is the greatest (thing in life) without doubt." (Ankabut, 45) 

 Rasulullah ordered in one of his Hadith that: 

"The one who engages in dhikr has the highest rank of all before Allah than the spending of gold and silver in the service of Allah or taking part in jihad and  becomes red with their blood, truly those who do dhikr are better than him in rank. Remembrance of Allah (swt) is superior to giving gold and silver in charity. This is dhikr. Then remember Allah more." (Ibn-i Hibban)  

Rasulullah ordered that dhikr has a higher rank than being a martyr for Allah (swt).

In my opinion, now you can understand why ahl-i tasawwuf  (Sufis) put significant emphasis on dhikr.

# The easiest but the most fructuous worship

Dhikr is such worship that it doesn't have "time" or "place" limitations. It has no certain conditions. It is done through the heart by remembrance. It is the easiest worship. It can be done at night, during the day, at bed, in the bus, in the sea while you are walking or doing sports. It can be done in every place and every occasion. But the best is to do dhikr by sitting towards the Qibla in a cleaned state with wudu. As dhikr is acquiring a spiritual skill; it is based on remembering Allah by heart.  Repetition will not be helpful without remembering by heart. However, one mustn't give up repeating it as it is not helpful. Even once Allah is remembered by heart when you say Allah for 100 times, this remembrance by heart is a great gain. How some announce at commercials on radio and television take place in our hearts by repetition, the voiced dhikr places in our hearts when it is repeated continuously. Dhikr is easy and beneficent protecting people from Allah's gadap. Rasulullah ordered that:

"Who cannot pray at night or spend his good in charity must remember Allah more." [Bazzar]

"Remember Allah always so that you may be saved." (Tirmizi, Ibnu Mace)

As I stated in my previous article, the highest level of remembering Allah is saying "Lailahe illallah" as much as possible. It is ordered in the hadiths that:

"The best dhikr is Lailaha illallah." [Tirmizi]

Allah, which is the real name of Him or other beautiful names of Him can be remembered to dhikr. What is important here is to remember Allah (swt) in every occasion and fill our hearts by His love and belief. It is ordered in the verse from the Qur'an that:

"When ye have performed the prayers, celebrate Allah's praises, standing, sitting down, or lying down on your sides."  (Nisaa, 103)

The heart must remember Allah every moment. A person mustn't be unaware of his Creator whom he will reach for sure. Rasulullah ordered that someone who doesn't remember Allah when sitting, laying or walking will regret this in the Hereafter. Don't regret by forgetting Allah and get lost in the beauties of the world.

Be entrusted to Allah.

Human's debt of gratitude

Dear Readers,

I stated that one of the most important mechanisms enabling the harmony to social environment is "automation" in my previous article. Automation means becoming the unconscious spiritual acquisitions of the repeated behaviors, repeated ideas and repeated memories, by connecting to a spiritual automation. Most of the time people are not even aware of it. Automation is a phenomenon acquiring skills in behaviors, interactions, relations, and connections. Those spiritual acquisitions and relations reflect to heart as "spiritual affinities" or "spiritual connections". As long as repeats increases, this spiritual connections become more stronger. Moreover, after a while these spiritual passions become addictions. This love and passion in the heart makes the person a crazy of the loved thing.

These love and passions, which became addictions, are blessings if they are for good things that Allah (swt) approves. They bring benefits and good things for themselves and their society. However, if they are about their nafs (ego), they will bring disasters for both themselves and their society. Even the things that are considered as harmless are related to the nafs, cause problems when they become passions and addictions. For example, a little child who always plays computer games can be a "game addict", a teenager who listens to music becomes "music addict", a mother who watches tv series becomes " tv series addict" and a father who always watches football matches becomes "football addict". Those people are interested in anything but what they are addicted to. They began ignoring each other because of their addictions. They never quit their addictions as they really enjoy them. Therefore, the family members are like strangers even they live in the same house. The communication, love, and connection between the family members disappear.

# Spiritual passions and addictions are the disasters of the human

The spiritual connections and passions that emerge by repeating the spiritual desires are generally not limited to the thing what is being addicted to according to the strength of the spiritual love. It comprises other related things. For example a football addict is also interested in the football teams, players, TV shows and football interpretations in the newspapers. In other words, interest and love for something is not limited for the thing itself but also comprises what is related to them. Therefore, these addictions and passions are for a group of objects and events.

These passions and addictions of nafs (ego), which are illnesses, are disasters that capture his nafs unconsciously and unaware of the bad things it brings because of the love in his heart. Many people don't need a cure, as they are not aware of the situation.

The shortest way to get rid of such passions and addictions is being away of their addictions. The repeated synergy causes spiritual connections although when a person abstains them these spiritual connections disappear. There is a proverb in Turkish "Out of sight, out of mind".

The real key to salvation from these addictions is love and remembrance of Allah (swt). This remembrance draws away all other passions in time by keeping him away from all other desires and creates a love and passion for Allah. Ibrahim Hakki hazrats from Erzurum ordered, "Love, affection and passion for Allah have solution for every problem. Love is a fire in the heart. It burns anything rather than Allah in the heart." 

# Human's Debt of Gratitude

The most important passion that must be in a person's heart is the love of Allah. This is a person's debt of gratitude. Because Allah is the one who created him and meets all his needs. Allah is the owner, patron and the closest friend of the human. Allah is the real owner of every blessing that is given to human in many occasions. The Creator presented the human with a hundred of bio-mechanisms. Every moment, hundred thousands of enzymes, coenzymes, hormones, chemical group agents and electron agents provide the power and energy for some precursors and components and keep the body healthy by completing ten thousands of biosynthesis perfectly. Allah (swt) protects the human from the harmful fungi, bacteria, and viruses with various protection, defense, and immunity mechanisms. Allah (swt) supports the human for the negative conditions of the ecology with hundreds of compliance mechanisms. Allah (swt) enables the healthy continuity of humankind by genetic, somatic, physiologic, and psychological mechanisms. Allah (swt) is the one Who provides health, welfare, and well-being of human and humankind every minute. Allah (swt) enables human evaluate his present, past and future and take precautions beforehand for the possible difficulties by creating amazing and helpful knowledge, inventions, and works as a result of various plans and designs. Allah makes human righteous by the perfect education support which is called "religion" and reach the level of moral nobility that no other creature has. Doesn't human have a debt of gratitude for the infinite blessings, which cannot be listed here adequately? Therefore, the biggest love, passion and addiction must be for Allah (swt) Who is the creator and ruler of the entire universe and the real owner of all benefits, goodness and blessings that the humans are gifted with.

Unfortunately, most of the people live unaware of Allah (swt) and the infinite blessings given by Allah (swt). Of course, the most important reasons of this blindness are the wishes and desires of nafs. The human who is stuck in the never-ending desires of his nafs cannot realize the blessings of Allah (swt).

The human must try to identify his nafs and educate it by abstaining from what Allah (swt) forbids (Riyazat) and being subject to what Allah (swt) orders (Mudjahada). Afterwards, he must have a strong love for Allah (swt) by remembering Allah (swt) to whom he owes gratitude and thanks. A person mustn't forget Allah even for a second. Everybody will meet Allah (swt) one day when he will be asked how and where he used these blessings. Nobody can escape from it. Allah, who has the power to create out of nothing, build and rule the universe having perfect order, also has the power to recreate the human and question him. Nobody must doubt it.

One mustn't forget that human needs the love and closeness to Allah. Allah (Swt) doesn't need the closeness of any of His servants. As He is nearer to each of servant than (his) jugular vein. It is ordered in the verses from the Qur'an that:

"It was We Who created man, and We know what suggestions his soul makes to him: for We are nearer to him than (his) jugular vein." (Qaf, 16)

# A person must remember Allah every minute

Dear Readers,

A person must zikr (remember) Allah (swt) and recite "bismillah" before beginning any work. He must recite "Lailahe illallah" (kelime-i tevhit) when he feels that his heart is filled with anything rather than Allah, "Subhanallah" (kelime-i tenzih) when he thinks the greatness of Allah, "Elhamdulillah" (kelime-i tahmid) when Allah gifts him with blessings, "Allah-u Ekber" (kelime-i tekbir) when he thinks the supremacy of Allah (swt), "La havle ve la kuvvete illa billah" (kelime-i temcit) when he thinks Allah has the power for everything, "Hasbinallah ve nimel vekil" when he trusts Allah about everything, "Estagfirullah" (kelime-i istigfar) when he falls into a sin or remembers his past sins. A person must remember Allah (swt) by every work he performs, everything he faces, and every condition he is in.

One must cite "Lailahe illallah" which is the superior zikr as much as possible. He must cite it so many times that the others think he is crazy. It is ordered in the hadiths that:

"Mention Allah as much as you want, until (factious) people say that you are crazy" (Ramuz'ul Ehadis)  

Zikr must be cited by heart or by words that can be heard only by the person himself.

A person reaches the real knowledge of Allah only after the remembrance of Allah becomes an irreplaceable passion in his heart. This is when Marifetullah occurs. Therefore, how a newborn baby gets to know his mother, who is always with him taking care of all the needs, better than everyone, a person who remembers Allah and His blessings is aware of Allah.

Be entrusted to Allah.