PURIFICATION OF SELF (TAZ'KIYAH NAFS)

Purification of Self is the process of transforming the nafs through various spiritual stages to purity and complete submission to the Will of Allah. It is the spiritual awareness of Allah who is with us by His Knowledge and knows our deeds, with constant Remembrance or Dhikr in our thoughts and actions.

The greatest aim of the Divine Messengers was to emphasize the importance of refinement, purification, and training of human selves. It encourages and strengthens the piety.

Some of the Ayahs of the Glorious Qur’an regarding the above caption is reproduced below:

“Our Lord raise amongst them an apostle from among them, who should recite to them Your signs, and teach them the Book and wisdom, and purify them. (2:129)

“As We sent to you an Apostle from among yourselves, who recites to you Our signs, and purifies you, and teaches you the Book and wisdom, and teaches you what you did not know.” (2:151)

Allah certainly favored the faithful when He raised up among them an apostle from among themselves to recite to them His signs and to purify them, and to teach the Book and wisdom, and earlier they had indeed been in manifest error. (3:164)

It is He who sent to the unlettered (people) an apostle from among themselves, to recite to them His signs, to purify them, and to teach them the Book and wisdom, and earlier they had indeed been in manifest error.” (62:2)

“(And said,) ‘Go to Pharaoh, for indeed he has rebelled, and say, “Would you purify yourself?”

“Felicitous is he who purifies himself” (87:14) “one who purifies it (self) is felicitous.” (91:9)

The Ayahs of the Glorious Qur’an and narrations about human-self may be divided into two categories; Celestial self which strives to attain sublime stations of human perfection leading toward God’s Countenance, and Animal-self representing the lower animal desires. Animal -self demands food, water, clothing etc. for living. Similarly, sexual desire is for the continuation of human race. But this is means to an end the end being the life Hereafter. The ideal position is to strike a balance between Celestial and Animal selves. The prophets and the Infallible Imams lead a social life, got married and had children and still took care of their Celestial Selves.

The Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.) said, “I was appointed for the prophethood so that I may accomplish the important task of moral perfection within human souls. My Ummah will enter the Paradise for piety and excellent moral conduct. Your greatest enemy is yourself, located between the two sides. On the Day of Resurrection, people will reappear in the faces of monkeys and pigs because of their animal like deeds.

The Commander of the Faithful Imam Ali (a.s.) said, “Self is like a precious jewel, whoever tries for its protection, he will help him attaining exalted positions, and whoever acted negligently in his protection, he shall pull him to humiliation. Whoever knows the worth of his self, will never allow himself into worldly amusements, lowness of passions, false desires, and shameful deeds. Self commands you continuously to indulge in evil deeds, therefore whoever trusted his self, he will deceit and destroy him. Self-consciousness is one of the most profitable assets of a person. Continuation of invocation (dhikr) is the nourishment of human souls and illumination of hearts.

                Source: Self Building by Allama Ibrahim Amini

                                Lecture of Hujjatul Islam Maulana Mukhtar Faezi at Baitul Ilm