15.self Purification

SELF-PURIFICATION
INTRODUCTION
Tazkiah is an Arabic-Islamic term alluding to "tazkiyah al-nafs" meaning
"sanctification" or "purification of the self". This refers to the process of
transforming the nafs (carnal self or desires) from its deplorable state of self-
centrality through various spiritual stages towards the level of purity and
submission to the Will of Allah.
- Tazkiah: Purification of the Soul
Its basis is in learning the shari'ah and deeds from the known
authentic sunnah and applying it in your own deeds through life resulting in
spiritual awareness of Allah. To analyze the topics we will discuss the importance
of self-purification in the light of quran and hadith, the stages of nafs, attainment
of self-purification and its impacts.
IN LIGHT OF QURAN AND HADITH

QURAN
The word Tazkiah has been used in many places of the Qur'an. It has been used
18 times in 15 verses of 11 Surahs
For the importance of the self-purification and how the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and
the Quran is the model we should look-up to for it, the Quran states:
• "Our Lord, and send among them a messenger from themselves who will
recite to them Your verses and teach them the Book and wisdom and
purify (tazkiah) them. Indeed, You are the Exalted in Might, the Wise."
-Al-Baqarah: 129
For those who seek success in this world the Quran has said:
• "He will indeed be successful who purifies it and he will indeed fail
whoever pollutes and corrupts it"
-As-Shams 91:1-10
For the importance of purity of heart and how its will be the only thing of value
on the Day of Judgment:
• "On that Day, neither wealth nor children will be of any benefit, only he
(will be happy) who comes before Allah with a sound heart free of evil"
-As-Suaraa 26:88-89
HADITH
The word tazkiah is also found in a few hadith, with also of a meaning as purify
and sanctify.
Ibn Abbas narrated that when the Messenger of Allah read this verse (Truly he
succeeds who purifies it and he fails who corrupts it!), he used to stop reciting
and say:
• O Allah, give to my inner-self (nafsi) piety (taqwa), and purify it for You
are its
Guardian and its Master and the best Purifier
-Bukhari, and Muslim
The Prophet (PBUH) said:

• Truly in the body, there is a morsel of flesh, and if it is guided (to the way
of Allah), the whole body will be guided and follow accordingly, and if this
organ is left to go astray, the whole body will follow and go astray; indeed
this (organ) is the heart.
-Muslim
When the heart is cleansed of all vices and enlightened by the guidance of Allah,
the rest of the body and all its senses will follow accordingly. Furthermore, the
Prophet (PBUH) pointed out the importance of the role of faith in the heart,
when he said:
• “Verily, faith in your hearts wears out, just as clothes do. So ask Allah to
renew faith in your hearts.”
STAGES OF THE NAFS (INNER-SELF)

There are three principal stations of nafs or human consciousness that are
specifically mentioned in the Qur'an. They are stages in the process of
development, refinement and mastery of the nafs.
• nafs-al-ammārah: unruly animal self or soul that dictates evil.
• nafs-al-lawwāmah: struggling moral self or self-reproaching soul.
• nafs al-mutma'inna: satisfied soul or the composed God realized self.
1. THE ANIMAL NAFS (nafs-al-ammārah)

The journey begins with the challenge of freeing oneself from the influence
of shaytan and the nafs-al-ammara. Al-Kashani defines it as follows: the
commanding soul is that which leans towards the bodily nature (al-tabī'a al-
badaniyya) and commands one to sensual pleasures and lusts and pulls the heart
(qalb) in a downward direction. It is the resting place of evil and the source of
blameworthy morals and bad actions. In its primitive stage the nafs incites us to
commit evil: this is the nafs as the lower self or the base instincts. In the
eponymous sura of the Qur'an, the prophet Yusef says
"Yet I claim not that my nafs was innocent: Verily the nafs of man incites to
evil."
2. THE REPROACHFUL NAFS (nafs-al-lawwama)

If the soul undertakes this struggle it then becomes nafs-al-
lawwama (reproachful soul): This is the stage where the conscience is awakened
and the self accuses one for listening to one's selfish mind. The original reference
to this state is in sura Qiyama:
"I call to witness the regretful self (the accusing voice of man's own
conscience)"
The sense of the Arabic word lawwama is that of resisting wrongdoing and asking
God's forgiveness after we become conscious of wrongdoing. At this stage, we
begin to understand the negative effects of our habitual self-centered approach
to the world, even though we do not yet have the ability to change. Our
misdeeds now begin to become repellent to us. We enter a cycle of erring,
regretting our mistakes, and then erring again.
-Robert Frager, Sufi Psychology of Growth, Balance and Harmony
3. THE NAFS AT PEACE (nafs-i-mutma'inna)

The Qur'an explains how one can achieve the state of the satisfied soul :
"Those who believe, and whose hearts find their rest in the remembrance of
God – for, verily, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find satisfaction
(tatmainnu alquloobu)."
-(Sura Ar-Ra'd 13:28)
Once the seeker can successfully transcend the reproachful soul, the process of
transformation concludes with nafs-al-mutma'inna (soul at peace). However, for
some Sufis orders the final stage is nafs-as-safiya wa kamila (soul restful and
perfected in Allah's presence). The term is conceptually synonymous
with Tasawwuf, Islah al-Batini etc.
-Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali, p. 73
ATTAINMENT OF SELF-PURIFICATION
Tazkiyat al-Nafs involves:
• Emptying one's soul from any existing evil characteristics
• Re-filling it with good and desired characteristics
• Piety
• Paying Zakat
• Offering Salat
• Establishing Justice
• Taqwa
• Following up bad deeds with Good ones
• Treating people in with resect and sincerity
Dr. Muzammil H. Siddiqui has mentioned five important steps for spiritual
growth:
• Repentance (Tawbah)
• Remembrance of Allah (Zikr)
• Recitation of the Quran (Tilawah)
• Righteousness and Clarity (Taqwa, Sadaqah)
• Supplication (dua)
IMPACTS OF SELF-PURIFICATION
INDIVIDUAL BENEFITS
• Attainment of true inner-peace
• A pure heart and soul is the most effective way to get closer to God
• It spiritually heals. Strengthens the will and builds character which was one
of the main goals of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) for his followers
• Maintains mental health and consciously develops the individual
• Tazikah is pivotal in transforming the nafs from its deplorable state of ego-
centricity through various spiritual stages towards the level of purity and
total submission to the will of Allah.
SOCIAL IMPACTS
• Tazakiyah al-Nafs promotes co-operation on matters that lead to the
betterment of society and refrain from sinful matters.
"Whoever wants to purify his spirit self, must first put in effort to purify
his physical deeds". -Ibn al-Jawzy
• To gain moral virtues and enteral happiness for purification man purges his
blameworthy traits before he can integrate moral and ethical virtues.
• With self-purification one gain control of their ego, greediness, anger,
hatred, jealously, injustice, and all kinds of heart and soul diseases. Which,
stops damaging the society from the outcomes of his blameworthy actions
and the begins healing the society and makes it prosperous.
• Its promotes justice and protects weaker segments of society
• It develops the passion for doing charity and leading to social welfare.
CONCLUSION
The aim of tazkiah and moral development is to attain falah or happiness, thus
realizing the nafs al-mutma'inna. This is the ideal stage of mind for Sufis. On this
level one is firm in one's faith and leaves bad manners behind. The soul becomes
tranquil, at peace. At this stage Sufis have relieved themselves of
all materialism and worldly problems and are satisfied with the will of God. Man's
most consummate felicity is reflecting Divine attributes.

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SELF-PURIFICATION

IN LIGHT OF QURAN AND HADITH

The Prophet (PBUH) said:

STAGES OF THE NAFS (INNER-SELF)

1. THE ANIMAL NAFS (nafs-al-ammārah)

2. THE REPROACHFUL NAFS (nafs-al-lawwama)

3. THE NAFS AT PEACE (nafs-i-mutma'inna)

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