In Islam, the idea of Nafs is the inner self or the soul, which is the soul of a person and their moral guide. It is one of the key concepts of Islamic teachings, as it appears many times in the Quran. The Nafs’ meaning is regarded as the place of conflict between the animal instincts and the spiritual goals. It is neither good nor bad, but it develops through personal effort and self-control. This is a path of cleanness that is a prerequisite of self-development and religious triumph.
The Nafs stages have been widely investigated by scholars and researchers. Therefore, texts and Sufi cultures explain how it goes through the inciting self, fueled by desires, to the peaceful self, or in the will of the divine. Research highlights self-awareness and struggle in the inner soul in this change. Therefore, the Nafs is emphasized in the Quran and prophetic traditions as one of the major aspects of reaching moral excellence and spiritual harmony.
The Nafs journey is the great path of self-discovery and development. It also calls people to contemplate their inner lives and fight to be pure. The soul is turned into a mirror of divine qualities by conquering bad qualities such as pride and greed. This change is not only associated with inner peace, but also with a more peaceful world. According to the Nafs, the only way to become successful is to control oneself and follow a greater cause.
What is Nafs?
Nafs derives from the Arabic word that means breathing. Therefore, this relationship gives emphasis to its association with life. Nafs is mentioned close to 300 times in the Quran. It means the individual self, as well as the human soul. Thus, this demonstrates the fact that we are all related and yet we are all individual in the sense of responsibility. Our Nafs is associated with our free will and our intelligence.
The Quran does not specify Nafs either as being good or evil. Rather, it introduces the self as something that should be built up. An individual has to develop their Nafs. The self can attain goodness through conscious thoughts and actions. Thus, this self-control is a special element of the Islamic spiritual journey. Our inner place of struggle between low desires and spiritual aspirations is the Nafs.
The three major stages of Nafs.
The Nafs can be explained in an elaborate manner with references to Sufi philosophy. Therefore, this tradition explains a process of development. There are also various levels passed by the Nafs to reach purity. Therefore, the Quran talks of three major stages. Thus, these are the phases of self-development.
1. The Extigating Nafs (Al-Nafs al-ʾAmmārah).
This is the least developed state of the self. The Stirring Nafs drives one to evil. It is the lowest order of our instincts. It is motivated by the animal instincts and ego. Therefore, this phase is aimed at satisfying the appetites without being moral. In the Quran, this stage is referred to as Prophet Yusuf tells him that, Verily nafs is an inciter to evil.
Fighting this lower self is one of the major themes in Islam. One of the more popular traditions is the one that narrates about Prophet Muhammad after the battle. He also referred to the physical war as the lesser of the wars. He proceeded to relate the greater struggle (Jihad Akbar). Thus, this higher struggle is the struggle against self-temptations. The first step towards spiritual progress is taming the Inciting Nafs. It involves making efforts to control negative emotions such as greed, lust, and pride.
2. Self-Blaming Nafs (Al-Nafs al-Lawwama).
The second level is the Self-Accusing Nafs. Conscience comes to consciousness on this level. Therefore, the self starts observing its faults. It is guilty of succumbing to inferior wants. Thus, this is the voice of self-reproach. An individual at this level regrets his/her errors. Therefore, they are the ones who are in pursuit of forgiveness.
This step is recognized in the Quran in Sura al-Qiyama. This Nafs is influenced by the heart. It knows the repercussions of its activities. It also sees its weaknesses. Also, it starts searching towards perfection. Therefore, this is a healthy criticism within the company. It depicts that the self is taking a step out of the state of being heedless. The battle in this case is to hear the conscience and make more logical decisions.
3. The Nafs in the State of Peace (Al-Nafs al-Muṭmaʾinnah)
This is the desired condition of the self. The Nafs at Peace is tranquil. It is firm in its faith. It has left malpractices and a negative character behind it. The soul is relieved and satisfied. In this level, an individual is content with the will of God. They are not burdened with the fears of materialism and worldly issues. This soul is directly discussed in the Quran: O soul, in peace, to thy Lord, well pleased and pleasing him. This is the final objective of the spiritual journey. It represents a self that is innocent. It exists in harmony with its Godly cause. Also, it is the goodness and stability of this Nafs.
Further Stages of Nafs Development
In addition to the three major levels, Sufi intellectuals explain four levels. These are an even greater cleansing of the self. They trace the way of progression of inspiration to do good to the attainment of a state of utter oneness with the divine will.
- The Inspired Nafs (al-Mulhamah): This soul is inspired to do good, and the soul can know what is right and what is wrong. It has its acting on its good inspirations.
- The Pleased Nafs (ar-ra). This self is contented with all that God provides. It is present-day, and is satisfied with the will of the gods.
- The Pleasing Nafs (al-marḍīyyah): this soul has acquired a condition that is pleasing to God. It is considerate and tolerant of others.
- The Pure Nafs (aṣ-ṣafiyya): it is the utmost level. The soul is made and totally dedicated to God. It is an image of the divine qualities.
This is a seven-stage model of the whole path of the Nafs. It starts with the fight against the low desires. It culminates in a state of sanctity and spiritual perfection.
The Battle Against the Lower Self
The pilgrimage of the Nafs is an inner struggle. This is the battle against the ego of an individual. The Islamic teachings lay stress on the fact that the main enemy is internal. It is not about the external enemies but about self-betterment. This is conquering bad qualities, which are the hallmark of the primitive Nafs.
The characteristics are:
- Pride (Takabbur)
- Greed (Tamaa)
- Jealousy (Hasad)
- Lust (Shahwah)
- Backbiting (Gheebah)
- Stinginess (Bokhl)
- Malice (Keena)
These traits have to be overcome through discipline and spiritual exercises. The goal is to purify the soul. This purification is needed for clear perception. True knowledge requires a healthy soul, particularly knowledge of spiritual realities. With the Nafs, an individual would have his will aligned with the will of God. This is the way to real success and paradise.
Conclusion
Nafs is not only a psychological model. It is an action plan of the human potential. Every stage is a decision. It has been a choice between choosing to act upon our lowest instincts or the desire to desire our highest spiritual nature. The Nafs trip is the trip of being a slave of the ego to the trip of becoming a servant of the divine.
A thinker should not think of the self as a free-standing thing, but as a reflection. The mirror in its inciting state is full of dust of greed, pride, and desire. It is a distorted, selfish version of the world. By the efforts of self-criticism and exercises of spiritual purification, we set to work to remove that dust. Therefore, the mermer of conscience and inspiration are reflected in the mirror, the cleaner it is. The final objective is to cleanse the Nafs until it becomes absolutely clean. Pure Nafs is a mirror of the qualities of the divine; it becomes the source of beauty and peace in the world. It is this change that is the reason why we exist.
