- FOLLOWING THE Longings OF THE NAFS

The seventh of the diseases of the heart is to enjoy the

these sorts of activities of the nafs is plainly conveyed in the

âyats of the Qur'ân. Moreover, it is additionally imparted in the

Qur'ân that following the longings of the nafs makes one withdraw

from the way of Allâhu ta'âlâ. For, the nafs consistently needs to deny

the presence of Allâhu ta'âlâ and to be die-hard or to rebel

against Him. Following the cravings of the nafs in each matter

comes full circle in venerating the nafs. Anybody who follows their

nafs either slips by into mistrust or digresses into a sin or

dives into committing harâms (acts disallowed by Islam). Abû

Bakr Tamistânî 'rahimahullâhu ta'âlâ' says, "The fortune of not

following the longings of the nafs is the greatest fortune of this

world. For, the nafs is the best of all cover between Allâhu

ta'âlâ and His slave". Sahl receptacle Abdullah Tustarî [d. in 283 Hijrî in

Basra] 'rahimahullâhu ta'âlâ' says, "The best of all loves isn't

to follow the longings of the nafs." Islâm receptacle Yûsuf Balhî

'rahimahullâhu ta'âlâ' once gave a gift to Hatam-ul-Esam

'rahimahullâhu ta'âlâ' When Hatam acknowledged the gift individuals

around him inquired as to whether his tolerating the gift wouldn't intend to

follow the cravings of his nafs. In answer, Hatam let them know that by

tolerating his gift he made himself modest and made him unrivaled,

also, he added, "On the off chance that I didn't acknowledge his gift, that would make myself

prevalent and him modest. What's more, my 'nafs' would adore that!"

Rasûlullah 'sall-Allâhu 'alaihi wa sal-lam' toward the finish of a long

hadîth said, "Three makes lead an individual calamity: being miserly,

following the cravings of the nafs, and being a prideful individual."

Imâm al-Ghazâlî 'rahimahullâhu ta'âlâ' said that the shroud which

keeps you from getting the assistance of Allâhu ta'âlâ is self esteem

('ujb). As such it is one's not seeing one's own

defects and considering one's venerates to be commendable. Îsâ (Jesus)

'alaihis-salâm' told his messengers, "Gracious my witnesses! The breeze has

quenched numerous a light. Similarly, 'ujb (confidence) annihilates

many demonstrations of love and takes out their thawâb."

It is accounted for that once Rasûlullah 'sall-Allâhu 'alaihi wa sal lam' said, "I'm especially apprehensive that my Ummat (Muslims) will

get two indecencies. They are: following the longings of the nafs and

overlooking demise and pursuing the world." Following

the longings of the nafs keeps one from obeying the

decrees of Islam. To fail to remember demise makes one follow the

wants of one's nafs.

In another hadîth, Rasûlullah 'sall-Allâhu 'alaihi wa sal-lam'

said, "The presence of shrewdness in an individual shows itself by his

command over his 'nafs' and by his planning of the things that will

be valuable in the afterlife. The indication of incompetence is one's following the

wants of one's nafs and afterward anticipating absolution and leniency

from Allâhu ta'âlâ." As indicated by this hadîth, following the

wants of one's nafs and afterward anticipating absolution and

permission to Heaven without contrition is suggestive of

ineptitude. Anticipating something without making the moves which

would create that normal outcome is called living in fantasy land

(tamannî). Then again, anticipating something subsequent to taking

the activities that would create the outcome is called trust or

assumption (rajâ). Living in fantasy land leads one into sluggishness.

Assumption then again is the reason for work and

creation. Wants of the nafs are called extravagant (hawâ). The nafs

continuously loves and wishes destructive things; this shrewd inclination is

innate in its temperament. The accompanying verse mirrors this reality very

obviously:

Continuously be careful about your nafs.

Never trust your nafs.

It is a foe to you,

More regrettable than seventy demons!

The damage brought about by following the longings of the nafs by

committing taboo activities and detested activities (makrûhs) is

impossible to miss. The nafs' desires are brutal longings. What's more, these

brutal longings are completely connected with everyday necessities. Up to a

individual attempts to fulfill these necessities, he will be postponed to

plan necessities of the Great beyond. One significant point that

ought to be noted by everybody is that the nafs won't ever happy

itself with (the satisfactions which Islam allows and calls)

mubâhs. All up to an individual fulfills its passable cravings,

the nafs will request more. On the off chance that an individual continues to fulfill its requests

in a rising example, the nafs will continue to request more! It will

never be fulfilled lastly will cajole man into taboo things.

Besides, using passable things in abundance causes despondency,

enduring and sicknesses. An individual who involves passable things in

overabundance will turn into a childish and base individual who generally considers

his brutish interests and delights.

[Imâm ar-Rabbânî 'rahimahullâhu ta'âlâ' an incredible Walî,

remarks on the current subject as follows: "The beginning of all

existing creatures is Adam. Adam implies nonexistence. While

nothing, with the exception of Allâhu ta'âlâ, existed, He knew their reality in

nonexistence. At the end of the day, things existed in His insight.

Allâhu ta'âlâ caused His Credits to consider these Adams in His

information and consequently made the beginning (asl) of these existent creatures

turn into a reality. Then He moved these starting points (asl), which were

in His Insight, into the outer domain. Consequently presences came

into being. Present presence emerged out of nonexistence

through the appearances of His Credits. It is like the

instance of an apple seed's being the beginning of an apple. To

comprehend the idea of individuals, let us ponder about

the picture of an item in a mirror. The picture that shows up in the

reflect is an impression of the light coming from the item. The

reflect is like Adam or nonexistence. The spirit and otherworldly heart

of a person are like the light. The mirror is like

the body of a person and brilliance of the mirror is comparable

to the nafs. The beginning of the nafs is nonexistence or Adam, and

it has no relationship to the spirit or to the otherworldly heart." A

individual who enjoys the cravings of his nafs consistently gets out of

the limits of Islam. Since creatures don't have thinking and

nafs, they generally use things that they need when they track down them.

They just avoid things that hurt them actually. Islam

neither disallows usage of vehicles that give a

agreeable and quiet living, nor prevents from appreciating

helpful common joys. Islam orders Muslims to follow the

rules set out by the religion and shrewdness for obtaining and

using these things. The objective of Islam is the agreeable and

serene living of people in this world and in the following.

Achieving this objective rests with following the insight and

avoiding the longings of the nafs. In the event that astuteness had not been

made, people would constantly follow the cravings of the

nafs and fall into catastrophes. In the event that the nafs didn't exist, people

couldn't duplicate and have a humanized existence. Additionally, without the nafs,

people couldn't acquire compensations for battle against the

nafs. Moreover, without the nafs, individuals couldn't rise

over the grades of holy messengers. Our Prophet 'sall-Allâhu 'alaihi wa

sallam' said, "In the event that creatures had known the information you have

about the things that would occur in the eternal life, you

couldn't have the option to track down any meat to consume!" Creatures would

not have the option to eat or drink, in this manner, get more fit and die

on account of their feeling of dread toward the disciplines in the Great beyond. On the off chance that

people didn't have nafs, like creatures, they, as well,

would not be able to eat or drink as a result of the apprehension about the

discipline, and in this manner would not be able to live. Continuation of

day to day routines of people relies upon the neglectful nature

(ghaflat) of their nafs and its affection for common flavors. The

nafs resembles a sword with twofold edges, or a medication which

has solid toxic properties. Anybody who utilizes this

medication as per the medicine given by the specialist

benefits from the valuable properties of the medication. Contrarily,

anybody who involves this medication in an outrageous style will die

as a result of the harmful properties of the medication. Islam does indeed

not endorse annihilation of the nafs. Running against the norm, it

suggests the nafs be subdued so it ought to be used for

doing helpful deeds.]

Two kinds of battle (jihâd) against the nafs is utilized in

request to forestall the nafs from violating against the

rules set by Islam. The first is classified "riyâzat".

"Riyâzat" is an individual's opposition against the enticements of his

nafs. This is achieved by using two methods: wara' and

taqwâ. "Taqwâ" signifies not doing illegal activities, or in other

words, it is an approach to residing wherein one doesn't commit

taboo activities in one's everyday issues. Wara' signifies restraint

from harâms (taboo demonstrations) yet additionally from a pointlessness

in the mubâhs (acts, delights and flavors which Islam

grants). The second kind of battle (jihâd) against the nafs

requires performing things that the nafs hates. This is called

mujâhada. Every one of the demonstrations of love are mujâhada in light of the fact that the nafs

could do without to perform love. These two sorts of battles

tame the nafs and mature people and reinforce their

spirits and lead them to the method of Siddîqs (individuals who have

achieved the most significant level of devotion), saints (Shahîds) and

devout (Sâlih) Muslims. Allâhu ta'âlâ isn't needing the

loves of His animals. Offense of His animals will by

no means hurt Him. He directed these previously mentioned

things to tame the nafs and to make a battle

against the