Tazkiyatu nafs (purification of the soul)

[Abu-Salman]

Bismilahi Rahmaani Rahiim. May the peace and the blessings of Allah be upon our beloved Prophet Muhammed Ibn Abdullah. Asalamu alaykum wrahmatulahi wbarakatu.

 

 

The following is a question asked to our beloved sh. Abdulqani Bashir about the issue of Tazkiyatu nafs(purification of the soul) and its answer.

 

How can one purify his/ her soul?

 

 

To begin with, Allah swt has sworn the issue of self purification eleven times in suratu Sham.

Saying:

 

وَالشَّمْسِ وَضُحَاهَا

 

 

وَالْقَمَرِ إِذَا تَلَاهَا

 

وَالنَّهَارِ إِذَا جَلَّاهَا

 

وَاللَّيْلِ إِذَا يَغْشَاه َا

 

وَالسَّمَاءِ وَمَا بَنَاهَا

 

وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَا طَحَاهَا

 

وَنَفْسٍ وَمَا سَوَّاهَا

 

فَأَلْهَمَهَا فُجُورَهَا وَتَقْوَاهَا

 

 

قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَن زَكَّاهَا And” successful are those who purify their hearts” and this is the only issue that Allah had sworn on it that many times,indicating to us the heavy weight of such issue. Whenever the Prophet Muhammed (PBUH) recites suratu Shams, he use to make dua: Allahuma aati nafs taqwahaa, wa zakihaa anta kheyr man zaka’haa anta waliyu’haa wa mauwla’ha” so the first point we need to remember is to always make dua before anything else. Sheikhul Islam Ibn Taymiyyah rahimu'Allah had once said I started to reflect on the greatest dua. After searching and searching for it, I’ve came across it in suratu Fatiha “Iyaka na’budu wa iya’ka nasta’iin”( You alone we worship, You alone we ask for help in everything) why? Because the best dua in seeking Allah’s help is in doing that which is pleasing to Allah swt

 

Ahmed Ibn Al-Hawali one of the salaf was once visited by a friend while standing for tahajud reading suratu Al-Fatiha. He took a while reading that in salah, so the friend left him and came back hours later but he was still standing. The friend left the third time and came back when it was almost close to Fajr time and he was still standing reciting “Iyaaka nabudu Wa iyaaka nasta’iin” subhana’Allah, by Allah such dua is the secret of life, it is the reason why Allah had brought us to this world and with regards to it Allah will question us on the day yamul Qiyamah..have you perfected it? So we must strive hard to perfected it.

 

Remember to start by making other important duas such “Allahuma ainii alaa thikrika wa shukrika wa husnii ibatadik” Oh Allah help me in remembering you, being thankful to you and perfecting my worship to you” after every salah

-Always carry with you, the well know passport of every muslim which is the “Hisnul Muslim" dua book and read its contents every morning and evening.

_Read the Quran daily. This is very critical.

{ The sh. emphasised greatly on the issue reading the Quran daily, and had related beautiful stories about the Quran}

One day one of the shuyukh was at the Doctor’s office waiting in line to be seen by the physician. The line was long and everyone was waiting there impatiently. The sh. Continues and says, way at the corner my eyes caught a young man reading his pocket size Mush’af(Quran) deeply focused and undisturbed. Towards the end the sheikh went to the young man and said to him “Masha’Allah I admire the way you were reading the Quran” and the young man looks up at him and says “Where will you find one hour and half to read the Quran?” Subhana’Allah!Those days the Sahabas didn’t even have pocket size Mus’haf they use to go through hardship to get the Quran and now we even have a digitized Quran..by Allah we have no excuses such is the reality brothers and sisters.

 

Another brother in Canada was in the bus reading his Quran, deeply focused, reflecting on its ayas pondering upon its meaning completely unaware of his surroundings tears started to come from his eyes across the aisle were was an old woman sitting there amazed by the reaction of the young brother she looks at him and says to him “wow!, you must be reading a very moving novel” subhana’allah! No it isn’t a novel it is the words of Allah swt. By Allah, the Quran is amazingly beautiful; if only we open our hearts and taste its sweetness then we would know its phenomenon otherwise we really know nothing of it.

 

To conclude

 

-Dua

-Dhikr

-Quran

And bir al wali deyn ( being kind towards parents) , all compined together will equal to tazkiyatu nafs( purification of the soul).

The Sh. also recommended a book titled” Purificaiton of the Soul” By Jamal Al-Din Zaraboza (http://www.onlineislamicstore.com/b7250.html) and few others about about self purification

(can find it local Islamic book store)

 

As always, Please share the kheyr..

 

Jazakamu'Allahu kheirun

[Ibtisam]

JZK AbuSalman.

 

I would also suggest "Purificaition of the Soul" by Hamza Yusuf. Even though it is said he is a sufi, the content of the book along with his video "Remembering the days of Allah" is sound and very powerful. Generally Sufis are very good and effective on that side.

[Abu-Salman]

May check it despite my allergy to others than pure Ahlu Tawhid (and khat-chewing Somali sufis may be on a league of their own when it comes to laxism)

 

Glad the days of raw superstitions and blind following are passing...

[Ibtisam]

^^^Lol I have not seen any lectures by Khat chewing Somali sufis, but they are credited with spreading Islam in most of Somalia- albit including some fabricated and at time shrik behavior.

 

Do check out those two from Hamza Yusuf thought.