'Nafs' The Vices Within...

My father and I worked quite closely on a book he got published on the first death anniversary of my mum. The book was about his journey through life with his life partner. It show cased his personal and professional experiences.

While going over his notes, I came across an extract that he had high-lighted planning to submit it as the Spine of the book. It was a short evaluation of self and carried his simple philosophy of life.

“Now I am 66 plus. I have retired and have all the time to reflect. Somehow Allah gave me success in all that I handled in life. I am a person of average intellect. But I feel that something inside me helps me in taking correct decisions. I wonder how He is so kind to me. I’m not regular in my Salah. In fact, with the exception of Ramadan, when I fast regularly and offer Salah five times a day, generally I offer prayers mostly when I am going through tough times in life. Along with this obvious weakness when I analyse my personality I find few points within myself which make me humble. I have never told a lie and have always expressed my candid opinion without having any fears. Whatever I do, my intentions are very clear. There is never a political angle to it. Another thing which disturbs me most is the condition of helplessness in a person. In that situation I must help. Perhaps these traits have given me a sense of high self-esteem, self-confidence and personal reassurance. I like myself!”

The book got published and was shared with family and friends. I had my own personal copy that I often read to feel a sense of pride.

For me, my father has been a great mentor. I look up to him to understand this world. This small extract encompasses his entire comprehension of life.

The lesson of success does not depend on your high intellect. The intellect is really the ability to handle life. It is the acknowledgement of an inner voice that guides you towards framing correct decisions. Honouring the conscience that almost never fails to lead you towards success. It is this conscience that protects you from failure.

Success is an understanding of one’s weaknesses. It comes through self-accountability and reflection. The acceptance of being incomplete or imperfect. The realization of better examples around to learn from. It somehow evolves through our need to look beyond ourselves and lies in the belief of a master plan for our survival.

Clearly, performing all the rituals attached to Huqooq Allah would bring us peace within. But Allah tends to answer the heart’s wishes and desires despite the irregularity and lack of commitment from our side. That is His Mercy. He knows His creation best. In difficult times, it is His Mercy that we seek and the Salah that connects or creates that focus, is again a symbol of strong reliance on the possibility of change or betterment. Success is really creating more focus and dialogue with our Creator exhibiting gratitude for His blessings despite our shortcomings. It is personal and requires self-realization.

A lot of pride is achieved through Huqooq-ul-Ibad. The truth is that fulfilling our duties towards our fellow beings might earn us the apology for being careless regarding our Huqooq Allah and win us His Kindness.

So what is it that helps us maintain a humane relationship with our fellow beings? What guides all our actions and helps contradict the “Nafs” that so often destroys our sense of morality and mental wellness.

The ‘Nafs’ awakens us to the presence of false pride, greed, envy, lust, back biting, stinginess and malice in us. We all possess these vices. Those who refuse to do so enter the most despised level of hypocrisy which defuses every possibility of a Humanitarian existence.

It is our false pride that stops us from accepting the diversity in people. The different languages, religions and customs. It is placing ourselves on the highest pedestal unable to bend or reach out. We refuse to listen to others and frame quick opinions assuming our supreme intellect. Injustice becomes a way of life and like fools we believe in winning the book for its title not really understanding the story.

It is our greed that pushes us to steal, grab and hide worldly possessions. We become envious of those who possess more than us and pray for their destruction. Revenge and Malice consume our senses. We plot and scheme through the night behind closed doors and smile at the indiscretion.

Modesty is lost in self-absorbed philosophies and self-proclaimed liberty leads to lust and erosion of boundaries.

We look at our deteriorating society and turn around to comment immediately, “Shaitaan or Satan has taken over us! We have distanced ourselves from Huqooq Allah. This is all because of our poor faith and loyalty to Deen.”

Very few hold the ability to identify and acknowledge the presence of Nafs which clearly is the Satan that resides within all of us. That compels us to adopt hypocrisy as a way of life. And so we watch Minority Killings feeling the majority power, interpret Blasphemy laws as justifiable, witness Sectarian discrimination holding political knowledge of the scam and raise our voices to Child abuse mistreating servants at home. And so, without much practical contribution to bring about change or support human rights, we lead dual lives.

The formula to control the Nafs is really quite simple. However, it requires patience, practice and tolerance. Truly the ‘Conscience’ needs to be viewed as Supreme here. Speak the truth with courage, abandon false pride and hold onto humility and modesty, let there be no malice in your heart for others accepting them as an equally blessed creation of Allah. Keep away from exploitation of the poor and help them out as much as you can.

To error is human. Surely accountability is a necessity to run a civilized society. However, much can be accomplished through self-analysis and the willingness to learn from others. I am incomplete. I lack perfection. That is the spirit to build upon.

I lie down every night asking myself many questions. Often, I sleep with peace. There are nights when I fail to like myself.  Thankfully, the prayer mat awaits that dialogue which gives me exclusive peace and hope.

My Salah places me in front of my Creator Who questions me for holding my vigilance on the Huqooq-ul-Ibad. It is at such times that I give way to my conscience which always leads me to success, a high self-esteem and personal reassurance. It is always important to like yourself! And thankfully, it is possible even with an average intellect!