“But as for he who feared the exalted station of his Lord and prevented his soul (l-nafsa) from base impulses, Then indeed, Paradise will be the final refuge.” (Qur’an 79:40-41)
﷽
Before we begin this article, we want to say that we have never been truly satisfied with any English translation of the Arabic word (l-nafsa)
“But as for he who feared the exalted station of his Lord and prevented his soul (l-nafsa) from base impulses, Then indeed, Paradise will be the final refuge.” (Qur’an 79:40-41)
(l-nafsa) as far as we can glean, is a reference to what psychologists refer to as the ‘Id. This is why the verse then follows with ‘base impulses’. (Thoughwe are certainly open to being corrected on this).
It is these basic impulses within ourselves that we as humans must master. It is these very base impulses by which we are easily manipulated and controlled by many around us. From the sex industry, food industry, and most things that seek to bring pleasure to sensory perception. Sight, Sound, Taste, & Touch.
From the Frank Herbert Sci-Fi Novel Dune: Below is the script from the book.
Lady Jessica: “Paul… please, Paul… listen to the Reverend Mother and do what she tells you.”
The Reverend Mother speaks to Paul using The Voice, a Bene Gesserit training which permits an adept to control others merely by selected tone shadings of the voice. It sounds as if two people are talking — one normal and the other guttural and slightly electronic. The effect is strange, yet subtle.
Reverend Mother (using The Voice): “Now You! Come here!”
Paul finds he cannot help but obey her, yet he fights her controlling him.
Paul’s (inner voice) “She’s using The Voice.” (out loud) “No!
She sees him struggling.
Reverend Mother (inner voice) “Some strength there. Surprising!” (out loud) “Come here!”
The Reverend Mother holds up a green metal cube. Reverend Mother: “See this… Put your right hand in the box.”
Paul stares at the hole in the box. Paul: “What’s in the box?”
Reverend Mother “Pain!”
Just then, she raises one hand to his neck. Paul sees a glint of metal. He tries to back away.
Reverend Mother (Using The Voice): “STOP! Put your hand in the box!”
Paul’s hand goes in. Fear passes over his face. (Paul’s inner voice) “The Voice again.”
Reverend Mother “I hold at your neck the gom jabbar. Don’t pull away, or you’ll feel that poison. A Duke’s son must know about many poisons —this one kills only animals.”
Paul “Are you suggesting a Duke’s son is an animal?”
Paul: “Are you suggesting a Duke’s son is an animal?”
Reverend Mother: “Let us say I suggest you may be human. Your awareness may be powerful enough to control your instincts. Your instincts will be to remove your hand from the box. If you do so, you will die. You will feel an itching — there… see? Now the itching becomes burning… heat, upon heat, upon heat.”
Paul (whispering): “It burns!”
Reverend Mother “SILENCE… SILENCE!”
Paul (inner voice)(struggling to compose himself)
“I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear… I will permit it to pass over me and through me.”
The Reverend Mother moves her face up to his. Her ancient face, with its metal teeth gleaming inches away, breathes hotly. She is smiling.
Reverend Mother: “You feel the flesh crisping?”
Paul’s inner mind sees his hand on fire with all sorts of sores. The skin is bubbling.
Reverend Mother “Flesh dropping off.”
He pictures this. The destruction of his hand is complete — now only blood spurts out and burns. Paul’s face registers extreme pain.
(Paul couldn’t help the explosion) “THE PAIN!!!
Reverend Mother: “NO!! ENOUGH!! Qul wahad! No woman child ever withstood that much. I must have wanted you to fail. Take your hand out of the box and look at it, young human…. Do it!”
Paul pulls his hand out of the box. No sign of anything wrong. He turns his hand, flexes hisf ingers. He looks to the Reverend Mother.
Reverend Mother.(explaining) “Pain caused by nerve induction… A human can resist any pain. Our test is crisis and observation.”
Paul: “I see the truth of it.”
=================================================================================
We want to draw attention to certain points in the dialogue.
“I hold at your neck the gom jabbar. Don’t pull away, or you’ll feel that poison. A Duke’s son must know about many poisons —this one kills only animals.”
This was a very powerful point that the Reverend Mother made. The point is that animals act upon instinct and, in this case, the instinct can get one killed. In this case, the instinct of fight or flight.
Paul, obviously in a situation of pain, was not in a position to ponder the truth behind what the reverend mother was saying. His immediate focus was on his discomfort, and so he offers a retort:
Paul: “Are you suggesting a Duke’s son is an animal?”
This is where the Reverend Mother makes her reply:
“Let us say I suggest you may be human. Your awareness may be powerful enough to control your instincts. Your instincts will be to remove your hand from the box. If you do so, you will die.”
Now, in the book series, it is very clear that Paul is not your average everyday person. He has had all sorts of disciplinary training. Mental training, physical training and spiritual training, all of which help to shape and mold him. Had Paul been an average person, it is highly likely that they would have died almost immediately.
How many times has the Aql been overcome by the Penis? How many times has reason been overpowered by base impulses? The intellect and human reasoning are outmatched by the ‘Id again and again and again. How many strong men, capable men, men in powerful positions? How often have they been overcome by the penis?
Only a well-disciplined soul is an ally and an aid to the human faults of reasoning.
You can replace the word ‘Penis’ above for practically any other impulse. Driving down the freeway, someone cuts you off. Suddenly you are a ball of uncontrollable rage!
“How dare they!” “I will be late for work!” You speed up the car, cut them off at the next turn giving your favourite hand gesture and they reciprocate. Both individuals get out of the car and the fist start flying. You make your way back to your car, grab the gun and empty the clip! Murder one.
How is that? How did the faculty of reason and of intellect become so easily discarded like an utterly useless item?
Surely 10 to 15 years in prison will make one very, very late for work.
Did that thought not once cross the mind?
“And I do not seek to free myself (nafsi) from blame, for indeed the self (l-nafsa) is ever inclined to evil, except those shown mercy by my Lord. Surely my Lord is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (Qur’an 12:53)
“And I do call to witness the self-reproaching (bil nafsi) self.” (Qur’an 75:2)
The intellect -reason on its own is misguided without divine guidance.
The intellect is overcome by the ‘id without the assistance of a disciplined soul.
An example of #1 would be:
An example can be that we have found four people: one needs a liver, one a lung, one a kidney and one a heart. Reason could lead us to believe that killing one person in order to save four has its own justification. This is because our thinking is linear. We do not see, for example, that the person we killed was responsible in the future for discovering a cure that saved millions upon millions of lives. Thus, the reason that was imposed: kill one and save four backfired. Four were saved and millions were lost.
“Believers! Fasting is enjoined upon you, as it was enjoined upon those before you, that you become (tattaquna) righteous.“ (Qur’an 2:183)
Fasting is a divinely prescribed prescription for a method of spiritual discipline. It has become one of many tools that Islam gives to aid and arm the intellect against base impulses.
In Islamic fasting, we’re fasting from sunrise to sunset, abstaining from food and drink. Sometimes it is quite easy for people, especially those who fast regularly outside of Ramadan and/or started this discipline quite young. Interestingly, the busier you make yourself in Ramadan, the easier it is too.
Those who struggle are usually people who are idle. Not working, schooling or engaging in anything meritorious. They are simply left with their hunger. There are times some may feel their parched throat, and the urge to drink. “Ya Allah, I am sorry I cannot go on, and I will pay back this fast.” This is where the real war happens. The jihad an nafs. — The struggle with the’ Id.
You either overcome it or it will overcome you. You either make it a slave of Allah or it will make you a slave to it. You either bring it in conformity with the amr of Allah or you become a slave to your base impulses.
Islam has never called for partial surrender to Allah (swt) but complete surrender to Allah (swt) and this happens when the ego submits, the super-ego submits and the ‘id submits.
Fasting is a purification and a chance to discipline the soul, a chance to assist and arm the intellect, which often loses its battle over and over against the penis, against the quick temper, against the base impulses.
You would technically go your whole life (complete the term of your existence) without any sexual interaction of any kind with any human being. Though, for many, that might be a sad, lonely and boring life. You could technically even be a productive and functioning human being in society as such. Though Islam does not recommend this.
You would technically go your whole life (complete the term of your existence) without any emotional outlet of any kind. You could technically even be a productive and functioning human being in society as such. But you are not a robot and Islam does not recommend this either.
Though you cannot continue to sustain yourself, you cannot continue to be a productive and functioning human being in society going forever without food or water.
Thus, if you can overcome that impulse that is intrinsic to your survival (fight/flight), if you can overcome that impulse to eat and drink, which is absolutely necessary for your survival, you can gain mastery over your other impulses, sexual and emotional, which are ancillary to your survival but not necessary. You can master yourself.
And if you are in control …..well then…
“To the righteous it will be said, “O reassured self (l-nafsu), return to your Lord, well-pleased and pleasing to Him.” (Qur’an 89:27-28)
May Allah Guide the Ummah. May Allah Forgive the Ummah.
Prima Quran 