Has the question, “How can I be a better Muslim?” ever crossed your mind? Alternatively, you may have asked yourself, “Is Islam even relevant in my everyday life?” You’re not alone if you’ve ever thought, “Islam feels like a list of dos and don’ts,” or “life is just too busy to practice Islam.”
It’s simple to feel spiritually exhausted in today’s environment, full of constant notifications, social media diversions, and pressure to accomplish. But what if cleansing what’s inside brings you the serenity you seek instead of the chaos outside? Purification of the Soul fills that need.
The Islamic idea of purifying your inner self is called Tazkiyat-un-Nafs, or Purification of the Soul. It entails purging your heart of impurities like pride, envy, and hatred and replacing them with genuine thankfulness, love, and devotion to Allah.
It’s a journey that makes you a better version of yourself, not just a spiritual objective. Your relationship with Allah improves, and your life becomes more purposeful, tranquil, and directed when your heart is pure.
This concept is not exclusive to Islam. The necessity of purifying the soul or heart is mentioned in many spiritual systems. However, it strongly connects to our ultimate goal and day-to-day existence in Islam.
To start this trip, you don’t have to be academically or deeply religious. Everyone can benefit from soul purification, no matter where you are in your practice.
The procedure is straightforward and useful:
Consider it to be a cycle. After cleansing one region, you proceed to the next. You gradually break bad behaviors and develop healthier ones. This is about progress, not perfection.
It’s interesting to note that contemporary psychology refers to this capacity to resist temptation in favor of long-term objectives as “self-control” or willpower. This is precisely what we refer to as nafs-control in Islam. You’re teaching your inner self to yield to what is right and advantageous.
You must first comprehend the components of your inner self to purify your soul. According to Islamic spiritual psychology, a person is composed of five major components:
The “self” or “ego” is a common translation of the nafs. It is the home of our desires, both positive and negative. Additionally, Satan tries to deceive us there by whispering.
The nafs enjoys a variety of things, but if they are allowed to run amok, they may cause us to turn away from Allah. Thus, we must teach, tame, and steer it toward what is halal and acceptable to Allah.
Islam places a great emphasis on the qalb, or spiritual heart. It is the starting point of our intentions. Additionally, faith (iman) is sown there.
A sinful heart grows gloomy and estranged from Allah. However, a pure heart is near Him and glows with light. We are instructed to continuously purge our hearts of ills like pride, envy, and hatred.
We think, reason, and make decisions using our intellect, or aql. It guides our activities after receiving impulses from the heart. An important part of purification is the mind. Our hearts get stronger the more positive thoughts we put into our heads and the more sensible choices we make.
The ruh is our initial, pure state. It is what Allah made before our arrival on earth. Before birth, this aspect of ourselves attested to Allah as our Lord.
The ruh inspires the heart to do good and is pure. According to the Qur’an, Allah is concerned about the soul, and we don’t know much about it. However, we are aware of the unique connection it makes between us and our Creator.
Different people have different levels of spiritual purity. The majority of folks only make it past the first two phases. But knowing where you stand aids in figuring out what to do next.
Every step advances you toward having a healthy heart, and each one calls for diligence, endurance, and honesty. For a better understanding of nafs and the purification of nafs, join our course on Islamic Psychology and comprehend the role of soul purification in our lives.
In Islam, when we discuss soul purification, we frequently concentrate on the outward manifestations, such as prayer, fasting, and modest clothing. However, true transformation begins at the core, when spiritual illnesses are removed from the heart.
These aren’t medical conditions. Medical equipment cannot identify them. However, they are far more detrimental as they impact your relationships with Allah, others, and even yourself.
The following are some of the most serious heart conditions to be careful about:
Pride, or kibr in Arabic, is the belief that you are superior to others. Your wealth, beautiful appearance, expertise, or even your good actions could be the reason. It is difficult to receive advice or own up to mistakes when one feels proud.
Shaytan disobeyed Allah by refusing to submit to Adam because of this same illness. He believed he was better. His hubris alone was enough to condemn him to an eternity in hell.
Humbling yourself before Allah and keeping in mind that everything wonderful in your life is a gift, not something you earned on your own, are essential components of soul purification.
Hasad, or envy, is the uneasy sensation that arises when you witness someone else being fortunate. The resentful question, “Why them, and not me?”
Because it undermines your sense of contentment, envy is harmful. It causes you to lose sight of your own blessings. Your heart becomes restless, envious, and even resentful instead of thankful.
To caution us from envy, the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said:
“Beware of envy, for it devours good deeds in the same way that fire devours wood.” (Abu Dawood)
Gratitude is the remedy. It is easier to let go of what others have when you consciously give thanks to Allah for what you have. When the soul learns to be content, it finds serenity.
Hatred encircles your heart like a heavy chain. It lowers you spiritually and emotionally. Holding onto grudges causes darkness to overwhelm your heart. It prevents you from connecting with people, forgiving, and trusting.
Islam encourages us to forgive hatred, even when it is warranted. That implies you don’t allow hate to weigh on your heart, not that you tolerate unfair treatment or poisonous conduct.
According to the Prophet (ﷺ),
“Be a brotherly servant of Allah and do not turn away from one another or hate one another.” (Sahih Muslim)
It is not a weakness to let go. It is among the most potent stages of the purifying process.
Soul purification aims to achieve qalbun saleem, or what the Qur’an calls a sound heart. According to Allah, having a pure heart will be more important on the Day of Judgment than having money or children.
A healthy heart lacks ʿujb, pride, envy, and hatred. It is brimming with serenity, humility, love for Allah, and honesty. It seeks Allah’s pleasure, submits to His plan, and believes in Him.
It takes time, work, and introspection to get to that point. The adventure lasts a lifetime. However, every little step matters. You get closer to that pure condition each time you verify your intentions, forgive someone, let go of envy, and reject pride.
No, regardless of one’s degree of religious activity, everyone can benefit from soul purification. It has nothing to do with being flawless or deeply religious. It’s about being conscious, taking little steps, and working to improve oneself every day. In Islam, even modest advancements are significant.
It can be harmful because pride (kibr) makes you feel better than other people and less open to advice. Satan was expelled from Paradise for precisely this reason—his refusal to submit to Adam. Pride in Islam obstructs humility and thankfulness, two qualities necessary for spiritual development.
Spiritual illnesses like pride, envy, and hatred are absent from a healthy heart. It exudes humility, love for Allah, and honesty. Allah claims that only those with a good heart will gain on the Day of Judgment. The way to have this heart is to purify your soul.
We are here to guide you toward healing, peace, and understanding through the wisdom of Islam. At Sakeena Academy, we combine Quranic knowledge with compassionate support for Muslims facing mental health challenges.
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