A brief explanation of the soul and reforming it

وَنَفْسي بِخِيانَتِها وَمِطالي

My own soul with its offences and my dilly-dallying have deceived me.

The soul is a phenomenon, which is impossible or at least difficult to understand, but recognizing its signs, as mentioned in Qur’¡n and the traditions is not as hard.

If the soul is not put into training and purification, it would become polluted with whims and desires, thus committing any sins would become easy for it.

Whim lexically means “falling down or moving in a wrong direction” and also “extreme desire for anything”. Desire implies “collapse, corruption, and being misled”. Psychologically, desire means “a stressful motion in human soul that does not leave him relaxed, such as love, hatred, and wrath.”

One who is desirous for something in every moment does not have the power to move toward perfection. Achieving perfection requires calmness of the mind. As far as there are desires, there is no peace and the mind does not govern the soul. A child is naturally desirous, so he should be watched closely not to get accustomed to being desirous. Women are also desirous by nature, because they are so precise. It is a necessity for women, because they are created for managing the internal affairs of the house and they should pay attention to the details. What harms women more than other things is jealousy. They should hence control this vice by training and trying.

In general, if the desire is leaved with no reign, it would change into lust. And if wisdom cannot rule this lust, it may transgress and lead to insanity. This insanity is quite visible in people’s greed and ambition. Such people are like the deaf and the blind and do anything to reach their purpose. For doing so, they violate all social and religious sanctities and even may get disloyal to their friends and their country. No one should trust the friendship of such people, because they have a single beloved for which they sacrifice all other dear ones. Those who suffer from the insanity of greed only like those who accept to be a tool for facilitating their evil intentions, thus they generally hate piety and the pious.

That people’s desires turns to severe lust and lust makes them insane is because a strong lust vanishes their thinking and wisdom.

The extreme desire for positions is the most severe lust, which has harmed mankind more than other lusts. This lust has colored many history pages red, causing people to kill their fathers, brothers and sons.

It should be pointed out that by following the carnal soul it is meant only the harmful aspects of it that cause the lusts and desires. In fact, no one should completely ignore his soul, as some of the seekers of truth way have misunderstood. But since humans are naturally more inclined to the negative aspect of their souls, that is wrongdoing, the religious leaders have warned us against the carnal soul entirely. That’s why they give warning more than hope in their preaching. Humans are inclined to a variety of social and personal attempts called the instincts, most of which lead to selfishness. And this selfishness is laid in human nature, out of Allah’s higher wisdom, for the continuation of life and the perfection steps.

This innate selfishness should be controlled by belief in Allah, the Resurrection, and spiritual relationship with the prophets and the infallible Imams, as well as by accomplishing the religious duties and observing the right of other people, so that selfishness does not become an excess. An extremely selfish person thinks about nothing but his personal benefits. This devil vice would harm the selfish person in the first place, and the society at large. For instance anger is a prerequisite of selfishness, but it should be controlled and employed for defending one’s life, wealth, reputation, country and right, not for bothering the weak. An extreme anger is savageness and an insignificant one is lack of zeal.

Freedom, as another instance, is the fruit of life and the prerequisite of human will, because it prevents him from being limited by others’ wills. But this innate tendency should be used wisely and moderately. If the blessing of freedom is used excessively, it leads to chaos. If it is used inadequately, on the other hand, it causes captive ness and oppression.

Human instinct of loving wealth is also a decent one to the extent that it does not lead to meanness on one hand, and illegal activities, such as theft, embezzlement, and gambling to gain it, on the other.

The best state in relationships with others is good morality, which should be kept in a moderate state, not to violate anyone’s rights.

Sociability and happiness with others is fine to the extent that it does not turn into unsuitable kidding. Mentioning friends’ virtues is encouraging them to goodness, but it should not lead to flattery[1]. From the above-mentioned issues, the vices of the soul, which is not adorned with religious training, becomes clear.

Descriptions of the Soul

The Holy Qur’¡n has cited some descriptions for the soul that emerge due to human inattention to the religious and moral facts:

1. The carnal soul, 2. The corrupting soul, 3. The fooling soul, 4. The reducing soul, 5. The pledged soul, 6. The desirous soul, 7. The woeful soul.

The Qur’¡nic verses containing these descriptions of the soul are in order:

إِنَّ النَّفْسَ لأَمَّارَةٌ بِالسُّوءِ إِلاَّ مَا رَحِمَ رَبِّي.

Most surely man’s soul is prone to evil, unless my Lord do bestow His Mercy. (12:53)

وَقَدْ خَابَ مَنْ دَسَّاهَا.

And he will indeed fail who corrupts the soul. (91:10)

وَمَنْ يَرْغَبُ عَنْ مِلَّةِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ إِلاَّ مَنْ سَفِهَ نَفْسَهُ.

And who forsakes the religion of Ibr¡h¢m but he who makes himself a fool. (2:130)

قَالَ بَلْ سَوَّلَتْ لَكُمْ أَنفُسُكُمْ أَمْرًا.

Nay your souls have made the matter light for you. (12:18)

كُلُّ نَفْسٍ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ رَهِينَةٌ.

Every soul is held in pledge for what it earns. (74:38)

وَأَمَّا مَنْ خَافَ مَقَامَ رَبِّهِ وَنَهَى النَّفْسَ عَنْ الْهَوَى، فَإِنَّ الْجَنَّةَ هِيَ الْمَأْوَى.

And as for him who fears to stand before his Lord and forbids the soul from low desires, then surely the garden- that is the abode. (79:40-41)

أَنْ تَقُولَ نَفْسٌ يَا حَسْرَتَا عَلَى مَا فَرَّطْتُ فِي جَنْبِ اللَّهِ.

Lest a soul should say: O woe to me! For what I fell short of my duty to Allah. (39:56)

Shaykh Bah¡’¢ in his valuable book, ‘Arba’in says: “By ‘soul’ in the traditions it is meant the savage powers, like lust and anger.” Ghazali in ‘Madarij Al-Quds’ has mentioned this point in the following sentence: ‘The ‘soul’ is ascribed to all the vices that are in contrast with the thinking power.’

The Holy Prophet is reported to have said:

أعْدَى عَدُوِّكَ نَفْسُكَ الَّتِي بَيْنَ جَنْبَيْكَ.

The most severe of your enemies is your own soul that is placed between your two sides.[2]

The divine wise men say that fighting the soul is only because of its belonging to the body, which causes savage and satanic vices. Regardless of this belonging to the body, the soul is really the mind, possessing the angels’ virtues. In this sense, the soul serves to worship Allah and to reach His paradise. Therefore the attributes of the soul’s belonging to the body should be fought so that the soul can reach peace and be safe from its satanic aspect. Otherwise, it would always be full of quarrels and disputes!

The great Persian poet, Sa’di, says: I asked someone of the meaning of this Prophet’s tradition: “The most severe of your enemies is your own soul that is placed between your two sides.” He answered: “It is because if you do good to any enemy he becomes a friend, except your soul that increases its enmity if you do good to it and fulfill its desires!” The followers of the carnal soul, who live unwisely, are the insane.

Buhl£l was asked: “How many fools are there in the city?” He replied: “It is very hard to count them. Ask me of the number of the wise men!”

Amir al-Mu’minin’s Viewpoint about Reforming the Soul

Imam `Al¢ (a.s), out of his full insight into the reality and his knowledge about everything, has recommended some ways for reforming the soul that the great Shi’a scholar, the late ’Amudi, has cited in Ghurar al-°ikam:

إذَا رَغِبْتَ فِي صَلاَحِ نَفْسِكَ فَعَلَيْكَ بِالإقْتِصَادِ وَالقُنُوعِ وَالتَّقَلُّلِ.

When you desired to reform your soul do behave with moderation and contentment, and belittl the world.[3]

صَلاَحُ النَّفْسِ مُجَاهَدَةُ الهَوَى.

Reforming the soul is fighting the desires that destroy it.[4]

سَبَبُ صَلاَحِ النَّفْسِ العُزُوفُ عَنِ الدُّنْيَا.

The key to reforming the soul is preventing oneself from the worldly issues.[5]

دَوَاءُ النَّفْسِ الصَّوْمُ عَنِ الهَوَى. 

The remedy for the soul is avoiding the unwise desires.[6]

سَبَبُ صَلاَحِ النَّفْسِ الوَرَعُ.

The key to reforming the soul is avoiding the sins.[7]

إنّ تَقْوى اللهِ دَواءُ داءِ قُلوبِكُمْ… وَطهُورُ دَنَسِ أنْفُسِكُم.

Piety and fearing Allah cures your hearts and purifies your souls.[8]

آفَةُ النَّفْسِ الوَلَهُ بِالدُّنْيَا.

Corruption of the soul is caused by considerable interest in the world.[9]

رَأسُ الآفَاتِ الوَلَهُ بِالذَّاتِ.

The greatest corruption is the lust for illegal enjoyments.[10]

طُوبَى لِمَنْ عَصَى فِرْعَوْنَ هَوَاهُ وَأطَاعَ مُوسَى عَقْلِهِ.

Blessed is he who fights the Pharaoh of his soul and obeys the Moses of his wisdom.[11]

This divine statement implies that everyone has a Pharaoh and a Moses in his inside and if he wants to reach Moses’ position, he should contrast his soul’s Pharaoh, or else he would get soaked in the sea of demise. And if he follows the Moses of wisdom, he would deserve Allah’s praise, as an especial believer:

سَلامٌ عَلَى مُوسَى وَهَارُونَ… إِنَّهُمَا مِنْ عِبَادِنَا الْمُؤْمِنِينَ

Peace be on M£s¡ and Haroun…  Surely they were both of Our believing servants. (37/120, 122)

Imam `Al¢ Am¢r al-Mu'min¢n (a.s) has stated:

طَهِّرُوا أنْفُسَكُمْ مِنْ دَنَسِ الشَّهَوَاتِ تُدْرِكُوا رَفِيعَ الدَّرَجَاتِ.

Purify your souls from the pollution of unlawful lusts to reach high spiritual positions.[12]

Anyone who wants to attain divine positions and become released from the limited cage of nature to the garden of wisdom and understanding should purify his soul from the pollutions and lusts and prevent the soul from loving worldly enjoyments, so that he would be adorned with angels’ attributes, and would even reach a position higher than that of the angels.

The divine scholars have stated that human can purify his soul in one of these four ways: 1. Learning from the sinners, 2. Accompanying the wise men, 3. Asking his real friends about his own vices and faults, 4. Avoiding the sins of him that are mentioned by his enemies.[13]

The Description of my Dilly-Dallying

For asking repentance, reforming my soul, attaining provisions for the Hereafter, doing good deeds, avoiding sins, and seeking wisdom and insight, I have dilly-dallied for years now and have done nothing. This satisfaction with today and tomorrow has deceived me and prevented me from seeking the truth. O Allah! I ask you a strong will and a power to fulfill my promises to become released from this idleness of mine, because this weakness would eventually harm me, depriving me from Your mercy and forgiveness, and placing me among the disobedient servants.

يا سَيِّدي فَأَسْأَلُكَ بِعِزَّتِكَ أَنْ لا يَحْجُبَ عَنْكَ دُعائي سُوءُ عَمَلي وَفِعالي

O my Lord! So I ask you by Your Might not to let my evil deeds and acts veil my supplication from You.

The Reason for the Obstruction of Supplications

Wrongdoing is a veil that prevents human from receiving the Devine blessings and Mercy, as well as from the fulfillment of the supplications, except that the sinner repents from his sins. Evil deeds take the proper mood for supplication away from the servant, preventing him from coming to Allah’s presence. Even if a sinner servant succeeds in calling Allah and asking Him his requests, his supplications would not be likely to be fulfilled. Deprivation of the servant from the fulfillment of his supplications is in fact his being expelled from the Mercy of his Lord. It has been quoted from a mystical lover of Allah: It is harder for me to get deprived of supplicating than depriving from its fulfillment.

In this part of the supplication, the supplicant beseeches to the Almighty and asks him: My Lord! Hinder the effect of my evil doing on the fulfillment of my supplications, so that I can keep on supplicating and You continue accomplishing my prayers, out of Mercy.

It is narrated in a tradition that Am¢r al-Mu’min¢n (a.s) crossed a place, together with some of his disciples, where he saw a young man putting his head against a wall, and swearing Allah by His Might to fulfill his request. Imam (a.s) stated: “His request would be accepted because of such swearing.”

Surely, the Compassionate Lord has the power to hinder the bad effects and open new doors to His servant. He is the One Who prevented the fire from burning Abraham (a.s). And he is the One Who prevented the knife from cutting the throat of Ismael (a.s).