Nukta Episode 8–Nafs

Nukta Episode 8–Nafs نفس

Mansur al Hallaj says between me and you there is only me. Take away me, so only you remain. Nafs is an Arabic word occurring in the Quran, literally meaning self, and has been translated as psyche, ego or soul. There are three principal stages of Nafs in Sufistic Wisdom, also mentioned in different verses of the Quran. The Sufis call them stages in the process of development, refinement and mastery of the Nafs. Nukta Episode 8–Nafs is 8th episode of Nukta PTV program.

• Life of Mansur al-Hallaj (Urdu) [Seerat e Mansur Hallaj]

1. The inciting nafs (an-nafs al-ʾammārah)
2. The self-accusing nafs (an-nafs al-luwwāmah)
3. The nafs at peace (an-nafs al-muṭmaʾinnah)

1. In its primitive stage, the nafs incites us to commit evil: this is the nafs as the lower self, the base instincts.
2. This is the stage where “the conscience is awakened and the self accuses one of listening to one’s ego. One repents and asks for forgiveness.”
3. This is the ideal stage of ego for Muslims. On this level, one is firm in one’s faith and leaves bad manners behind. The soul becomes tranquil, at peace. At this stage, followers of Sufism have relieved themselves of all materialism and worldly problems and are satisfied with the will of God.