The ‘Ene’&

Evil-commanding soulEvil-commanding soul

Purification of SoulPurification of Soul

“He who knows himself knows his Lord.”He who knows himself knows his Lord.”

Hadith

Truly he succeeds that purifies it. Truly he succeeds that purifies it. (Shams, 9)

7 stages of Soul

1.1. Nefs-i Emmâre (The evil-commanding soul)Nefs-i Emmâre (The evil-commanding soul)

2.2. Nefs-i Levvame (The self-accusing soul) Nefs-i Levvame (The self-accusing soul)

3.3. Nefs-i Mülhime (The inspired soul)Nefs-i Mülhime (The inspired soul)

4.4. Nefs-i Mutmainne (The Satisfied soul) Nefs-i Mutmainne (The Satisfied soul)

5.5. Nefs-i Radiye (The soul pleased with Allah)Nefs-i Radiye (The soul pleased with Allah)

6.6. Nefs-i MardiyyeNefs-i Mardiyye (The soul pleased & pleasing Him) (The soul pleased & pleasing Him)

7.7. Nefs-i Tezkiye (The purified soul) Nefs-i Tezkiye (The purified soul)

An unpurified (evil-commanding soul) soul An unpurified (evil-commanding soul) soul is described as follows:is described as follows:

One who loves only himself / herself.One who loves only himself / herself. One praises oneself endlessly.One praises oneself endlessly. In reality the he/she love no one else.In reality the he/she love no one else. Even if he/she apparently loves Even if he/she apparently loves

someone, he/she does not do so someone, he/she does not do so sincerely, but only for his/her benefits.sincerely, but only for his/her benefits.

One always considers the good thing as One always considers the good thing as though it comes from oneself and it feels though it comes from oneself and it feels proud; proud;

He always tries to make himself He always tries to make himself liked/admired.liked/admired.

Also, he does not take faults to himself; Also, he does not take faults to himself; he defends himself like a lawyer. he defends himself like a lawyer.

He praises himself, exaggerate himself He praises himself, exaggerate himself even lying, showing himself to be free of even lying, showing himself to be free of any fault, as though sanctifying / blessing any fault, as though sanctifying / blessing himself.himself.

It regards itself as a separate, It regards itself as a separate, independent thing and supposes that it is independent thing and supposes that it is self-existed. So it claims divinity in a way self-existed. So it claims divinity in a way and rebels to its Lord in a hostile way.and rebels to its Lord in a hostile way.

An unpurified (evil-commanding soul) soulAn unpurified (evil-commanding soul) soulcontinuedcontinued

I do not admire myself I do not admire myself and and

I do not approve people who I do not approve people who admire me. admire me.

Can we really say this?Can we really say this?

IMPORTANT TERMS• Ene

• Heart

• Intellect

• Conscience

• Nefis

Related concepts: ‘ego’ and ‘I’• What is meant by ‘ego’ in English?

• Several conceptions exist, including the philosophical, psychoanalytic and local usages

Philosophical and other technical usages for ‘ego’

• Self: A sense of ‘me’

• Knowing that I exist as a unique entity or as an ‘individual’

• A sense of ‘personal identity’

• ‘I’: Latin root of ‘ego’ - “A conscious, thinking, subject.”

Everyday usage for ‘ego’ • Ego: “A person’s sense of self esteem or

self importance.”

• Ego: “An overly high opinion of oneself.”

The ‘Ene’• ‘Ene’ is translated variously as ‘ego’ or ‘I’

• But the various English meanings for ‘ego’, ‘I’ and ‘self’ capture only some aspects of what is meant by ‘ene’

• “The All-Wise Maker gave to man as a Trust an ‘I’ which comprises indications and samples that show and cause to recognize the truths of the attributes and functions of His dominicality, so that the ‘I’ might be a unit of measurement and the attributes of dominicality and functions of Divinity might be known.”

• Dominicality = Rububiyah

• Divinity = Uluhiyah

The Ene• The ‘ene’ is a kind of measurement device

that enables us to know the Divine Names and attributes, even though we cannot, in reality, possess those attributes

• It gives us a feeling of ‘self’;

• A sense of possession, ownership and acting;

• E.g. Knowing, learning, making, giving, taking, nurturing, doing… All kinds of acts and dispositions

The Ene• All forms of acting and owning, are

the domain of Allah alone. Only He has the power to act and only He owns anything. (Essentials of Rububiyah and Uluhiyah)

• Yet through the ‘ene’, we get a feeling of what it is like to act and own

• We thereby come to know various Divine Names and attributes

Absolute attributes and ‘ene’

• Absolute attributes cannot be known by finite Absolute attributes cannot be known by finite beingsbeings

• The creation of apparent opposites, or The creation of apparent opposites, or apparent imperfection in things, creates apparent imperfection in things, creates ‘degrees’ that enable us to perceive certain ‘degrees’ that enable us to perceive certain ‘absolute’ things that would otherwise remain ‘absolute’ things that would otherwise remain hidden to ushidden to us

• The ‘ene’ similarly enables us to know certain The ‘ene’ similarly enables us to know certain absolute Names and attributes of Allah, such absolute Names and attributes of Allah, such as All-Powerful, Owner, Creator and All-as All-Powerful, Owner, Creator and All-Knowing, that would otherwise remain hiddenKnowing, that would otherwise remain hidden

Absolute attributes and ‘ene’

• It does this by acting as a unit of measurement, or a comparison tool:

• By feeling a limited sense of those attributes in ourselves, we draw a hypothetical line that delimits the Divine attributes

Absolute attributes and ‘ene’• We say, for example, “I know how it feels

to create this small thing, thus I can begin to imagine the majesty of Allah’s creating all things”

• We thus begin to understand, in degrees, the beauty and perfection of Allah’s Name of Khaliq. Similar examples can be made with all kinds of ‘acting’ and ‘owning’

Conclusion for ENE• The ‘ene’ is a comparison toolThe ‘ene’ is a comparison tool

• It is a faculty that lets us get a limited sense It is a faculty that lets us get a limited sense of what it means to own and to actof what it means to own and to act

• It thereby enables us to begin to understand It thereby enables us to begin to understand the absolute Divine Names, attributes and the absolute Divine Names, attributes and actsacts

• It should be known for what it is - we should It should be known for what it is - we should not fool ourselves into thinking we have real not fool ourselves into thinking we have real ownership; of ourselves, our attributes or our ownership; of ourselves, our attributes or our actsacts

Heart is decision making Heart is decision making mechanism settled in the center mechanism settled in the center

of human nature.of human nature.

Heart is fed by intellect and conscience.Heart is fed by intellect and conscience.  

“Warning : Purpose from the term “HEART”, is not “Warning : Purpose from the term “HEART”, is not piece of meat like pine cone in the body piece of meat like pine cone in the body

But , it is kind of delicate sense given by our Creator But , it is kind of delicate sense given by our Creator collects senses from our conscience and thoughts collects senses from our conscience and thoughts

from our intellect. from our intellect.

HeartQalpKalp

INTELLECTINTELLECT

Delicate mechanism to determine and Delicate mechanism to determine and decide between right and wrong, decide between right and wrong, good and bad, beauty and nasty.good and bad, beauty and nasty.

After this determination the intellect After this determination the intellect sends this to the heart.sends this to the heart.

CONSCIENCECONSCIENCE

Delicate sense guides and shows Delicate sense guides and shows human the straight path and right human the straight path and right choice.choice.

Human conscience loves goodness Human conscience loves goodness and hates badness.and hates badness.

NEFISNEFIS

An instrument representing humans An instrument representing humans animalistic and vegetative side animalistic and vegetative side given to human.given to human.

This term represents humans all This term represents humans all animalistic and vegetative bodily animalistic and vegetative bodily desires like eating, drinking, desires like eating, drinking, sleeping, sexual drives etc. sleeping, sexual drives etc.

MUSTs• Read the Book of your Creator and never

loose your connection from this Guidance.• Get to know your Messenger. You can not

love Him (pbuh) if you do not know Him (pbuh).

• Learn and establish prayers.• Execute compulsory duties.• Refrain from major sins.• Choose right friends who you want to be

with hereafter.

To EXCEL spiritually

• Eat littleEat little

• Drink littleDrink little

• Sleep littleSleep little

• Talk littleTalk little

• “Verily, the (human) self is inclined to evil, except when my Lord

bestows His Mercy (upon whom He wills).”

(12:53).

CONDEMNING Evil-commanding soulEvil-commanding soul

CONDEMNING Evil-commanding soulEvil-commanding soul

• “O my foolish soul, charmed at glory, enamored of fame, addicted to praise, and without equal in egotism! If it is a just claim that the source of the fig and its thousands of fruits is its tiny seed, and that all the grapes in their hundred bunches hanging from a dry branch of the vine are produced through the skill of the branch, and that those who benefit from them should praise and esteem the branch and the seed, then perhaps you have the right to be proud and conceited about the bounties with which you are loaded. But in fact you deserve to be constantly chided, because you are not like the seed and the branch: since you have the faculty of will, you reduce the value of those bounties through your pride. Through your conceit, you destroy them; through your ingratitude, you nullify them; through claiming them as your own, you lay hands on them unlawfully.”

PERSUASION “Since the sphere of the lawful is sufficient

for all the pleasures, delights and joys of the spirit, heart and soul, do not approach the sphere of the illicit.

For one pleasure within that sphere sometimes leads to a thousand pains. It will also cause the loss of the All-Merciful One’s favors, which are true and lasting pleasures.”

THE STRUGGLE BETWEEN HEART AND EVIL-COMMANDING SOUL AND THE VERIFIED BELIEF

Since faith places a permanent spiritual prohibiton in the heart and mind, they say “it is forbidden” as bad inclinations come out of senses and evil-commanding soul, and dismisses them.

Yes, the actions of humans are produced by the inclinations of the heart and evil-commanding soul. Those inclinations come from the fields of expertises and the needs of the spirit. Spirit moves with the light of belief. It does something if it is good otherwise tries to pull itself back. Any more, blind feelings can’t direct it to wrong ways or surpass it.”

TRAINING EVIL-COMMANDING SOUL BY SHOWING THE BAD SIDE OF HERESY (Wrong-Doing)

Try to see bad sides and the hell like sorrows in the sins that has effects here rather than showing them the sorrows of hereafter. This way, feelings may surrender to the mind and heart which has been fed by the faith and those people may find the right path and give up those sins.

Story of BarsisaStory of Barsisa The Worshipper The Worshipper

At the time of Bani Israel (Children of Israel), At the time of Bani Israel (Children of Israel), there was a man in a small village, called there was a man in a small village, called

Barsisa. He was a monk. But he was a true Barsisa. He was a monk. But he was a true Christian. Christian.

He believed in Tawheed (Oneness of Allah He believed in Tawheed (Oneness of Allah and describing Him as being One and Unique, and describing Him as being One and Unique,

with no partner or peer in His Essence and with no partner or peer in His Essence and Attributes ) and believed Isa (peace be upon Attributes ) and believed Isa (peace be upon

him) was a messenger of Allah. him) was a messenger of Allah.

One day three brothers decided to go to defend their One day three brothers decided to go to defend their country in ongoing war. But they had a sister and they country in ongoing war. But they had a sister and they did not want to leave her alone. So they went looking did not want to leave her alone. So they went looking

for someone to take care of her. The town people for someone to take care of her. The town people suggested to leave her with Barsisa, because of his suggested to leave her with Barsisa, because of his

piety. So they went to him and when they asked him, piety. So they went to him and when they asked him, he said, “I seek refuge from the cursed Shaytan” and he said, “I seek refuge from the cursed Shaytan” and said No! This was because he was scared of falling said No! This was because he was scared of falling

into sin ( due to the potential fitnah (trial) it may into sin ( due to the potential fitnah (trial) it may cause). Then Shaytan came to Barsisa in the form of cause). Then Shaytan came to Barsisa in the form of

Waswasah (Whisperings). Waswasah (Whisperings).

Shaytan is very smart and knew Shaytan is very smart and knew Barsisa had a soft heart. So he Barsisa had a soft heart. So he told Barsisa, “What if they can’t told Barsisa, “What if they can’t find someone good and leave find someone good and leave

her with someone bad, wouldn’t her with someone bad, wouldn’t that be your fault?” Now Barsisa that be your fault?” Now Barsisa did not realize this was Shaytan did not realize this was Shaytan

whispering in his heart, and whispering in his heart, and because of his compassion for because of his compassion for others, he decided to accept others, he decided to accept

their request and help the their request and help the woman.woman.

He let her stay in a house opposite the church. He He let her stay in a house opposite the church. He did this so that it would be easy for him to leave did this so that it would be easy for him to leave her food outside the church and she could come her food outside the church and she could come

get it herself. But after sometime, shaytan get it herself. But after sometime, shaytan returned. This time he told Barsisa, “Why don’t returned. This time he told Barsisa, “Why don’t

you leave the food closer for her, so that people you leave the food closer for her, so that people don’t see her moving back and forth alone!” don’t see her moving back and forth alone!” Barsisa agreed and started leaving the food Barsisa agreed and started leaving the food

outside the house. But shaytan wasn’t happy with outside the house. But shaytan wasn’t happy with this either, so sometime later, he returned and this either, so sometime later, he returned and

ask Barsisa, “Why don’t you go in and leave it on ask Barsisa, “Why don’t you go in and leave it on the table, so that no one sees her coming out and the table, so that no one sees her coming out and going in alone all the time!” Again, Barsisa agreed going in alone all the time!” Again, Barsisa agreed

and he started leaving the food on the table.and he started leaving the food on the table.

Then as time went by, Shaytan returned and said to him, “Why don’t you talk to her, she is all alone

and has no one to talk to!” Barsisa agreed and started talking to her from behind a door (so as to

screen himself). But this would lead them to almost shouting to each other to here themselves.

Shaytan asked Barsisa to just go in and talk to her, and finally, he (Shaytan) had got the alone in a room. Shaytan had completed the difficult part.

Barsisa and the woman committed sin. She became pregnant.

As soon as the baby was born, Shaytan returned, As soon as the baby was born, Shaytan returned, and said to Barsisa, “What have you done? Look and said to Barsisa, “What have you done? Look at the result of your evil (ie the child), get ride of at the result of your evil (ie the child), get ride of the evidence otherwise the brothers will kill you!” the evidence otherwise the brothers will kill you!” Barsisa killed the baby and buried it in the same Barsisa killed the baby and buried it in the same

room the woman was in. Shaytan then told room the woman was in. Shaytan then told Barsisa, “Do you think you can kill the child of a Barsisa, “Do you think you can kill the child of a woman and expect her not to tell anyone?!” and woman and expect her not to tell anyone?!” and So Barsisa killed her and buried her along side So Barsisa killed her and buried her along side

the baby! He then made a fake grace outside and the baby! He then made a fake grace outside and when her brothers returned, he informed them when her brothers returned, he informed them

that she died of illness. After seeing the grave and that she died of illness. After seeing the grave and make dua (prayer) for her, they returned home make dua (prayer) for her, they returned home

and accepted Allah’s decree. and accepted Allah’s decree.

Later that night, Shaytan came to them in their Later that night, Shaytan came to them in their dream and informed them about what Barsisa had dream and informed them about what Barsisa had done and where the child and their sister could be done and where the child and their sister could be

found. The brother got up upset and confused, found. The brother got up upset and confused, and informed his brothers of the dream, and they and informed his brothers of the dream, and they

both said they had the same dream. So they both said they had the same dream. So they believed that it must be true, and when and dug believed that it must be true, and when and dug up the fake grave and found it empty. They then up the fake grave and found it empty. They then

dug the placed shaytan showed them in the dug the placed shaytan showed them in the dream and found the child and woman!dream and found the child and woman!

Furious, the brothers took Barsisa to the Leader Furious, the brothers took Barsisa to the Leader to get his punishment. Barsisa knew that he to get his punishment. Barsisa knew that he

would be given the death penalty. Shaytan came would be given the death penalty. Shaytan came to Barsisa again, for the final time this time. This to Barsisa again, for the final time this time. This time he revealed himself and told him he was the time he revealed himself and told him he was the one whispering the thoughts to him. And he said one whispering the thoughts to him. And he said

that he could save Barsisa, and as long as that he could save Barsisa, and as long as Barsisa makes sujood to him! Barsisa, out of Barsisa makes sujood to him! Barsisa, out of

desperation made Sujood to him , this confirmed desperation made Sujood to him , this confirmed his Kufr (disbelief) and Shaytan said to him his Kufr (disbelief) and Shaytan said to him

“I am free of you, I fear Allâh, the Lord of the “I am free of you, I fear Allâh, the Lord of the ‘Alamîn (mankind, jinns and all that exists)!” and ‘Alamîn (mankind, jinns and all that exists)!” and left Barsisa was stonned to death and on the day left Barsisa was stonned to death and on the day

of judgement he will be resurrected making of judgement he will be resurrected making Sujood to Shaytan! Sujood to Shaytan!

So look how shaytan tricked him. He came to him as a So look how shaytan tricked him. He came to him as a friend, but was infact his biggest enemy!friend, but was infact his biggest enemy!

(Their allies deceived them) like Shaitân (Satan), when (Their allies deceived them) like Shaitân (Satan), when he says to man: “Disbelieve in Allâh.” But when (man) he says to man: “Disbelieve in Allâh.” But when (man) disbelieves in Allâh, Shaitân (Satan) says: “I am free of disbelieves in Allâh, Shaitân (Satan) says: “I am free of you, I fear Allâh, the Lord of the ‘Alamîn (mankind, jinns you, I fear Allâh, the Lord of the ‘Alamîn (mankind, jinns and all that exists)!” (Al-Hashr 59:16)and all that exists)!” (Al-Hashr 59:16)

Shaytan will never make you sin directly, he will always Shaytan will never make you sin directly, he will always trick you using Waswasah (whispering) and he is more trick you using Waswasah (whispering) and he is more

patient than any of us. So we should always seek patient than any of us. So we should always seek refuge in Allah from Shaytan. refuge in Allah from Shaytan.

Never think you have anough knowledge or are strong Never think you have anough knowledge or are strong enough to take on Shaytan. enough to take on Shaytan.

This is why the Scholars of Islam are the ones with the This is why the Scholars of Islam are the ones with the most Taqwa, fear of Allah. So reflect on the story, if most Taqwa, fear of Allah. So reflect on the story, if

Shaytan told Barsisa to make sujood in the beginning, Shaytan told Barsisa to make sujood in the beginning, Barsisa would have said no straight away, but Shaytan Barsisa would have said no straight away, but Shaytan

has a plan in hand it was a step by step policy that has a plan in hand it was a step by step policy that made Barsisa finally breakdown and commit Kufr made Barsisa finally breakdown and commit Kufr

(Denying and Hiding the Truth).(Denying and Hiding the Truth).

There is a path in every sin takes you to Kufr.

Kufr: Denying and Concealing the Truth

Choosing to live in the darkness of

ignorance