Book Name:Tazkia e Nafs

their own sweat. اِنْ شَــآءَالـلّٰـه   The people who fast will not be tormented by the severe heat.

صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب                                                  صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلٰى مُحَمَّد

(2) Virtues of suppressing the self

O devotees of the Prophet! We heard how the pious people of Allah Almighty fought against their selves. Sayyidunā Mālik b. Dīnār رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه did not eat a date for 40 years, and when he intended to eat one, he fasted for one week as a form of payment from his self! Sayyidunā Mālik b. Dīnār رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه never ate tasty foods for many years. He usually fasted during the day and ate dry bread for ifṭār. One day, he purchased meat upon the request of his self. As he travelled back home, he smelt the meat and said, “O self! There is pleasure in smelling it too. Now there is no share in it for you.” After giving it to the poor, he said, “O self! I do not burden you with difficulty because I am your enemy. I only make you patient so we receive the bounty of Allah’s pleasure.”[1]

Virtues of purifying the self

Dear Islamic brothers! Purification of the self is to protect it from corrupt beliefs and adopt the true Islamic creed instead. Avoiding evil habits and sins, and cleansing the soul from spiritual diseases like ostentation, pride, jealousy, greed, miserliness, and love of the world, etc., are acts of great virtue. The noble Quran states:

جَنّٰتُ عَدۡنٍ  تَجۡرِیۡ مِنۡ  تَحۡتِہَا  الۡاَنۡہٰرُ خٰلِدِیۡنَ فِیۡہَا ؕ وَ ذٰلِکَ جَزٰٓؤُا  مَنۡ  تَزَکّٰی (۷۶)


 

 



[1] Tadhkirat al-Awliyāˈ, p. 33