ISLAMIC MODEL:Nafs al-Ammara, Nafs al-Lawwama, Nafs ul Naatiqa

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Forensic Psychology (PSY - 513)

Lesson 20

ISLAMIC MODEL

Objectives:

To get an insight about the different states of Nafs

To understand the similarities of Nafs with the Freudian Id, Ego and Super Ego

To understand the Islamic model of personality

To understand the categorization of mental illnesses by Imam Ghazali

Nafs and violence

There are two kinds of people, one are those who's Nafs have overcome them and led them to ruin

because they yielded to them and obeyed their impulses. The other kinds are those who have overcome

their Nafs and made them obey their commands.

Holy Quran talks about three states of the soul, Although some scholars have classified the Nafs up to 7

stages, there is agreement among Ulama' that in the Qur'an, Allah (s.w.t.) has described at least 3 main

types of the Nafs. And these are in rank from the worse to better:

Nafs al-Ammara

Nafs ul Lawwaama

Nafs ul Naatiqa

Nafs al-Ammara

In its primitive stage, the ego tells one to commit evil. This is what Sufis refer to when they speak of

fighting Nafs. The prophet Muhammad (Sallahu Alihi Wa Sallam) said after returning from a war, "We

now return from the small struggle [Jihad Asghar] to the big struggle [Jihad Akbar]". His companions

asked, "Oh prophet of God, what is the big struggle?". He replied, "The struggle against Nafs".

It has seven heads that must be chopped off:

1. False Pride (Takabbur)

2. Greed (Hirs)

3. Jealousy (Hasad)

4. Lust (Shahwah)

5. Back Biting (Gheebah)

6. Stinginess (Bokhl)

7. Malice (Keena)

This is the Nafs that brings punishment itself by pleasure seeking and childish behavior. By its very

nature it directs its owner towards every wrong action. No one can get rid of its evil without the help

from Allah. As Allah refers to this Nafs in the story of the wife of al-Aziz (Zulaikha) and Prophet Yusuf

(s):

"The (human) soul is certainly prone to evil" (12:53).

This Nafs resides in the world of the senses and is dominated by earthly desires (Shahwat) and

passions....

Evil lies hidden in the Nafs and this leads on to do wrong. If Allah were to leave the servant alone with

his self, the servant would be destroyed between its evil and the evil that it craves; but if Allah grants

him success and help, then he will survive. We seek refuge in Allah the Almighty, both from the evil in

ourselves and from the evil of our actions. Nafsul ammara is the very much like the "Id" of Freud.

Nafs ul Ammara is the worst category of nafs, in which a person not only commits sin but

boasts of his sins and thus challenges Allah. This is an animalistic nafs that does not care about

Forensic Psychology (PSY - 513)

anything or anyone, least about pleasing Allah. This nafs is a close ally of Shaitan in pushing

people away from Allah and Muslims should pray for deliverance from this type of evil.

Nafs al-Lawwama (the Soul that blames):

Nafs al-Lawwama is also the Nafs of the believer....It has also been mentioned that the Nafs blames

itself on the Day of Qiyamah - for every one blames himself for his actions, either his bad deeds, if he

was one who had many wrong actions, or for his shortcomings, if he was one who did good deeds. All

of this is accurate. Nafs ul Luwwama is a stage somewhat improved from this such that this type of nafs

feels shame when it commits sins and repents to Allah.

Allah refers to this Nafs,

"And I do call to witness the Nafs that blames" (75:2).

This Nafs is conscious of its own imperfections. Hasan al-Basri said, "You always see the believer

blaming himself and saying things like 'Did I want this? Why did I do that? Was this better than that?

This state of soul resembles the "super ego" of psychoanalytic theory.

Nafs ul Naatiqa

This state of soul differentiates between right and wrong with the help of logic and reason and creates

balance. Ego in Freud's ideas also plays the same role.

Similarities with the Freudian Model

There are striking similarities in these states of souls and Freud's concepts of Id, Ego and superego,

Freud may have borrowed these concepts from Holy Quran but Holy Quran also refer to another state,

Frued had never talked aboput and that is Nafs al-Mutma`inna.

Nafs al-Mutma`inna (the Soul at Peace):

Nafs ul Mutma'inna is the best kind of nafs. This is the ideal stage of ego for Sufis. In this stage, the

indvidual will be relieved himself of all materialism and world problems and would be satisfied with the

will of God. It has been rectified and trained to obey Allah. Only the special lovers of Allah who have

struggled their whole lives against their nafs are so blessed. This type of nafs now remains preoccupied

with the sunnah and other ways by which to please Allah. Moreover, people with this type of nafs not

only run from sin but Allah protects them from sin and keeps them on the path of the shariah. This nafs

struggles so hard to improve itself that Allah will admit it into Paradise on the Day of Judgment as He

promises in the Holy Quran. This is the nafs that man should beg for and beseech from Allah.

Allah refers to this Nafs,

"O Self, in complete rest and satisfaction!" (89:27).

This Nafs is tranquil as it rests on the certitude of Allah. Ibn Abbas (r) said, "It is the tranquil and

believing soul".

The Nafs is a single entity, although its state may change: from the Nafs al-Ammara, to the Nafs al-

Lawwama, to the Nafs al-Mutma`inna, which is the final aim of perfection...

Islamic model of personality contains three entities

1. Nafs

2. Qalb

3. Rooh

What is Nafs?

Nafs is Saqeel and is pulled by gravity, by matter. The role of Satan is to grab the Nafs and persuade

towards materialistic things and worldly matters.

Forensic Psychology (PSY - 513)

What is rooh?

Rooh is Lateef and tends upwards towards God.

Qalb

Is a spiritual phenomenon and is the heart, feeling of an individual. It can be turned either way.

But even Nafs can be turned upwards and made Lateef.

The Forces

Imam Ghazali talked about two types of forces that derive and motivated the human character like Freud

gave the concept of Eros and Thanatos.

Malakiyya: Angelic

Haiwaaniyyah: Animalistic

I. Shahwa: Lust (Eros)

II. Ghazab: Anger (Thanatos)

Hadith al Nafs (different states of sins)

Nafs keep on self talk and this Self talk is a route cause for many sins.

Hajis

When it is a bare passing thought

Khatir

When it persists for sometime

Hadith al Nafs

When it replaces action and this is the dangerous state.

Ham: preoccupation (here limits of sin starts)

Azm: Decision (here a person decides to commit a sin)

Illness of the Soul

Imam Ghazali's one very unique contribution is the categorization of mental illnesses and he

identified various types of mental illnesses:

Physiological based mental illnesses

1. Shahwa

2. Excessive Hunger and Lust (excessive sexual desires)

Idle talk and Gheebat

Hostility: Anger, Jealousy and Envy

Love of this world

Miserliness, Greed

Love of power & Fame

Hypocrisy

Pretense

Pride

Takkabbur

Jahaala

The sin of all sins, it provides the basis to all mental illnesses.

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