Tazkiyatun Nafs “Purification of the Soul”

1. Tazkiyatun Nafs“Purification of the Soul” Islamic Center of Olympia Motto : “To be The best Muslim Community on the West Coast !”

2. Objectives • To learn to cleanse ourselves • To learn the pillars of Tauba “Nasooha” • To enable ourselves to be eligible candidates for Jannah • To bring spirituality into our daily life • To get peace and security in both worlds • To make this masjid the center of all activities

3. Ayat from the Holy Quran • "Oh you who believe, Come, all of you, into submission (unto Him); and follow not the footsteps of Satan. Lo! He is an open enemy for you" (al-Baqara 208). • "O mankind! Eat that which is lawful and wholesome in the earth, and follow not the footsteps of the devil. Lo! he is an open enemy for you" (al-Baqara 168).

4. Exercise # 1 – Opening the Quran • We need to learn what is the meaning of these quotes eg: 26:3-4 • Everybody please pick up a translation • Let us practice how to open up to these verses • Someone read the Arabic and the person next to them, read the English, please !

5. Ayat from the Holy Quran • "And He (commands you, saying:) This is My straight path, so follow it. Follow not other ways, lest you be parted from His way. This has He ordained for you, that you may ward off evil." (al-Anaam 153).

6. Ayat from the Holy Quran • "And keep yourself (O Muhammad *saaws* patiently with those who call on their Lord (your companions who remember their Lord with glorification, praising in prayers, etc., and other righteous deeds, etc.) morning and afternoon, seeking His Face, and let not your eyes overlook them, desiring the pomp and glitter of the life of the world; and obey not him whose heart We have made heedless of Our Remembrance, one who follows his own lusts and whose affair (deeds) has been lost." Al-Quran: Surah 18: Al-Kahf ayat 28.

7. Ayat from the Holy Quran • Tell the believing men to lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that is more purifying for them. Surely Allah is aware of what they do. (24:30)

8. Ayat from the Holy Quran • “Wa amma man khafa maqama rabbihi wa nahan nafsa annil hawaa” • “Qad aflaha man tazakka …….. “ • Sura Muzammil, beginning and ending • Sura Mudathir – beginning • Man jaa bi qalbin saleem !

9. Ayat from the Holy Quran • 079.040 And for such as had entertained the fear of standing before their Lord's (tribunal) and had restrained (their) soul from lower desires, • 079.041 Their abode will be the Garden.

10. Ayat from the Holy Quran

11. Ayat from the Holy Quran • Those who reflect on the âyâts of Allâh will find that Allâh concludes His prescription of most of His limits with His words: “These are the limits of Allâh, so do not overstep them” (2:229), except in the case of fornication when Allâh Almighty says: “And do not go near to fornication. It is an indecent act, an evil way” (17:32). Note - Allâh singles it out in this way because of its seriousness and its consequences.

12. Ayat from the Holy Quran • Allâh said concerning Yûsuf as-Siddîq (AS), • “Thus (did We order) so that We might turn away from him all evil and indecent actions for he was one of Our sincere servants.” [Yûsuf (12):24] • It was because the wife of al-‘Azîz was a polytheist that (the passionate love) entered her heart despite her being married. It was because Yûsuf (AS) was sincere to Allâh that he was saved from it despite his being a young man, unmarried and a servant.

13. Ayat from the Holy Quran • Allâh mentioned the people of Lût and what they were afflicted with and then He went on to say, • “Indeed in this are signs for the Mutawassimîn.” [al-Hijr (15):75] • The Mutwassimîn are those who have clear perception and penetrating insight, those who are secure from looking at the unlawful and performing indecent acts.

14. Ayat from the Holy Quran • This is why the one who follows his base desires shall find in himself the ignominy of the soul, its being weak, feeble and contemptible. Indeed Allâh places nobility for the one who obeys Him and disgrace for the one who disobeys Him, • “So do not lose heart nor fall into despair; for you must gain mastery if you are true in faith.” [Äli Imrân (3):139] • “If any do seek for nobility and power then to Allâh belongs all nobility and power.” [Fâtir (35):10]

15. Hadeeth of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) • Allah loves these 2 eyes, 2 drops, 2 marks. • Eyes that shed tears in His fear and Eyes that keep awake to safe-guard the muslims in times of difficulties / attacks • Drop of tear that is shed in the night Tahajjud and the drop of blood shed in the defense of Islam • Mark of Sajdah on forehead and the mark of the wound sustained in jihad

16. Hadeeth of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) • "Verily in the body there is a piece of flesh. If it is sound, the body is all sound. If it is corrupt, the body is all corrupt. Verily, it is the heart , Verily, it is the heart , Verily, it is the heart !”

17. Hadeeth of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) • Getting old in Islam • “No one reaches forty years in Islam except that Allah protects him from madness, leprosy and leucoderma. When he is fifty, Allah makes easy his reckoning. When he reaches sixty, Allah grants him repentance. And when he reaches seventy, Allah loves him and the inhabitants of the heavens love him. And when he reaches eighty, Allah accepts his good deeds and overlooks his sins. When he reaches ninety, Allah forgives his past and future sins, he is named ‘the prisoner of Allah on earth’ and is granted intercession (for forgiveness) for his family.” [Hasan, Ibn `Asakir. Ahmad Shakir said in his notes to Al-Musnad (8/23,25): “Its chain is at least Hasan. It is supported with other chains which raise it to the level of Saheeh.”]

18. Hadeeth of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) • The Prophet said, "Allah will give shade, to seven, on the Day when there will be no shade but His. (These seven persons are) a just ruler, a youth who has been brought up in the worship of Allah (i.e. worships Allah sincerely from childhood), a man whose heart is attached to the mosques (i.e. to pray the compulsory prayers in the mosque in congregation), two persons who love each other only for Allah's sake and they meet and part in Allah's cause only, a man who refuses the call of a charming woman of noble birth for illicit intercourse with her and says: I am afraid of Allah, a man who gives charitable gifts so secretly that his left hand does not know what his right hand has given (i.e. nobody knows how much he has given in charity), and a person who remembers Allah in seclusion and his eyes are then flooded with tears."

19. Hadeeth of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) • It is recorded in Sahih Muslim, Musnad Ahmad and Sunan Ibn Majah on the authority of Abu Huraira that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, • "When the son of Adam reads a verse of prostration and then prostrates, Satan departs from him and cries, saying, 'Woe to me. The son of Adam was ordered to prostrate and he did so and, therefore, he will be granted paradise. I was ordered to prostrate and disobeyed and, therefore, I will get the hell-fire."

20. Hadeeth of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) • It is reported in al-Musnad, on the authority of Anas, that the Prophet *saaws* said: "The faith of a servant is not put right until his heart is put right, and his heart is not put right until his tongue is put right."

21. Hadeeth of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) • At-Tirmidhi relates in a hadith on the authority of Ibn Umar: "Do not talk excessively without remembering Allah, because such excessive talk without the mention of Allah causes the heart to harden, and the person furthest from Allah is a person with a hard heart."

22. Hadeeth of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) • In a hadith related on the authority of Mu'adh, the Prophet *saaws* said, "Shall I not tell you how to control all that?" I said, "Yes do, O Messenger of Allah." So he held his tongue between his fingers, and then he said: "Restrain this." I said, "Oh Prophet of Allah, are we accountable for what we say?" He *saaws* said, "May your mother be bereft by your loss! Is there anything more than the harvest of the tongues that throws people on their faces (or he said 'on their noses') into the Fire?"

23. Hadeeth of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) • It has been related on the authority of Sahl ibn Sa'd that the Prophet *saaws* said, "Whoever can guarantee what is between his jaws and what is between his legs, I guarantee him the Garden."

24. Hadeeth of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) • It has been related that the Prophet *saaws* once said words to the effect: "The glance is a poisoned arrow of shaytan. Whoever lowers his gaze for Allah, He will bestow upon him a refreshing sweetness which he will find in his heart on the day that he meets Him."

25. Hadeeth of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) • Al-Miqdam ibn Ma'd Yakrib said: "I heard the Messenger of Allah *saaws* say: "THe son of Adam fills no vessel more displeasing to Allah than his stomach. A few morsels should be enough for him to preserve his strength. If he must fil it, then he should allow a third for his food, a third for his drink and leave a third empty for easy breathing."

26. Hadeeth of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) • Crying out of fear of Allah • “No man who cried out of fear of Allah will enter the Fire until the milk returns to the udder, and dust in the path of Allah (jihad) and the smoke of the Fire cannot go together.” [Ahmad, at-Tirmidhi, an-Nasaa’i and Hakim who authenticated it. Authenticated by Al-Albani in Saheeh al-Jaami` (7778)]

27. Hadeeth of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) • Performing the prayer in congregation for forty days while reaching the opening takbeer • “Whoever prays to Allah for four days in congregation, reaching the opening takbeer, will have two written for him: freedom from the Fire and freedom from hypocrisy.” [Hasan. at-Tirmidhi, declared Hasan by al-Albani in Saheeh al-Jaami` (6365)]

28. What is Tauba ? • Yaa ayyohal ladeena aamanoo toobu iallaahe taubatan nasooha“O you who believe! Turn to Allah a sincere turning.” Surah Tahreem 66:8

29. 3 parts of Taubatan Nasooha • Feel Sorry for what sin has been done • Have bitter hatred for that sin forever • Promise to Allah to never do that again • Sometimes, a Fourth: Compensating those who have been wronged or obtaining their forgiveness.

30. Ten Useless MattersImam Ibn ul Qayyim al Jawziyyah • Knowledge that is not acted on • The deed that has neither sincerity nor is based on following the righteous examples of others • Money that is hoarded, as the owner neither enjoys it during this life nor obtains any reward for it in the Hereafter • The heart that is empty of love and longing for Allah, and of seeking closeness to Him • A body that does not obey and serve Allah

31. Ten useless matters (cont) • Loving Allah without following His orders or seeking His pleasure • Time that is not spent in expiating sins or seizing opportunities to do good • A mind that thinks about useless matters • Serving those who do not bring you close to Allah, nor benefit you in your life • Hoping and fearing whoever is under the authority of Allah and in His hand; while he cannot bring any benefit or harm to himself, nor death, nor life; nor can he resurrect himself.

32. However the greater of these matters are wasting the heart and wasting time. Wasting the heart is done by preferring this worldly life over the Hereafter, and wasting time is done by having incessant hope. Destruction occurs by following one's desires and having incessant hope, while all goodness is found in following the right path and preparing oneself to meet Allah.

33. How strange it is that when a servant of Allah has a [worldly] problem, he seeks help of Allah, but he never asks Allah to cure his heart before it dies of ignorance, neglect, fulfilling one's desires and being involved in innovations. Indeed, when the heart dies, he will never feel the significance or impact of his sins.

34. The Purification of the Heart from the Whisperings of ShaytanImam Uthman dan Fodio • 1. The first is to seek refuge with Allah from shaytan, and to reject the thought which occurs. • 2. The second is to remember Allah with the heart and the tongue. • 3. The third is to reflect on the proofs of the people of the sunna. These are not mentioned by the philosophers or the Khawarij / Mu`tazalites. • 4. The fourth is to question one who knows the sunna.

35. “It is the believers who are successful: those who are humble in their prayer; those who turn away from prattle; those who are active in paying zakât; those who guard their private parts – except from their wives or what their right hands own, in that case not being blameworthy; but any desiring anything more than that, they are the over steppers of the limits.” (23:1-7)

36. “Say to the believing men that they should lower their eyes and guard their private parts. That is purer for them. Allâh is aware of what they do. Say to the believing women that they should lower their eyes and guard their private parts and not disclose their adornments, except for that which ordinarily appears, and should draw their head-coverings across their breasts. They must not disclose their adornments except to their husbands or their fathers or their husbands’ fathers, or their sons or their husbands’ sons or other women or what their right hands own or their male attendants who have no sexual desire or children who still have no consciousness of women’s private parts. Nor should they stamp their feet so that their hidden ornaments are known. Turn to Allâh, o believers, every one of you, so that perhaps you will have success.” (24:30-31)

37. “O wives of the Prophet! If any of you commit a clear act of indecency she will get double the punishment. That is an easy matter for Allâh. But each of you who is obedient to Allâh and His Messenger and acts rightly will be given her wage twice over and We have prepared generous provision for her. O wives of the Prophet! You are not like other women provided you are godfearing. Do not be soft in your speech in case someone with sickness in his heart becomes desirous. Speak correct and courteous words. Remain in your houses and do not display your beauty as it was displayed formerly in the Days of Ignorance. Establish the prayer and pay the zakât. Obey Allâh and His Messenger. Allâh desires to remove all impurities from you, o People of the House, and to purify you completely.” (33:30-33)

38. The Prophet, may Allâh bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘O ‘Alî, do not follow one glance with a second one. The first is all right but not the second.” The Prophet, may Allâh bless him and grant him peace, also said, “The glance is a poisoned arrow from the quiver of Iblîs. If anyone restrains his glance from looking at the beauties of women, Allâh will transmit to his heart the sweetness of worship until the Day of Rising.” He further said, “Lower your eyes and protect your private parts.” Ahmad ibn Hanbal related this in the hadîth which starts: “Guarantee me six things from yourselves.” He said as well, “Beware of sitting at the roadside.” They said, “Messenger of Allâh, we have to sit there.” He said, “If you must do it, then give the roadway its due.” They said, “What is its due?” He said, “To lower the eyes, refrain from causing injury, and return greetings.”

39. Ibn ‘Abbâs, may Allâh be pleased with him, said that the Messenger of Allâh, may Allâh bless him and grant him peace, said, “None of you should be alone with a woman unless there is a close relative of her’s present (dhu mahram).”

40. It is related from Abû Umâmah, may Allâh be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allâh, may Allâh bless him and grant him peace, said, “Beware of being alone with women. By the One who has my soul in His hand, a man is never alone with a woman without Shaytân coming between them. It is better for a man to press up against a pig covered with filth than for his shoulder to press against the shoulder of a woman not lawful for him.”

41. For this reason Islâm forbids a woman to put on perfume and scent when leaving her house in case men smell her perfume. The Prophet, may Allâh bless him and grant him peace, said, “Every eye fornicates. When a woman puts on scent and walks past a gathering, she is like so-and-so,” meaning a fornicator.

42. “O Dâ’ûd! We made you a khalîf in the earth. So judge between people with truth and do not pursue whims and desires and let them lead you astray from Allâh’s way. Those who go astray from Allâh’s way will receive harsh punishment for their forgetting the Day of Reckoning.” (38:26)

43. “He who feared the Station of his Lord will have two Gardens.” (55:46)

44. “And who could be further astray than someone who follows his own whims and desires without any guidance from Allâh? Allâh does not guide the wrongdoers.” (28:50)

45. “Anyone who disobeys Allâh and His Messenger and goes beyond His limits, We will admit him into a Fire, remaining in it timelessly, forever. He will have a humiliating punishment.” (4:14) • “Do not go near to fornication. It is an indecent act, an evil way.” (17:32) • “Those who do not call on another god together with Allâh and do not kill any person Allâh has made inviolate – except with a right – and do not fornicate. Anyone who does that will receive an evil punishment.” (25:68) • “Your Lord has made it unlawful for you … to approach indecency – outward or inward.” (6:151)

46. "Know that the life of this world is only play and amusement, pomp and mutual boasting among you, and rivalry in respect of wealth and children, as the likeness of vegetation after rain, thereof the growth is pleasing to the tiller; afterwards it dries up and you see it turning yellow; then it becomes straw. But in the Hereafter (there is) a severe torment (for the believers, evildoers), and (there is) Forgiveness of Allah and (His) Good Pleasure (for the believers, gooddoers), whereas the life of this world is only a deceiving enjoyment." (Al-Hadid 57:20)

47. We also need to talk about the …. Various ways that each one of you has tried to purify themselves ! 30 minute discussion time – and Q/A

48. Special suras to recite • Ayatal Kursi morning and evening • 3 Quls before sleeping x 3 each • Sura Waqiyah • Sura Tabarak • Sura Kahaf on Friday nights / days

49. Barkat of Istighfaar • Especially Sayyidul Istighfaar • Recite and explain • Translate and pass out the cards

50. Psychology of the daily duas • 30 duas of the Quran (Rabbana …… ) • 30 duas of the Prophet to learn