Human Cosmology of the Self 1 of 2 — As Derived from the Qur`an (Haeri) Flashcards
Nafs comes from نَفَس 'to breath in / out' - implies change - comes in and goes, but in the middle, like a pendulum, it touches the same point!
“and it may be that you dislike a thing while it is good for you, and it may be that you love a thing while it is evil for you, and Allah knows, while you do not know”
كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الْقِتَالُ وَهُوَ كُرْهٌ لَّكُمْ ۖ وَعَسَىٰ أَن تَكْرَهُوا شَيْئًا وَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ ۖ وَعَسَىٰ أَن تُحِبُّوا شَيْئًا وَهُوَ شَرٌّ لَّكُمْ ۗ وَاللَّـهُ يَعْلَمُ وَأَنتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ
2:216 (Baqara)
[Shakir] O man! surely you must strive (to attain) to your Lord, a hard striving until you meet Him.
[Pickthal] Thou, verily, O man, art working toward thy Lord a work which thou wilt meet (in His presence).
يَا أَيُّهَا الْإِنْسَانُ إِنَّكَ كَادِحٌ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ كَدْحًا فَمُلَاقِيهِ
84:6 (Al-Inshiqaaq)
[Shakir] And when We said to the angels: Make obeisance to Adam they did obeisance, but Iblis (did it not). He refused and he was proud, and he was one of the unbelievers.
FH translates ‘kaafireen’ as a coverer up of the truth.
[Shakir] And We said: O Adam! Dwell you and your wife in the garden and eat from it a plenteous (food) wherever you wish and do not approach this tree, for then you will be of the unjust.
[Shakir] But the Shaitan made them both fall from it, and caused them to depart from that (state) in which they were; and We said: Get forth, some of you being the enemies of others, and there is for you in the earth an abode and a provision for a time.
[Shakir] Then Adam received (some) words from his Lord, so He turned to him mercifully; surely He is Oft-returning (to mercy), the Merciful.
وَإِذْ قُلْنَا لِلْمَلَائِكَةِ اسْجُدُوا لِآدَمَ فَسَجَدُوا إِلَّا إِبْلِيسَ أَبَىٰ وَاسْتَكْبَرَ وَكَانَ مِنَ الْكَافِرِينَ
2:34 (Baqara)
Adam of a higher / superior reality : contained the most subtle (ruh) as the most gross (mud/earth). Iblis couldn’t accept the superiority of this earth/mud
وَقُلْنَا يَا آدَمُ اسْكُنْ أَنْتَ وَزَوْجُكَ الْجَنَّةَ وَكُلَا مِنْهَا رَغَدًا حَيْثُ شِئْتُمَا وَلَا تَقْرَبَا هَٰذِهِ الشَّجَرَةَ فَتَكُونَا مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ
(2:35)
Shajara = tree, but the root is the noun shijaar = quarrel / disturb. When a seed germinates, it agitates the earth to make its way out - asserts its presence - like it quarrels. So this implies DUALITY / OPPOSITES. In Garden Adam only new goodness / foreverness… but the conscience was not aware of this foreverness, as it could only be aware after being exposed to its opposite!! Pure knowledge is onething, but relative knowledge allows u to appreciate something w.r.t its opposite. Gift of being exposed to duality is indeed a RAHMA of Allah upon us, but will be a NIQMA if we don’t see the One behind it… All rahma, if not acknolwedged by shukar, become a niqma!
فَأَزَلَّهُمَا الشَّيْطَانُ عَنْهَا فَأَخْرَجَهُمَا مِمَّا كَانَا فِيهِ ۖ وَقُلْنَا اهْبِطُوا بَعْضُكُمْ لِبَعْضٍ عَدُوٌّ ۖ وَلَكُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ مُسْتَقَرٌّ وَمَتَاعٌ إِلَىٰ حِينٍ
(2:36)
Implication is descent of Adam is to a zone of oppositeness - everything in existence is an aspect of 2 things… its root lies in its opposite! Cannot be a child born without the seed within him of death … nothing is fixed, in goodness is the seed of badness, everything is in flux… we have come to this earth to experience this flux, yearning for the zone within us that does not change!
فَتَلَقَّىٰ آدَمُ مِن رَّبِّهِ كَلِمَاتٍ فَتَابَ عَلَيْهِ ۚ إِنَّهُ هُوَ التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيمُ
(2:37)
‘Words’ imply the basic foundations of our ability to gain knowledge and ability of man to have layers of consciousness and go from worldly to higher realms of understanding. As we grow there are layers and layers
And when your Lord said to the angels, I am going to place in the earth a khalif, they said: What! wilt Thou place in it such as shall make mischief in it and shed blood, and we celebrate Thy praise and extol Thy holiness? He said: Surely I know what you do not know.
وَإِذْ قَالَ رَبُّكَ لِلْمَلَائِكَةِ إِنِّي جَاعِلٌ فِي الْأَرْضِ خَلِيفَةً ۖ قَالُوا أَتَجْعَلُ فِيهَا مَن يُفْسِدُ فِيهَا وَيَسْفِكُ الدِّمَاءَ وَنَحْنُ نُسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدِكَ وَنُقَدِّسُ لَكَ ۖ قَالَ إِنِّي أَعْلَمُ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ
(2:30)
Angels protest - unknown entity! What is this power of CHOICE you have put into this entity! But Allah aware that when the entity rises to its maturity, then they will not have this fantasy of ‘freedom’ - this ‘freedom’ is when you want to assert your own choice … but once you are aware of the OPTIMUM, this choice is not exercised - you go for the optimum…the perfect person you cannot do other than what you are going to which is the OPTIMUM.
[Shakir] And when your Lord brought forth from the children of Adam, from their backs, their descendants, and made them bear witness against their own souls: Am I not your Lord? They said: Yes! we bear witness. Lest you should say on the day of resurrection: Surely we were heedless of this.
[Pickthal] And (remember) when thy Lord brought forth from the Children of Adam, from their reins, their seed, and made them testify of themselves, (saying): Am I not your Lord? They said: Yea, verily. We testify. (That was) lest ye should say at the Day of Resurrection: Lo! of this we were unaware;
[Yusufali] When thy Lord drew forth from the Children of Adam - from their loins - their descendants, and made them testify concerning themselves, (saying): “Am I not your Lord (who cherishes and sustains you)?”- They said: “Yea! We do testify!” (This), lest ye should say on the Day of Judgment: “Of this we were never mindful”:
وَإِذْ أَخَذَ رَبُّكَ مِن بَنِي آدَمَ مِن ظُهُورِهِمْ ذُرِّيَّتَهُمْ وَأَشْهَدَهُمْ عَلَىٰ أَنفُسِهِمْ أَلَسْتُ بِرَبِّكُمْ ۖ قَالُوا بَلَىٰ ۛ شَهِدْنَا ۛ أَن تَقُولُوا يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ إِنَّا كُنَّا عَنْ هَـٰذَا غَافِلِينَ
(7:172 - Al-A’raaf)
Within us lies pattern of knowledge / witnessing. Within human heart lies imprint of knowledge - we seek knowledge / security / garden from which we descended.
[Shakir] Surely We have made whatever is on the earth an embellishment for it, so that We may try them (as to) which of them is best in works.
[Pickthal] Lo! We have placed all that is on the earth as an ornament thereof that We may try them: which of them is best in conduct.
[Yusufali] That which is on earth we have made but as a glittering show for the earth, in order that We may test them - as to which of them are best in conduct.
إِنَّا جَعَلْنَا مَا عَلَى الْأَرْضِ زِينَةً لَّهَا لِنَبْلُوَهُمْ أَيُّهُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلًا
(18:7 - Al-Kahf)
Balaa-yabloo = to tire out / wear down (linabloowahom - ‘so we may try them’ [to see who goes for best of action])…
Within us is a ruh (soul) and that soul has been exposed to ‘alastu birabbikum’ - the lord - noor al anwaar… it has already been exposed / spoilt - me as the ego of this ruh, I also want to be like that, so NOTHING WILL BE ENOUGH … so we crave more and more and more (material), as nothing is enough! We need to groom our selves to avoid the pitfalls. Realise that this world will never satiate us… only HE is enough for us…
[Shakir] And thus have We made in every town the great ones to be its guilty ones, that they may plan therein; and they do not plan but against their own souls, and they do not perceive.
[Pickthal] And thus have We made in every city great ones of its wicked ones, that they should plot therein. They do but plot against themselves, though they perceive not.
[Yusufali] Thus have We placed leaders in every town, its wicked men, to plot (and burrow) therein: but they only plot against their own souls, and they perceive it not.
وَكَذَٰلِكَ جَعَلْنَا فِي كُلِّ قَرْيَةٍ أَكَابِرَ مُجْرِمِيهَا لِيَمْكُرُوا فِيهَا ۖ وَمَا يَمْكُرُونَ إِلَّا بِأَنفُسِهِمْ وَمَا يَشْعُرُونَ
(6:123 - Al-An’aam)
Allah describes how life on this earth based on individuals / society. Its cyclical, never fixed. All civilizations developed, and then followed by decline; man approaches with humility, attains power, applies justice, then subsequent generations become decadent (c.f. Ibn Khaldun)…cyclical, then another group comes and overtakes.
Here God is talking about the worst of their leaders, who don’t realise that they are just damaging themselves! We are not different from each other in inner sense… we do bad to others, detrimental to our own-selves!
[Shakir] And We will most certainly try you with somewhat of fear and hunger and loss of property and lives and fruits; and give good news to the patient,
[Pickthal] And surely We shall try you with something of fear and hunger, and loss of wealth and lives and crops; but give glad tidings to the steadfast,
[Yusufali] Be sure we shall test you with something of fear and hunger, some loss in goods or lives or the fruits (of your toil), but give glad tidings to those who patiently persevere,
وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُم بِشَيْءٍ مِّنَ الْخَوْفِ وَالْجُوعِ وَنَقْصٍ مِّنَ الْأَمْوَالِ وَالْأَنفُسِ وَالثَّمَرَاتِ ۗ وَبَشِّرِ الصَّابِرِينَ
(2:155)
We incline towards towards wealth as the ruh has been exposed to Allah’s boundless wealth! We love it, and in the state of loving the almighty source of all wealth, we transpose it to shadowy wealth of this worth! So many great despots lose everything! But we don’t learn as we love wealth… our need is to discover the inner wealth… in this case outer needs made easier!
[Shakir] And when We wish to destroy a town, We send Our commandment to the people of it who lead easy lives, but they transgress therein; thus the word proves true against it, so We destroy it with utter destruction.
[Pickthal] And when We would destroy a township We send commandment to its folk who live at ease, and afterward they commit abomination therein, and so the Word (of doom) hath effect for it, and we annihilate it with complete annihilation.
[Yusufali] When We decide to destroy a population, We (first) send a definite order to those among them who are given the good things of this life and yet transgress; so that the word is proved true against them: then (it is) We destroy them utterly.
وَإِذَا أَرَدْنَا أَن نُّهْلِكَ قَرْيَةً أَمَرْنَا مُتْرَفِيهَا فَفَسَقُوا فِيهَا فَحَقَّ عَلَيْهَا الْقَوْلُ فَدَمَّرْنَاهَا تَدْمِيرًا
(17:16 - Al-Isra)
God’s destruction is a result of poor actions - we bring catastrophe upon ourselves.
[Shakir] And I have not created the jinn and the men except that they should serve Me.
[Pickthal] I created the jinn and humankind only that they might worship Me.
[Yusufali] I have only created Jinns and men, that they may serve Me.
وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالْإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِ
(51:56 Adh-Dhaariyaat)
Word ‘abada also relates to ‘ease’… love is the divine glue of cosmos…its root of all power in this world…things move towards that which they ‘like’
Verses about the nature of man’s lower self:
[Shakir] …and man is ever hasty.
وَكَانَ الْإِنسَانُ عَجُولً
(17:11 - Al-Isra) - only part of verse
Nafs normally refers to man’s lower self
Verses about the nature of man’s lower self:[Shakir] …and man is ever ungrateful.
وَكَانَ الْإِنسَانُ كَفُورًا
(17:67 - Al-Isra) - only part of verse
Verses about the nature of man’s lower self:[Shakir] …he (man) is an open opponent.
هُوَ خَصِيمٌ مُبِينٌ
(16:4 - Al-Nahl) - only part of verse
Verses about the nature of man’s lower self:
[Shakir]: Surely We offered the trust to the heavens and the earth and the mountains, but they refused to be unfaithful to it and feared from it, and man has turned unfaithful to it; surely he is unjust, ignorant.
إِنَّا عَرَضْنَا الْأَمَانَةَ عَلَى السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَالْجِبَالِ فَأَبَيْنَ أَن يَحْمِلْنَهَا وَأَشْفَقْنَ مِنْهَا وَحَمَلَهَا الْإِنسَانُ ۖ إِنَّهُ كَانَ ظَلُومًا جَهُولًا
(33:72 - Al Ahzaab).
Verses about the nature of man’s lower self:
[Shakir] Surely man is created of a hasty temperament
[Pickthal] Lo! man was created anxious,
[Yusufali] Truly man was created very impatient
إِنَّ الْإِنسَانَ خُلِقَ هَلُوعًا
(70:19) - Al-Ma’aarij
[Shakir] Does man think that he is to be left to wander without an aim?
[Pickthal] Thinketh man that he is to be left aimless?
[Yusufali] Does man think that he will be left uncontrolled, (without purpose)?
أَيَحْسَبُ الْإِنسَانُ أَن يُتْرَكَ سُدًى
(75:36) - Al-Qiyaama
We will always face challenges, and through God’s grace, we will always fail (to some extent), we will be humbled / tired etc.
Subject of SELF (The Self = the Soul (ruh, represents the perfect) and the Ego (nafs, ever changing))
[Shakir] And the soul and Him Who made it perfect,
[Pickthal] And a soul and Him Who perfected it
[Yusufali] By the Soul, and the proportion and order given to it;
[Shakir] Then He inspired it to understand what is right and wrong for it;
[Pickthal] And inspired it (with conscience of) what is wrong for it and (what is) right for it.
[Yusufali] And its enlightenment as to its wrong and its right
[Shakir] He will indeed be successful who purifies it,
[Pickthal] He is indeed successful who causeth it to grow,
[Yusufali] Truly he succeeds that purifies it,
وَنَفْسٍ وَمَا سَوَّاهَا
فَأَلْهَمَهَا فُجُورَهَا وَتَقْوَاهَا
قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَن زَكَّاهَا
(91:7-9 - Ash-Shams)
Apparent contradiction with فَلَا تُزَكُّوا أَنفُسَكُمْ ۖ in 53:32, which means
[Shakir] …therefore do not attribute purity to your souls…
[Pickthal ] … Therefor ascribe not purity unto yourselves…
[Yusufali] … Therefore justify not yourselves…
BUT the point here is don’t think your ego to be pure! Nafs is a shadow - how can it ever be captured! How can you ever be rid of that? For as long as we are alive, we have a nafs!
[Shakir ] And in the earth there are signs for those who are sure,
[Pickthal ] And in the earth are portents for those whose faith is sure.
[Yusufali ] On the earth are signs for those of assured Faith,
[Shakir ] And in your own souls (too); will you not then see?
[Pickthal ] And (also) in yourselves. Can ye then not see?
[Yusufali ] As also in your own selves: Will ye not then see?
وَفِي الْأَرْضِ آيَاتٌ لِّلْمُوقِنِينَ ﴿٢٠﴾ وَفِي أَنفُسِكُمْ ۚ أَفَلَا تُبْصِرُونَ
(51:20 & 21 - Adh Dhaariyaat)
SFH: we’re always looking for signs of stability and reliability (relationships, investments, etc.). Within ourself is call of the higher self (ruh)… we must comprehend that
[Shakir ] And Allah has made wives for you from among yourselves, and has given you sons and grandchildren from your wives, and has given you of the good things; is it then in the falsehood that they believe while it is in the favor of Allah that they disbelieve?
[Pickthal ] And Allah hath given you wives of your own kind, and hath given you, from your wives, sons and grandsons, and hath made provision of good things for you. Is it then in vanity that they believe and in the grace of Allah that they disbelieve?
[Yusufali] And Allah has made for you mates (and companions) of your own nature, and made for you, out of them, sons and daughters and grandchildren, and provided for you sustenance of the best: will they then believe in vain things, and be ungrateful for Allah’s favours?
وَاللَّـهُ جَعَلَ لَكُم مِّنْ أَنفُسِكُمْ أَزْوَاجًا
(16:72 - Al-Nahl)
SFH: azwaaja means ‘pairs’ - a pair which meets at a certain point.. has various levels:
- within me there are these ‘pairs’ - opposites
- man / woman
[Shakir] If you do good, you will do good for your own souls, and if you do evil, it shall be for them…
[Pickthal] (Saying): If ye do good, ye do good for your own souls, and if ye do evil, it is for them (in like manner).
[Yusufali] If ye did well, ye did well for yourselves; if ye did evil, (ye did it) against yourselves.
إِنْ أَحْسَنتُمْ أَحْسَنتُمْ لِأَنفُسِكُمْ ۖ وَإِنْ أَسَأْتُمْ فَلَهَا
(17: 7 - Al-Isra part of verse)
- Whatever we do is ultimately experienced by us. Therefore we have path of devotion / service… becoz if focus on ME only, become EGOTISTIC, but if i start doing things for others (poor, needy, family, GOD), then reduce our focus on our EGO, less the heaviness of the ‘shadow’… allows light of RUH to shine through… its a displacement… only limited time / energy - if we focus on EGO only, miss out on the higher… so focus on higher…but its not a sacrifice - intelligent displacement… the more we focus on higher, the lower becomes easier to deal with We become more efficient - no longer in the battle-field!!! As we know, if over-engaged in something, becomes harder to deal with - easier if not emotionally engaged in things! Otherwise can’t see the wood for the trees!
[Shakir] And when souls are united,
[Pickthal ] And when souls are reunited,
[Yusufali ] When the souls are sorted out, (being joined, like with like);
وَإِذَا النُّفُوسُ زُوِّجَتْ
(18:7 - At-Takwir)
In reference to aakhira….on the day of reckoning, the nufus come in pairs…the nafs and ruh unite without any movement/change in the nafs! My state at the moment of my death, forms the “halo” over the light of my ruh! Ruh is like a battery - essential power that energises u… nafs = personality it changes, Ruh = constant. At the point of departing this world is when the nafs and ruh ‘click’ together. The more i focus on my material self, the more i spend time in the grave, rather than ascending.
[Shakir] O soul that art at rest!
[Pickthal] But ah! thou soul at peace!
[Yusufali] (To the righteous soul will be said:) “O (thou) soul, in (complete) rest and satisfaction!
ارْجِعِي إِلَىٰ رَبِّكِ رَاضِيَةً مَرْضِيَّةً {28}
[Shakir ] Return to your Lord, well-pleased (with him), well-pleasing (Him),
[Pickthal] Return unto thy Lord, content in His good pleasure!
[Yusufali ] “Come back thou to thy Lord,- well pleased (thyself), and well-pleasing unto Him!
يَا أَيَّتُهَا النَّفْسُ الْمُطْمَئِنَّةُ ﴿٢٧﴾ ارْجِعِي إِلَىٰ رَبِّكِ رَاضِيَةً مَّرْضِيَّةً
(89: 27 & 28 - Al-Fajr)
[Shakir] Allah does not impose upon any soul a duty but to the extent of its ability; for it is (the benefit of) what it has earned and upon it (the evil of) what it has wrought: Our Lord! do not punish us if we forget or make a mistake; Our Lord! do not lay on us a burden as Thou didst lay on those before us, Our Lord do not impose upon us that which we have not the strength to bear; and pardon us and grant us protection and have mercy on us, Thou art our Patron, so help us against the unbelieving people.
[Pickthal] Allah tasketh not a soul beyond its scope. For it (is only) that which it hath earned, and against it (only) that which it hath deserved. Our Lord! Condemn us not if we forget, or miss the mark! Our Lord! Lay not on us such a burden as thou didst lay on those before us! Our Lord! Impose not on us that which we have not the strength to bear! Pardon us, absolve us and have mercy on us, Thou, our Protector, and give us victory over the disbelieving folk.
[Yusufali] On no soul doth Allah Place a burden greater than it can bear. It gets every good that it earns, and it suffers every ill that it earns. (Pray:) “Our Lord! Condemn us not if we forget or fall into error; our Lord! Lay not on us a burden Like that which Thou didst lay on those before us; Our Lord! Lay not on us a burden greater than we have strength to bear. Blot out our sins, and grant us forgiveness. Have mercy on us. Thou art our Protector; Help us against those who stand against faith.”
لَا يُكَلِّفُ اللَّـهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا ۚ لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتْ وَعَلَيْهَا مَا اكْتَسَبَتْ ۗ رَبَّنَا لَا تُؤَاخِذْنَا إِن نَّسِينَا أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَا ۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْنَا إِصْرًا كَمَا حَمَلْتَهُ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِنَا ۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تُحَمِّلْنَا مَا لَا طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِ ۖ وَاعْفُ عَنَّا وَاغْفِرْ لَنَا وَارْحَمْنَا ۚ أَنتَ مَوْلَانَا فَانصُرْنَا عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْكَافِرِينَ
(2:286 - Al Baqaraa)
Not a way out for the lazy! rather God will make a soul responsible to the extent of your ability! I.e. you’re accountable if you don’t perform to your ability!
[Shakir] And every soul shall come, with it a driver and a witness.
[Pickthal] And every soul cometh, along with it a driver and a witness.
[Yusufali] And there will come forth every soul: with each will be an (angel) to drive, and an (angel) to bear witness.
وَجَاءَتْ كُلُّ نَفْسٍ مَّعَهَا سَائِقٌ وَشَهِيدٌ
(50:21 - Qaf)
Re: Day of J
Ruh is the DRIVing force within us, which is the power of Love, as God loves to be known…and knowledge of His attributes is in our Ruh! Shaheed is the witnesser - i.e. yourself!
