How to Purify One's Soul?
From the introduction to "Al-Bahr ar-Ra'iq fiz-Zuhdi war-Raqaa'iq"
Transl. Islaam.com
Allah `azza wa jall gave us His Book and the Sunnah of His Messenger, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam as a sufficient source (of His Sharee`ah). He revealed to the Prophet, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam, during the Farewall Hajj, on `Arafat, “This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you and have approved for you Islam as religion.” [Al-Ma'idah (5):3]
Therefore, the Qur'an and authentic Sunnah regulate the life of individuals as well as societies, guaranteeing happiness in this world and in the next. Turning away from them is the cause of suffering in this world and in the next, whether one turns away from them by replacing them with fabricated narrations and authored verses (of poetry), or by leaving them completely and applying instead worldly programs and human laws.
“Then whoever follows My guidance will neither go astray [in the world] nor suffer [in the Hereafter]. And whoever turns away from My remembrance – indeed, he will have a depressed [i.e. difficult] life, and We will gather [i.e. raise] him on the Day of Resurrection blind.” [Ta Ha (20):123-124]
The “guidance” (huda) of Allah `azza wa jall, (in the above verse), is the Book that He sent down and the Sunnah of His Messenger, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam. “The remembrance” (adh-dhikr) is also the Book and the Sunnah.
Therefore all that brings one closer to Allah `aza wa jall must be within the limits of the legislated. This is a fundamental principle in the Deen of Islam, and a rule set by the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam, in his saying, “Whoever does an action which is not in accordance with our matter (Deen), he will have it rejected.” [Muslim 12/16 and al-Bukhari, with the same meaning, 5/301]
Worship a not a self-punishment for the soul. Nor is every type of self-punishment of the soul worship. Allah's Messenger, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam, once saw a man walking supported between his sons, so he asked about him. They said, “O Messenger of Allah, he vowed to walk.” So he said, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam, “Allah does not need this person to suffer” and ordered him to ride. [Al-Bukhari (4/78), Muslim (11/102), Abu Dawood (3279), at-Tirmidhi (7/20-21), an-Nasaa'ii (7/30), ad-Daarimi (2/184) and Ahmad (3/106, 114, 183)]
It is related from Ibn `Abbas that he said, “While the Prophet, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam, was speaking, there was a man standing, so he asked about him and they said, “[He is] Abu Israa'il. He vowed to stand, not to sit, not to seek shade, not to speak and (he also vowed) to fast.” So the Prophet, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam, said, “Order him to speak, to seek shade and to sit, and let him complete his fast .” [al-Bukhari (11/586), Abu Dawud (3266)] Therefore, he, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam, acknowledged what is legislated, that is, fasting, and renounced what is not legislated, that is, leaving of speech and standing in the sun.
So it is not permissible for one to seek closeness to Allah `azza wa jall by worship which Allah `azza wa jall has not legislated, just like it is not permissible to exaggerate and overstep the limits set by Allah `azza wa jall. The guidance of the Prophet, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam, is the best example in this regard. Iit is not permissible for anyone from his Ummah to add to it, or to think that his worship is more complete than that of the Messenger, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam. The best evidence for this is the hadeeth of the three individuals who came to the house of the Prophet, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam, and asked about his worship. So when they were informed - as if it seemed little to them - one of them said, “How can we be compared to the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam, whom Allah forgave past and future sins? As for me, I will stand (in prayer) and will not sleep.” Another said, “As for me, I will fast and will not break fast”, while the third said, “As for me, I will not marry women”. When the Prophet, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam, was informed, he said, “What is wrong with people so they say such and such. Am I not the most knowledgeable of you about Allah and one who fears Him most of you. As for me, I fast and I break fast, I spend nights in worship and I sleep, and I marry women. Whoever is not pleased with my Sunnah, he is not of me.” [al-Bukhari (9/89, 90), Muslim (9/176)] The main point is that the servant should look for ways of softening of his heart and work on purifying his soul in conformity with what Allah `azza wa jall explained in His book and what has been authentically reported in the Sunnah of His Messenger, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam. [See “Al-Kitab was-Sunnah `aqeedatan wa manhajan” by `Abdur-Rahman `Abdul-Khaliq for more.] This is the way followed by the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, for guidance is that which is from Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala. “Say, 'Indeed the [true] guidance is the guidance of Allah.'” [Aal `Imraan (3):73]
It remains to be said that knowledge of purifying of the soul and softening of the hearts is as essential for students of knowledge – as well as for other servants – as is water for the fish, or air for the rest of the living creatures. This in so in order to prepare the hearts first, as in the saying, “the hearts are prepared for knowledge, just as land is prepared for farming”, so that they would repent to Allah `azza wa jall every morning and night. As some Salaf said, “Whoever does not repent to Allah every morning and evening is from the wrongdoers.” Allah `azza wa jall said, “And whoever does not repent – then it is those who are the wrongdoers.” [al-Hujurat (49):11]
[This is important] so that the student of knowledge does not stumble on the way due to an affliction that he is tried with. For perhaps a servant is highly intelligent, serious or hardworking in studying of sciences of the Sharee`ah and then falls into self-admiration, pride or show-off, and thus becomes destroyed, as in the story of the three for whom the Fire will be lit first. We seek refuge with Allah from the state of the inhabitants of the Fire.
Many people have turned to books, looking for ways to soften their hearts. While they do cure some diseases of the heart - due to what they contain of evidences from the Book and the authentic Sunnah, they also include weak and fabricated elements, unbelievable movements in ecstasy, and exaggerated admiration of some creatures, which makes their harm greater than their benefit. So one who reads them is not safe that with honey he won't also taste poison.
Lenience by some scholars in quoting weak narrations in their admonitions and (lectures dealing with) raqaq'iq (softening of the hearts) has led to appearance of books on raqaa'iq that are filled with fabricated ahaadeeth, without any limit or restrain. So this lenience by the scholars for the purpose of admonition was abused - lenience which was otherwise not present when dealing with issues related to `aqeedah and fiqh.
Relating weak narrations was allowed only under certain conditions clarified by scholars, and this is not the place to quote them. But there is no doubt or disagreement that limiting ourselves to the authentic is safer and that we will reach the goal by doing so, particularly since in the recent times there is a lack of determination to understand what is authentic, let alone what is weak.
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