What Does It Really Mean to Build the Nafs?

A question was put to Shaykh Bali — are building the nafs and acquiring knowledge the same thing? The answer is one line.

How the Question Comes

The question was simple — what is the correct method of building the nafs? And is there any difference between building the nafs and acquiring knowledge?

The question is also one that many people today carry inside — I have read books, listened to lectures, and piled up notes; yet in my amal I am still standing in the same place as before.

Shaykh Bali's answer is very short, but the whole difference is captured right there.

The Shaykh's Answer

Building the nafs means — acting on your own knowledge through amal (practice). It means raising the nafs upon obedience, faith, and turning toward Allah.

The Shaykh mentioned several areas: building the nafs through lowering the gaze, through guarding the tongue, through good treatment of parents, through keeping family ties, through tahajjud, and through memorizing and repeating some portion of the Qur'an every day.

And what helps keep the nafs steady upon obedience is reading reliable books on the virtues of deeds — so that the heart moves forward in hope of reward.

Evidence — standing firm upon patience

يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱصْبِرُوا۟ وَصَابِرُوا۟ وَرَابِطُوا۟ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ

O you who have believed, persevere and endure and remain stationed and fear Allāh that you may be successful. (Surah Aal-i-Imraan 3:200 — Saheeh International)Copy

This discussion was a brief question and answer — so nothing has been added here beyond what the Shaykh said.

What to Do

1. Put one thing you know into practice today.
2. Begin your training with these two — the gaze and the tongue.
3. Keep good treatment of your parents and keeping family ties on your daily list.
4. Memorize a small portion of the Qur'an every day, and review what you memorized before.

Monthly Ruqyah Course

★ 12 live ruqyah sessions ★ Recorded video of every session ★ Separate session notes for every session ★ A diagnosis package worth 500 taka for only 150 taka ★ A chance to consult with the raqi in a group ★ A separate Telegram group ★ A separate discussion group for brothers and sisters ★ Separate sessions for different problems ★ A guidelines and Q&A segment in every session

The course hadiya is only 490 taka. To join, write Session in a message — I will send you the form link, in sha Allah.

Source: Based on the talk of Shaykh Waheed Abdussalam Bali

Translation and compilation: Raqi Faisal Ahmed Sabit — Al Qur'an Ruqyah Healing Center