How can one achieve the purification of the self through the Quran and Sunnah?

 

  The purification of the soul is one of the greatest objectives of Islamic law. It is a spiritual educational process aimed at cleansing the soul from all that tarnishes it and adorning it with all that brings it closer to Allah Almighty. The texts of the Holy Quran and the prophetic Sunnah have come to encourage this noble endeavor, clarify its path, and explain its means, promising great rewards to those who pursue it sincerely.

Allah Almighty said: "Indeed, he succeeds who purifies it" [Ash-Shams: 9], meaning that the one who purifies and cleanses themselves from sins and nurtures themselves in obedience and faith has truly succeeded. True success in this world and the Hereafter depends on the purification of the soul, and it can only be achieved through it.

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: "Indeed, Allah does not look at your appearances or your bodies, but He looks at your hearts and your deeds" [Narrated by Muslim], meaning that Allah Almighty cares about the inner reality of a person, which is their heart and soul, not just their outward appearance. The purification of the soul is the way to rectify this reality.

Purification is not just a matter of moral perfection; it is a comprehensive process that includes:

Cleansing: freeing the soul from polytheism, hypocrisy, hatred, envy, arrogance, and other heart diseases.

Development: adorning it with faith, piety, patience, truthfulness, mercy, and other virtuous qualities.

To achieve this purification, Islam has established a comprehensive methodology based on the Holy Quran and the prophetic Sunnah.

The concept of self-purification

In language, self-purification means: purity and growth. Zakat is derived from "zakaa," meaning growth and increase. In legal terminology, it refers to purifying the soul from polytheism, sins, and blameworthy traits, and nurturing it on faith, obedience, and noble morals. 

It encompasses two aspects: cleansing (removing evils and flaws) and embellishing (adorning it with virtues and goodness). A Muslim does not suffice with abandoning sins but also strives to fill their heart with love for God, truthfulness, piety, sincerity, contentment, reliance, humility, and modesty.

The Importance of Purifying the Soul in the Noble Quran

The first step in purifying the soul is correcting one's creed, for when the heart is void of monotheism, it becomes filled with polytheism and misguidance. Allah, the Exalted, says:  

﴿And they were not commanded except to worship Allah, [being] sincere to Him in religion﴾ (Surah Al-Bayyina: 5).  

Sincerity to Allah purifies the heart from hypocrisy and reputation-seeking, making it solely for the sake of Allah, the Exalted.  

The Noble Quran teaches us that the human soul has the capacity for both good and evil, and it is in a constant struggle between the call of desires and Satan on one hand, and the call of instinct, reason, and faith on the other. Therefore, a believer needs to strive against their own self continuously.  

Allah, the Exalted, says:  

﴿And [by] the soul and He who proportioned it * And inspired it with discernment of its wickedness and its righteousness * He has succeeded who purifies it * And he has failed who instills it [with corruption]﴾ [Ash-Shams: 7-10].  

This clarifies that the soul needs nurturing and purification, and whoever neglects it and leaves it to desires and passions will lose in this world and the Hereafter.  

Allah, the Exalted, says:  

﴿Say, "I seek refuge in the Lord of mankind * The Sovereign of mankind * The God of mankind * From the evil of the whisperer who withdraws"﴾ [An-Nas: 1-4]. This great Surah indicates that one of the most dangerous enemies of the soul is the whisperer, who beautifies sin for it and distances it from obedience. Therefore, seeking refuge in Allah and turning to Him from whispers is one of the means of purifying the soul.

Purification of the Soul in the Prophetic Tradition

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was the ideal example of self-purification, and Allah described him by saying:  

"And indeed, you are of a great moral character." (Surah Al-Qalam: 4).  

Among the most prominent aspects of his (peace be upon him) self-purification were:  

Worship: He would pray at night until his feet would swell.  

Asceticism: He lived a simple life despite the possibility of enjoying worldly pleasures.  

Patience: He endured harm in the path of his call.  

The Prophetic tradition is filled with guidance aimed at nurturing and purifying the soul. The Prophet (peace be upon him) taught his companions how to monitor their hearts, struggle against their desires, and improve their morals.  

Among his sayings (peace be upon him): "The strong believer is better and more beloved to Allah than the weak believer, while there is good in both. Strive for what benefits you, seek help from Allah, and do not be incapacitated." [Narrated by Muslim].  

Here, the strong believer is the one who strengthens his faith, overcomes his desires, and trains himself for obedience, not just physical strength.  

He (peace be upon him) would say in his supplication: "O Allah, grant my soul its piety, and purify it; You are the best of those who purify it, You are its Guardian and Protector." [Narrated by Muslim]. This indicates that self-purification is not solely based on human effort but is a success from Allah, and a Muslim should always pray to Allah to purify his soul.  

He also said: "No one will enter Paradise who has an atom's weight of arrogance in his heart." [Narrated by Muslim].  

Thus, getting rid of arrogance and vanity is fundamental to self-purification, as arrogance prevents the heart from humility and accepting the truth.

Practical Means for the Purification of the Soul

There are many means established by Allah Almighty and practiced by His Prophet ﷺ to achieve the purification of the soul. Among them are:

Consistency in Prayer and Humility in It: Prayer is the pillar of religion, and it is a great means for cleansing the heart and purifying the soul. Allah said: "Indeed, prayer prohibits immorality and wrongdoing" [Al-Ankabut: 45]. The more humility a servant has in their prayer, the greater its effects will be on their refinement and purification.

Reading the Quran with Reflection: The Quran is the food of the soul, and it is guidance and healing. Allah said: "Indeed, this Quran guides to that which is most suitable" [Al-Isra: 9]. Regular reading of the Quran with contemplation of its meanings helps the servant to know themselves, hold themselves accountable, and direct themselves to the straight path.

Remembrance and Seeking Forgiveness: Remembrance purifies and enlivens the heart. The Prophet ﷺ said: "The example of the one who remembers his Lord and the one who does not remember Him is like the living and the dead" [Narrated by Bukhari]. Seeking forgiveness removes the sins that darken the soul and restores it to a state of purity, and it is one of the greatest means of purification.

Regular Self-Accountability: Al-Hasan Al-Basri, may Allah have mercy on him, said: "A believer remains in goodness as long as they have a reminder from themselves." Self-accountability means that at the end of the day, the servant asks themselves: What did I do? What did I say? Was I sincere? Did I wrong anyone? Then they correct their path.

Good Companionship: People influence one another. Good companionship reminds one of Allah, encourages obedience, and warns against disobedience, and it is one of the most important means of purifying the soul. The Prophet ﷺ said: "A person is upon the religion of their close friend, so let one of you look at whom they take as a friend" [Narrated by Tirmidhi].

Patience in Obedience, Avoiding Sin, and Enduring Destinies: Patience is a great foundation on the path of purifying the soul, as it trains the soul to endure and not succumb to desires, anger, or despair.

Faith in God and His Names and Attributes: Knowing God through His beautiful names instills fear and love, as stated in His words: "Indeed, it is only those who have knowledge among His servants who fear Allah." (Surah Fatir: 28).

Faith in the Day of Judgment: It reminds of accountability and recompense, motivating the servant to perform righteous deeds, as He said: "And fear a Day when you will be returned to Allah." (Surah Al-Baqarah: 281).

Purification through Virtuous Morals: The Prophet (peace be upon him) encouraged adopting good morals, including:

Truthfulness: "You must be truthful, for truthfulness leads to righteousness." (Agreed upon).

Mercy: "The merciful are shown mercy by the Merciful." (Narrated by Al-Tirmidhi).

Humility: "No one humbles himself for the sake of Allah except that Allah raises him." (Narrated by Muslim).

Purification through Striving Against the Self: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "The real struggler is the one who strives against his own self in obedience to Allah." (Narrated by Al-Tirmidhi). The self is inclined to evil and can only be rectified through struggle, which includes:

Fighting desires: By abstaining from forbidden pleasures.

Diligence in obedience: Such as night prayers and voluntary fasting.

Purification through Self-Accountability and Vigilance: Holding oneself accountable, as Umar ibn Al-Khattab said: "Hold yourselves accountable before you are held accountable." And being vigilant of Allah, as the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Fear Allah wherever you are." (Narrated by Al-Tirmidhi). These two matters are very important on your path to Allah and in your efforts to purify yourself.

Fruits of Self-Purification

Self-purification has great fruits in this world and the Hereafter, including:

Success in this world and the Hereafter: As Allah, the Exalted, said, "Indeed, he succeeds who purifies it" (Surah Ash-Shams: 9).

Psychological comfort, tranquility, and peace: As mentioned in the Holy Quran, "Indeed, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest" (Surah Ar-Ra'd: 28).

Love of people and gaining their trust: For the piety of Allah makes a servant good-natured in dealing with others, which makes him beloved to them.

Feeling close to Allah, the Exalted: The more a servant ascends on the path of self-purification, the more he feels close to Allah, and experiences a sweetness that only those who have lived it understand.

A good ending and dying in faith: As mentioned in the verse, "O soul, at peace, return to your Lord, well-pleased and pleasing" (Surah Al-Fajr: 27-28).

Winning the pleasure of Allah and Paradise: Because the path of self-purification is the way to attain the pleasure of Allah and thus enter His Paradise after death.

Obstacles to Self-Purification and Their Remedies

1. Obstacles to Purification

Desires and passions: As Allah said in the Quran, "Have you seen the one who takes as his god his own desire?" (Surah Al-Jathiya: 23). Therefore, beware of this and let your actions always be based on what Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him) have said.

Neglecting the Hereafter: Allah Almighty said, "They know what is apparent of the worldly life, but they, of the Hereafter, are heedless." (Surah Ar-Rum: 7). Most people engage in worldly matters at the expense of the Hereafter, which is the ultimate goal.

Bad company: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "A man is upon the religion of his friend." (Reported by Abu Dawood). So beware of them to save your faith.

2. Remedies for the Obstacles

Striving: Allah Almighty said, "And those who strive for Us, We will surely guide them to Our ways." (Surah Al-Ankabut: 69). If He sees you striving to please Him, He will assist you in that.

Sincere repentance: As mentioned in the Holy Quran, "And turn to Allah, all of you, O believers, that you might succeed." (Surah An-Nur: 31).

Good companionship: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "Do not accompany except a believer." (Reported by Abu Dawood). Because believers are the friends who will motivate you to work for the Hereafter.

Purifying the soul is not a secondary matter in the life of a Muslim; rather, it is the essence and spirit of Islam. It requires struggle, patience, constant vigilance, and supplication to God. The more a person purifies their soul, the closer they become to God, experiencing the sweetness of faith and achieving the success that God has promised to His righteous servants. Let us all strive to purify ourselves through the Quran and the Sunnah, and ask God as His Prophet ﷺ used to ask Him: "O Allah, grant our souls their piety, and purify them; You are the best of those who purify them, You are their Guardian and Protector."