What are the hadiths about the nafs? Examples of hadiths about the nafs…
According to Fadala b. ‘Ubayd (ra), Allah’s Messenger (saw) said at his Farewell Pilgrimage:
“…The fighter is the one who strives against the desires of his inner self on the path of obedience to Allah.” (Ibn Hanbal, VI, 22; T1621, al-Tirmidhi, Fada’il al-Jihad, 2)
According to Shaddad b. Aws (ra), the Prophet (saw) said, “The clever person is the one who controls his inner self, and strives for the afterlife. And the miserable fool is the one who follows his desires and yet hopes for goodness from Allah.” (al-Tirmidhi, Sifat al-Qiyama, 25; IM4260, Ibn Ma’ja, Zuhd, 31)
According to ‘A’isha (ra), the Prophet (saw) said, “None of you should say ‘Khabuthat nafsi (My soul has become evil),’ but he should say instead ‘Laqisat nafsi (My soul has become agitated).’” (al-Bukhari, Adab, 100)
According to Hudhayfa (ra), Allah’s Messenger (saw) said, “The believer should not humiliate himself.” They asked, “How could he humiliate himself?” He said, “By getting into many troubles by taking on a trial that he cannot deal with.” (Ibn Ma’ja, Fitan, 21)
Zayd b. Arqam (ra) said, “I am not going to say anything different from that which Allah’s Messenger used to say. He used to say, ‘O Allah! I seek refuge in You from weakness, from laziness, from cowardice, from miserliness, from decrepitude, and from the torment of the grave. O Allah! Grant to my soul the sense of righteousness and purify it, for You are its Best Purifier. You are its Protector and Guardian. O Allah! I seek refuge in You from the knowledge which does not benefit, from the heart that does not fear Allah, from the insatiable nafs and from the prayer that is not answered.” (Muslim, Dhikr, 73)
Source: Presidency Of Religious Affairs The Turkey, Islam Through Hadiths
Hadiths About The Soul
