Very informative article with deep insight re Nafs and I agree wholeheartedly with your take on the misdirection of those who claim to hold secrets within their brotherhoods when the way to find the light is open to anyone who is willing to let it in. Do you see nafs as requiring emotion too? I ask because reason in the western sense of the word is (unlike logic) not just pure intellect but thought processes which use logic and intellect colored by emotion
Thank you so much, Cally .I really appreciate you reading and sharing such a thoughtful perspective!
Yes, I do see Nafs as deeply tied to emotion, and in many ways, it does influence how we reason — especially in the way you described "reason" through the Western lens. It’s not just logic running on rails, it’s logic tinted with longing, fear, past wounds, ego, and even love. So Nafs isn’t just a desire machine, it can sneak into our thoughts under the disguise of “reasonable decisions,” coloring our perception without us even realizing it.
That’s why in many spiritual traditions, mastering the Nafs isn’t just about suppressing emotion, it’s about becoming aware of how emotion, desire, and even identity can steer our so-called “reason.”
And the irony is, sometimes it’s the Nafs that makes us feel like we’re being deeply rational — while actually, we’re just building logical castles around our impulses. :)
Very informative article with deep insight re Nafs and I agree wholeheartedly with your take on the misdirection of those who claim to hold secrets within their brotherhoods when the way to find the light is open to anyone who is willing to let it in. Do you see nafs as requiring emotion too? I ask because reason in the western sense of the word is (unlike logic) not just pure intellect but thought processes which use logic and intellect colored by emotion
Thank you so much, Cally .I really appreciate you reading and sharing such a thoughtful perspective!
Yes, I do see Nafs as deeply tied to emotion, and in many ways, it does influence how we reason — especially in the way you described "reason" through the Western lens. It’s not just logic running on rails, it’s logic tinted with longing, fear, past wounds, ego, and even love. So Nafs isn’t just a desire machine, it can sneak into our thoughts under the disguise of “reasonable decisions,” coloring our perception without us even realizing it.
That’s why in many spiritual traditions, mastering the Nafs isn’t just about suppressing emotion, it’s about becoming aware of how emotion, desire, and even identity can steer our so-called “reason.”
And the irony is, sometimes it’s the Nafs that makes us feel like we’re being deeply rational — while actually, we’re just building logical castles around our impulses. :)
So yes ! 100% agree. The Nafs does more than feel