Self-purification is the process of ridding the human soul of the impurities of sin that impede spiritual development and the inherent preponderance of evil. The process of overcoming all of these negative desires and introducing only positive ones is known as self-purification.

In Islam, self-purification is an essential process that involves cleansing the soul from spiritual and moral impurities. It is essential for achieving closeness to Allah, developing moral integrity, achieving inner peace and promoting social harmony. Muslims can achieve self-purification through sincere repentance, regular worship, involvement in Dhikr (remembrance of Allah), acts of charity, self-reflection and avoidance of sinful influences. This continuous journey of self-improvement not only improves individual spirituality and morality but also contributes to the betterment of the Muslim community and society as a whole.

Humans are born with wild passions that can be influenced by the conventions and traditions of their surroundings. Sincere faith is impossible without addressing the ‘impurities’ within the human soul, necessitating self-purification as a prerequisite.

Self-purification involves removing old, unproductive habits and enhancing motivation by removing any remaining debris. When a person purifies his heart, it means that he or she will no longer go out of his way to fight lusts and worldly desires. A purified individual no longer has any interest in these things.

The purification of the heart and soul is an important part of the teachings of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and plays an essential role in the lives of all people. This Islamic foundation cultivates people’s consciousness and character, spirituality and morality. The qualities of compassion, mercy, generosity, piety, trustworthiness and more come from purified hearts.

Recognising our temporary existence and our responsibility to Allah, we should consider taking practical steps towards purification. Daily prayer, fasting, understanding the Qur’an, reflection on mistakes, repentance, refraining from negative emotions, and adopting a kind, compassionate attitude towards all living beings are essential practices. Allah (SWT) created man from three elements — mind, body and soul — with the mind being the most noble and hidden secret from Allah (SWT), and the Almighty has given us a religion that is suitable for all these three elements— Islam for the body, faith for the mind and excellence for the spirit. Allah (SWT) says, “They question you about the Spirit. Say, ‘The Spirit is at my Lord’s command, and you have been granted but little knowledge.’” (Al-Isra 17:85).

Knowledge without self-purification or education is harmful and drives the person to conceit and arrogance, which could drive him to seek the world in a destructive and pernicious way. In his book The Revival of the Religious Sciences, Imam Al-Ghazali writes that self-purification is an individual duty for every Muslim, even if he/she does not have bad manners. So everyone must learn about the evils of the heart and how to purify them. He argued that understanding heart disease is a collective duty, not an individual one, as the original form of man is to have heart ailments. He backed his claim with the fact that the chest of the Prophet (PBUH), who is the best example for all humanity, was opened twice to remove a ‘black notch’ which is the embodiment of all heart ailments in the man. So if the Prophet (PBUH) had to undergo this procedure, humanity would need self-purification, as this innate ‘propensity towards evil’ is an inherent nature. Allah says, “That nature in which He has created mankind...” (TMQ, 30:30).

Man’s pursuit of perfection necessitates self-purification and education, as our souls suffer from the same ailments as our bodies. Our bodies constantly store energy and knowledge, requiring constant nourishment, care and goodness. Therefore, we must constantly monitor ourselves as those are the foundation of our faith, which is the most valuable asset we possess. Without it, our lives are meaningless. So, we must continue to develop and grow our faith through self-purification.

Those who use this strength in purifying themselves and developing them (to overcome their latent evils) will win but those who stifle this strength and weaken it will surely lose. The Quran says, “He who purifies it will indeed be successful, and he who corrupts it is sure to fail.” (TMQ, 91:9-10).

As we said before, self-purification consists of two processes: expelling and adorning. We drive away the ills of our soul and its immoral ways, and we adorn them with noble ways after removing the immoral ones. Polytheism, hypocrisy, conceit, arrogance, hatred, envy, stinginess, rage, relishing life and appreciating it for what it is rather than worrying about our afterlife, snooping on others, and not taking life seriously are examples of immoral behaviour. Noble manners, on the other hand, include things like monotheism, patience, trusting in Allah, repentance, thankfulness, fear, having unwavering faith in Allah, being kind to others, showing mercy to others, encouraging others to do good and discouraging them from doing bad and being helpful to others, among other things.

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The writer is a Senior Sub-Editor at the Daily Sun