Tazkiyat al-nafs /purificationof the soul and Allah''s Names The importance of Tazkiyat al-nafs One of the key areas which every Muslim must giveparticular attention to, particularly at a time when the distractions of lifeare at an all-time high and tribulations of all forms are unceasing, is thearea of Tazkiyat al-nafs /purification of the soul. It is the consciouseffort to pause and reflect; to interrogate oneself critically in order toremove some of the many layers of rust that build up on one''s heart, clouding one''ssense of direction and, at the same time, adding layers of goodness missing inone''s life. Much like clothes that wear out or water thatbecomes murky, i m a n is just as prone to such wear and tear. The Prophet (Allahbless him and grant him peace) said, " ". "The faith which you have in your heart wears outthe same way clothes wear out, so ask Allah to renew the faith in your hearts." [1] It is thisdepletion that causes a dip in motivation, an inability to shed tears in Allah''scause, and having a cold relationship with one''s Lord. Giving attention toone''s soul, actively attending to its diseases, and seeking its purificationfrom time to time is not merely admirable or recommended, but a command fromAllah. Any hope for one''s success is inextricably connected with it.

Allah says, { (9) (10) }. "He has succeeded who purifies it, and he has failed who corrupts it." [2] Allah did not say,"He has succeeded who learns how to purify it", but "He has succeeded who purifies it". Mere study of the process of self-purification isworthless if it does not lead to the actual purification of the self. In fact,this reality was mentioned after eleven consecutive oaths that Allah made toemphasise this point, namely the success of the one who purifies his soul andthe loss of the one who corrupts it. Consider the following oaths: { (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10)}. "(1) By thesun and (2) its brightness. And (3) by the moon when it follows it.

And(4) by the day when it displays it. And (5) by the night when itcovers it. And (6) by the sky and (7) He who constructed it. And (8) by the earth and (9) He who spread it. And (10) by the soul and (11) He whoproportioned it. And then showed it what is wrong for it and what is right forit. He has succeeded who purifies it. And he has failed who corrupts it.

" [3] Furthermore, in hissupplication, the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) used to imploreAllah, saying: " " "O Allah, grant my soul its godfearingness andpurify it, for you are the best Who can purify it, you are its Guardian andprotecting friend."[4] He even taught the CompanionHusayn ibn [Ubayd to say in his supplication: " ". "O Allah, inspirein me guidance and protect me from the evil of my soul."[5] What makes thistopic exceptionally worthy of attention is the fact that the invitation forpeople to purify their souls was the gist of the call of all the prophets andmessengers. Thus, when Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) stood before the Pharaoh, inviting to Islam,h.