Nafs al-Lawwamah

Ibn Ajibah (quddisa sirruhu) declares that the nafs, the human ego, is fundamentally singular, yet it takes on diverse appellations depending on the fluctuations in its state of spiritual cleansing and refinement. The nafs becomes the “ammarah,” or “the commanding nafs,” when it sinks into a mire of sin and incites immoral, foul, or wicked behaviors. However, when it starts to reproach itself for its transgressions, it transforms into the “lawwamah,” or “the self-accusing nafs.” That is, when an individual reflects on their sins and acknowledges their transgressions, they begin to hold themselves accountable and start condemning their actions with remorse. As a result of this arduous internal confrontation, they embrace repentance. Thus, through an effort to distance itself from sin, the nafs ascends from “ammarah” to “lawwamah”—the second stage of the nafs.

In Arabic, “lawm” denotes the act of blaming or rebuking. Actions that defy adab or are displeasing to moral sensibilities are subjected to “lawm” or condemnation. “Lawwamah” refers to one who frequently reproaches oneself. The “lawwamah” stage of the nafs is stated in the Holy Qur’an with the ayah, “...I do swear by the self-reproaching soul…” (Al-Qiyamah 2). Ibn Ajibah (quddisa sirruhu) interprets this verse, stating, “After swearing by the Day of Resurrection, Allah swears by the nafs al-lawwamah. This emphasizes the magnitude of the events taking place in both. The nafs al-lawwamah even possesses a higher rank in the sight of Allah. This nafs first rebukes its owner for the faults committed, then ascends from this state to become a nafs that inspires its owner with good deeds and hidden knowledge.”

Hasan al-Basri (rahmatullahi alayh) explains this verse, stating, “By Allah, the true believer is one who is always reproaching his own nafs. They question, 'What did I mean by this statement? What was my intention in eating this food? What am I trying to gain from this thought that crossed my mind?' However, someone who indulges in sins with an unbothered and brazen demeanor never reproaches their nafs.”

Shaykh Shihabaddin al-Suhrawardi (quddisa sirruhu) characterizes the self-accusing nafs as follows: "If the nafs has reached the spiritual rank of the soul, overcoming its inherent character and the wicked desires born of it, it is at the “lawwamah” level. It perceives the grandeur of the “mutmainnah” (the contented soul) stage and begins to reproach the nafs, which persistently urges it towards evil. However, if the nafs remains stagnant at its own stage, it is deprived of the light of knowledge and marifah, the divinely inspired knowledge about Allah. It then dwells in darkness and persistently commands evil.”

The stage of nafs al-lawwamah is where one becomes aware of the self that is unruly and overbearing with its desires and diverges from the accepted norms of ideal Muslim behavior with its actions and proclivities. The introspection and assessment of good and bad deeds takes place at this level, and the person seeks repentance for their sins. However, this nafs, shifting constantly in a precarious balance between the “ammarah” level below and the “mulhimah” level above, may fall back into sin even after repenting. Yet, it continues to repent again after its episode of regression. However, as it cannot completely control its desires and emotions, it cannot fully escape from the clutches of sin. Although the desire for sin decreases, it never entirely vanishes. The remedy for this is constant remembrance (dhikr) and adherence to Rasulullah's (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) Sunnah.

Additionally, one of the first actions for a person at the nafs al-lawwamah stage is to change their social circle and cast off all sources of negative influence in their life, establishing friendships with those who remind them of Allah and do not invite them to sin. For, at this stage, an individual can hardly resist the demands of the nafs when alone and succumbs easily to its whims. In the state of nafs al-lawwamah, traits persisting from the ammarah stage demand constant self-vigilance. Otherwise, one may give in to uncontrolled desires at any moment, finding themselves quickly surrounded by the unforgiving grasp of sin.

Each stage of the nafs possesses distinctive attributes. The predominant characteristics of nafs al-lawwamah are a tendency to sin, self-admiration, a fondness for sleep and food, ignorance, greed, concealed hypocrisy, and remorse. As immaturity still persists at this level, individuals enjoy being admired and praised for their good deeds. Ascension to the next level from this stage can only be achieved through adherence to the Holy Quran and Sunnah and constant dhikr. If one remains too long at the nafs al-lawwamah stage, they run the risk of relapsing into nafs al-ammarah. Therefore, one must persist in their prayers, especially dhikr, abstain from harmful habits, resist the desires of the nafs as much as possible, and strictly obey the commands of their murshid.

The amount of righteous actions also increases in a person at the nafs al-lawwamah stage. They take their prayers seriously and strive to perform supererogatory acts of worship whenever time permits. They perform their righteous deeds and prayers with enjoyment. However, they are proud of these actions and want them to be known by others. Yet, when self-assessing their own actions and character, they reproach themselves for such inclinations. This may be why Hakim al-Tirmidhi described nafs al-lawwamah as deceitful and misleading.

Abdurrazzaq al-Kashani (quddisa sirruhu), one of the great awliya of the Suhrawardiyya order, elaborates on nafs al-lawwamah in his work Istilahat al-Sufiyya: “It is the nafs illuminated with the light of the heart in proportion to its awakening from the sleep of ghaflah. This awakened nafs has begun to mend its wrongful ways. Whenever a sin arises from its dark nature and disposition, an immediate divine warning light rushes to the believer’s aid. Thus, the nafs begins to blame itself and, begging forgiveness before Allah the Most Forgiving and Most Merciful, starts to repent from its sin.”

In conclusion, self-reproach is an attribute of a believing person. For, the dead hearts, those distanced from Allah, ignore their sins and do not reproach themselves. They are at peace with themselves and confident. They even derive pleasure from their sins. Therefore, those who have reached the stage of self-reproaching nafs must prioritize obedience to Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) above all else, fear slipping back to the level of the ammarah, and remain alert to the whispers and traps of their nafs.

Cihat Ceylan