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5.Nafsi Radiyya – The Content Self

“Return to your Lord content…” (Fajr 89:28)

As the secure self ascends to its Lord, the lights of the heart increase and fill the entire body transforming the sensual desires of the ego to the desire for what the Prophet (saws) brought in the Quran.

Now, hardship and ease are the same to it as are harm and benefit, and withholding and giving; because it has become certain (after becoming secure) that every action and deed is from Allah alone; Allah is Master, Sovereign, and Creator. He is the one who grants it Mercy and Compassion. He is the one who is Tender and Benevolent toward it. Everything that is from its Beloved is accepted, and so it is content with everything.

At this level, the self’s creed is that; if it is tried, it is patient, and if it is given, it is thankful, and if it is deprived, it is accepting, and if it is wronged, it is forgiving. It has now become the self with a wholesome and sound heart. It fluctuates in all its states between trust (Tawwakul) and relegation (Tafweed), and contentment (Rıza) and surrender (Tassleem) to Allah. The characteristic of this self is constant cheerfulness, gratitude, and thankfulness no matter what happens.

This is the second stage of the Complete Self (Nafsi Kamilah), which is the station of servanthood. Very few men can aspire to reach this high station. Up to and including this level, the seeker is taught by words and/or examples of others than himself, through Ilm al Yaqin, (the knowledge of Certainty). Now he has approached the level of knowledge through personal experience and revelations: Ayn al Yaqin (certitude by seeing).

Up until now, everything was relative. Now he is offered the Truth (Haqiqah). The manifestation of this state is love, all-enveloping love. He sees all and everything as Allah’s perfect acts, thus loving them as the actions of the Beloved. He achieves perfect surrender to everything, which happens.

That is the “Truth of Islam”. There is perfect harmony, of which he is aware. There are no possibilities of error as he is the master of his nafs, and the nafs itself has become a Muslim, submitting to its Lord. He does not want anything other than what he has. Therefore he does not ask for anything for himself from Allah. But when he prays for someone else, his prayers are immediately gratified. He is seated on the throne in the spiritual realm, while the exterior world is in attendance to serve. His acceptance, submission, pleasure, gratitude, and love of his Lord are so perfect that the Lord responds with His pleasure for His servant in return.

Its remembrance is Hayy (The Living One).