Taming the Lower Self

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اِسْتَعِنْ عَلَى سَيْرِكَ إِلَى اللَّهِ بِتَرْكِ مَنْ شَغَلَكَ عَنِ اللَّهِ

Seek assistance on your path to Allah by abandoning those who divert you from Allah.

وَلَيْسَ بِشَاغِلٍ يَشْغَلُكَ عَنِ اللَّهِ كَ نَفْسِكَ الَّتِي هِيَ بَيْنَ جَنْبَيْكَ

And nothing can distract you from Allah like your own self between your sides.

النَّفْسُ مَجْبُولَةٌ عَلَى سُوءِ الأَدَبِ

The self is inherently inclined towards poor manners.

وَالْعَبْدُ مَأْمُورٌ بِمُلازَمَةِ الأَدَبِ

And the servant is commanded to adhere to proper manners.

فَالنَّفْسُ تَجْرِي بِطَبْعِهَا فِي مَيْدَانِ الْمُخَالَفَةِ

Thus, the self naturally operates in the field of opposition.

وَالْعَبْدُ مُجْتَهِدٌ فِي رَدِّهَا

And the servant strives to restrain it.

فَمَتَى أَعَانَهَا فَهُوَ شَرِيكُهَا فِي فَسَادِهَا

Whenever he aids it, he becomes a partner in its corruption.

أَوَّلُ وِصَالِ الْعَبْدِ لِلْحَقِّ هُجْرَانُهُ لِنَفْسِهِ

The first connection of the servant to the Truth is his abandonment of his self.

وَأَوَّلُ هُجْرَانِ الْعَبْدِ لِلْحَقِّ مُوَاصَلَتُهُ لِنَفْسِهِ

And the first abandonment of the Truth by the servant is his connection to his self.