Islamic model of personality contains three entities
1. Nafs
2. Qalb
3. Rooh
What is Nafs?
Nafs is Saqeel and is pulled by gravity, by matter. The role of Satan is to grab the Nafs and persuade towards materialistic things and worldly matters.
What is rooh?
Rooh is Lateef and tends upwards towards God.
Qalb
Is a spiritual phenomenon and is the heart, feeling of an individual. It can be turned either way. But even Nafs can be turned upwards and made Lateef.
The Forces
Imam Ghazali talked about two types of forces that derive and motivated the human character like Freud gave the concept of Eros and Thanatos.
Malakiyya: Angelic
Haiwaaniyyah: Animalistic
I. Shahwa: Lust (Eros)
II. Ghazab: Anger (Thanatos)
Hadith al Nafs (different states of sins)
Nafs keep on self talk and this Self talk is a route cause for many sins.
Hajis
When it is a bare passing thought
Khatir
When it persists for sometime
Hadith al Nafs
When it replaces action and this is the dangerous state.
– Ham: preoccupation (here limits of sin starts)
– Azm: Decision (here a person decides to commit a sin)
Illness of the Soul
Imam Ghazali’s one very unique contribution is the categorization of mental illnesses and he
identified various types of mental illnesses:
Physiological based mental illnesses
Shahwa
Excessive Hunger and Lust (excessive sexual desires)
Idle talk and Gheebat
Hostility: Anger, Jealousy and Envy
Love of this world
• Miserliness, Greed
• Love of power & Fame
Hypocrisy
Pretense
Pride
Takkabbur
Jahaala
The sin of all sins, it provides the basis to all mental illnesses.
