The Deceptive Face of Desire and Caprice
The nafs (the lower self), which is inherent in human creation, constantly seeks fleeting pleasures, selfish desires, and the transgression of divine boundaries. In the language of Sufism (taṣawwuf), this is called "hawā wa hawas" (desire and caprice) or the "evil nature" of the human being. ʿAbd al-Qādir al-Geylānī (may Allah sanctify his secret) sternly warns against this dark force that enslaves the human, saying: "O devotee of caprice, abandon heedlessness! Overcome your natural desires." Hawā (desire) appears sweet and alluring from the outside; forbidden things and sensual pleasures seem pleasing to a person. Yet, when these fleeting delights are swallowed, they become a deadly shackle that poisons the qalb (the heart), corrupts the will, and reduces the human to a bestial level. One who acts according to their emotions and desires has lost the guidance of reason and iman (faith).
Breaking the Bounds of Nature with Divine Commands
It is only by firmly adhering to the commands and prohibitions of Islam that a person can break and transcend the selfish inclinations (their nature) with which they are born. Geylānī states, "Take up and perform the deeds prescribed in the religion of Islam. Cast aside the prohibitions and avoid them," thereby indicating that the sharia (the sacred law) is the strongest shield disciplining the nafs. A person must weigh the anger, greed, or lust that arises from within on the scales of reason and religion; if it is contrary to the sharia, they must immediately wage war against it. Abandoning habits and things that are pleasing (riyāḍa, spiritual discipline) is the only way to break the back of the nafs and demolish the prison walls of desire.
True Freedom and Divine Tranquility
While one who is a servant to their own desire and caprice thinks themselves free, in reality they are a slave to the basest desires. True freedom is to break all chains of the nafs and be a servant only to Allah, the Absolute. In accordance with the secret, "This deed, done to destroy your desire and weaken your nafs... You will find all that you seek," a person who sheds their evil nature rises to a lofty station (maqām) that even the angels envy. When the winds of desire subside, the ocean of the qalb finds tranquility. Worldly losses no longer shake such a person, nor do false pleasures lead them astray. The servant who is freed from the captivity of the nafs attains the unshakable security of the divine will and finds eternal tranquility.