A series of moral, doctrinal, and social statements from the esteemed religious authority, Grand Ayatollah Shirazi, may his shadow remain (Words of Wisdom, episode number 36)
In the valuable book Nahj al-Balagha, we read from Nuf al-Bikali, one of the companions of the Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali (peace be upon him), who recounts spending a night in the Imam’s house. That night, the Imam woke up and lay back down several times. He repeated this act often, as if to prevent himself from succumbing to the pleasure of uninterrupted sleep, allowing only brief rest intervals. While a few continuous hours of sleep brings enjoyment, interrupted sleep — though it may not be as pleasurable — still gives the body enough rest to be refreshed.
There is no doubt that sleep is essential for the body’s health and vitality. Imam Ali (peace be upon him), by sleeping in this manner, fulfilled his body’s need for rest but deliberately deprived himself of the full comfort and luxury of sleep.
Nuf narrates that after several such intervals of rest and wakefulness, the Imam rose from his bed and began praying and supplicating during the night. After some time, he turned to Nuf and asked:
"O Nuf, are you asleep or awake?"
In Arabic, someone who is lying down but not asleep is called a raqid, while someone whose eyes are closed yet not truly asleep — occasionally opening and closing them — is called a ramiq. In either state, the body experiences some degree of rest.
By asking this question, Imam Ali wanted to know whether Nuf was truly asleep and unaware of what he was saying, or simply lying down but still able to listen. Nuf replied, "No, my master, I am not asleep."
At that moment — during the pre-dawn hours before the break of day — the Imam delivered profound words that are the focus of this discussion. He said:
“This is an hour in which no servant calls upon God without their prayer being answered, except for the tax collector, the informant, the police officer, the musician who plays the ‘arṭabah’ (a type of lute or drum), or the one who beats the ‘kūbah’ (a drum). It has also been said that the ‘arṭabah’ is the drum and the ‘kūbah’ the lute.”
The Imam described the early dawn as the best time of the day, when supplications are most likely to be answered — with exceptions. These exceptions include those whose professions involve oppression, deceit, or promoting corruption, such as unjust tax collectors, informants who expose people’s secrets to tyrants, enforcers of unjust regimes, and those who engage in immoral entertainment.
One notable category he mentioned is the ‘arif — the informant — who spies on Muslims, reporting their affairs and wealth to the rulers, and thus assists the oppressor in their tyranny.
Oppression is a barrier to the acceptance of prayers. The human soul, by nature, inclines toward excess and injustice. Therefore, it must not be left unchecked. The soul requires training, as it exists in every person and leads each in its own way toward evil and wrongdoing. If one does not discipline the soul, it is likely to become corrupted. Eventually, a person may become a slave to their desires, ruining both their worldly life and the hereafter.
The Greatest Enemy
Those who take their own lives are often driven by nothing more than surrendering to their own lower desires (nafs). Such an act not only destroys the individual, but also brings sorrow and hardship upon their family and acquaintances. Moreover, society is harmed by the loss of their skills and potential contributions. Instead of playing a beneficial role in society with their talents, such a person becomes a source of pain and detriment due to their absence and destructive behavior.
Similarly, those who end up in psychiatric institutions are often victims of their own unchecked desires and unhealthy internal struggles, leading to a loss of psychological balance. In all these hardships, the primary cause is the human nafs (self or ego). The pressures of the nafs bring about such damage — whereas impairments to physical limbs like the eyes, hands, or feet, though challenging, do not lead to such deep and widespread destruction.
There is a narration from an Infallible (peace be upon him) that identifies the nafs as the most dangerous enemy of man. The Imam says:
"Your most dangerous enemy is your own nafs which lies between your two sides."
Beasts of land and sea — such as lions, wolves, whales, or scorpions — are natural enemies of human beings. If a person is unprotected, these creatures may attack and harm them. However, this narration considers the nafs far more dangerous. At worst, these creatures might end a person’s worldly life, shorten their lifespan, or cause temporary illness with a bite or sting. But the nafs can ruin both this world and the Hereafter, and may even drag others down in the process.
What makes the nafs the worst of enemies, according to this hadith, is its location: it resides within a person, between their own two sides. One can avoid wild animals and external threats by simply not venturing into forests or dangerous terrain, but there is no escape from the nafs. It is with a person during both wakefulness and sleep, day and night. Whether one is working or resting, the nafs does not leave them alone.
This danger does not discriminate by age or gender. Every man, woman, young, or old has a nafs — and is vulnerable to its influence. Even when a person travels, they are not safe from their nafs. This is one of the key differences between the nafs and other threats. For a journey through dangerous terrain, a person may bring weapons, choose a sturdy vehicle, and prepare for potential risks. If attacked by a wild animal, they may defend themselves. If navigating slippery mountain roads, they may rely on a capable vehicle.
Indeed, we prepare ourselves for external threats — but what of the internal enemy? We have no physical tools to confront it, and it never stops posing a risk. Left unchecked, the nafs can destroy a person and harm those around them. A single moment of negligence can lead to irreparable loss.
The Infallible’s use of the phrase “the most dangerous of your enemies” is meant to highlight the seriousness of the nafs and the critical need to guard against it.
There is a story about one of the devout scholars of the past concerning the discipline of the self (tazkiyah al-nafs) that is quite relevant to this discussion. One of his contemporaries, who had studied alongside him in Samarra during their youth, recounts that he often saw this friend going out alone on Thursdays, Fridays, and holidays. Curiosity got the better of him, and one day he decided to follow him. Perhaps due to youthful suspicion, he had developed some doubts and wanted to discover what made these outings so important to his friend.
That day, he followed him discreetly, careful not to be noticed. After leaving the city and passing through alleys and houses, the scholar headed toward the outskirts until he reached a pit in the ground. He placed the bundle he had brought on the ground. It seemed likely that he had dug the pit himself earlier, as he knew its exact location and had come all this way to reach it. He opened the bundle and took out several burial shrouds (kafan). He removed his clothes and dressed himself in the shrouds, then descended into the pit.
The observer said that, as long as he was sure his presence was unknown, he quietly approached the pit. He heard his friend sobbing and crying, speaking to himself. He was reprimanding his own soul, saying: "Imagine you have died and are now lying in your grave. The appointed angels have come to question you. What answers will you give?" Amid his cries, he repeated the verse: "رَبِّ ارْجِعُونِ" – "My Lord, return me [to life]" – a verse referring to those who have departed this world and now regret having wasted their lives:
“Until, when death comes to one of them, he says, ‘My Lord, send me back, that I might do righteousness in that which I left behind.’ No! It is only a word he is saying; and behind them is a barrier until the Day they are resurrected.”
(Surah Al-Mu’minun, 23:99–100)
The opportunity that God grants to people in this world is not renewable. Disbelievers and those who suffer punishment in the afterlife ask to be returned to this world, but God does not grant them this request. There is no second chance. They had it once and did not use it wisely.
Interestingly, the continuation of the verse emphasizes that even if they were returned, they would still not abandon their sinful behavior or false beliefs.
God has already provided ample opportunity in this world. If a person fails to benefit from it, then further chances would serve no purpose other than repeating past mistakes.
After this intense self-reproach, weeping, and personal reckoning, the scholar would finally say to himself: "Now, the divine answer ‘No!’ has not been pronounced over you. You have been returned to life and granted another chance. Let’s see what you do with it."
Then he would emerge from the pit, remove the shroud, fold it neatly into the bundle, put his clothes back on, and walk back toward the city.
This individual eventually became one of the most pious scholars of his time, surpassing many of his peers. He became a role model for others, and even looking at his serene face would bring peace to those seeking knowledge and spirituality. In a sense, his very presence was a teacher for others.
The key to his success lay in self-discipline—retreats for introspection, consistent self-monitoring, and soul-accounting. He had so effectively subdued his inner self, the worst enemy, that it could no longer significantly harm him. Like an enemy who has been disarmed or a wild beast locked in a cage, it remained close but no longer posed a threat.
The holy verses of the Qur’an and the noble teachings of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them) greatly emphasize the control of the self. It is essential to make a serious decision in this regard, seek help from God Almighty, and turn to the Pure Household for assistance so that gradually one may take control of the self and lessen its harm.
Otherwise, if we abandon our soul to its own devices, it will inflict irreparable damage upon us and our society—damage that may lead to our ruin.
May God Almighty, through the intercession of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them), grant us all the success to control, manage, and refine our inner selves.
Peace and blessings be upon our Master and Prophet Muhammad and his pure family.
