Ego is not important in life

                                                            HOW EGO IS FORMED?  

                                                        HOW EGO IS DEVELOPED?        

           DIFFERENCE BETWEEN EGO AND SELF RESPECT                                                    

HOW EGO DEVELOPS? 

HOW EGO WORKS?

HOW EGO KILLS RELATIONSHIPS? 

SUFI VIEW OF GOD

Ego is dangerous while Humbleness raisees ranks

                                    ﷽ 

INTRODUCTION:

Ego is the widely discussed topic in every religion. Even the communities which are either atheists or agnostics also consider ego as the important element. In Sufism, Ego (also known as Nafs) holds an important place and the main duty of the Sufi Master is to guide his disciples to achieve control over their ego (Nafs). Ego is a little complicated word. While the majority of the people on Earth consider ego to be an element that creates an aura of negativity, Sufism has the different view about Ego.

The Ego could be taken in a positive as well as in a negative manner. The Sufis use the word “Nafs” for Ego. If a person has control over Nafs (Ego), then the Ego does not remain Ego at all, and the person achieves the higher level of consciousness and attains perfection. However, if the person does not have any control over Ego (Nafs), then the person will suffer torment (physically, mentally, and emotionally) at every stage of life.Sufism has divided the person’s Ego (Nafs) into three main categories: 

an-nafs-al-ammarah (the inciting Nafs): This is the primitive stage and the nafs incites people to commit evil. THe self in Nafs-al-ammarah runs after material possessions and sensual desires.

an-nafs-al-luwwamah (the Self-accusing Nafs): Stage where self-conscience is awakened and the person self-accuses one for listening to Ego. Here the person gains little control over the Nafs (Ego), and repent immediately to God for the sins committed. 

an-nafs-al-mutmainnah (the Nafs at peace): This is the final stage and the person attains full perfection over mind, body and soul. In short, the person gains full control over Ego. In this stage, one is firm on one’s faith and leave the bad habits/manners behind. THe soul finds tranquillity and is satisfied with everything GOD has given to them.

LESSON FROM SHEIKH SANAN'S STORY: 

The story of Sheikh Sanan in the book Mantiqu’t Tayr (Conference of Birds) written by the great Sufi Master Fariduddin Attar is a great lesson on controlling the Nafs (Ego). Sheikh Sanan was a famous Sufi who lived in Mecca with his four hundred disciples. One day, Sheikh Sanan left for the city of Rome. At the outskirts of Rome, there was a temple and Sheikh Sanan heard a beautiful voice of a Christian maiden. Sheikh Sanan fell in love with the Christian maiden after he looked at her for the first time. The Sheikh was spellbound by her beauty and was left unconscious. 

His fire of love made him forget all about himself. The fire of love burnt sheikh Sanan so deep that the Sheikh forgot about himself as a popular religious figure and an obedient servant of GOD. 

The disciples of Sheikh Sanan asked him to return to Mecca with them. Sheikh Sanan refused to accompany them to Mecca and started to live opposite the temple where he could see his beloved every day. The Sheikh was getting restless and disturbed every day and one day he confessed his love to his beloved girl. The girl rebuked Sheikh Sanan for being a shameless person (as Sheikh Sanan was very old and his beloved was a young girl in her teenage). The girl however got ready to accept the proposal of Sheikh Sanan on three conditions. 

The girl asked Sheikh Sanan should convert himself to Christianity. Drink wine and look after the pigs. The Sheikh accepted all three conditions and became a Christian. The Sheikh started to drink wine and started looking after pigs.

 Although the Sheikh denounced his true religion, the fire of love for Islam still had a little presence in his heart. When Sheikh Sanan’s disciples heard about their Sheikh, they were really disappointed. The disciples started praying to GOD to bring back Sheikh on the religion of Islam again. On the fortieth day, one of the disciples of Sheikh had a vision. 

In the dream, the disciple saw that the Sheikh was standing in front of GOD, and between the sheikh and GOD, there is a cloud of dust that blew away. The disciple went to Rome where he found that the Sheikh has become a Muslim. The girl also had a vision in her dream that night where she saw the light of the almighty and felt extremely peaceful. 

After she wakes up, she wanted to unite herself with the eternal GOD. She went to Mecca searching for the Sheikh Sanan. After reaching Mecca, she met Sanan at last and started crying after seeing him. She fell to his feet and asked him to show her the path of GOD. She said, ‘My Master, I am burning with love. I am dying to see my Beloved, who has disappeared after showing a glimpse and arousing this fire of love in my heart. I cannot see Him anymore. Help me to see my Beloved again.

The Sheikh took her hands gently and looked into her eyes deeply as if he was peeping into her soul, conducting it to her Beloved through his own soul. The young girl met her destiny. She screamed, ‘O Beloved, I cannot bear Your separation any more’ and with these words, she united with her Beloved leaving her mortal remains behind. The above story tells us that one must have control over the Nafs. 

Love is the main element that can provide control over Nafs (Ego). Ego is dangerous. When Sheikh Sanan fell in love with the Christian maiden, the Sheikh’s Nafs was highly tested by GOD. The sheikh had no control over his Nafs (Ego) and left his true religion. Later, the Sheikh started gaining consciousness and control over his Nafs (Ego) again. The Sheikh became a  Muslim and returned to his country. The girl fell In love with the supreme almighty after having a glimpse of him in the dream and came out of the shackles of Ego. 

The GOD became happy with both of them. The Sheikh became a Muslim again and came back on the right path, while the maiden girl got reunited with the almighty. In short, the GOD comes near to the people who gains perfection over their Nafs (Ego). 

The above story also tells us that how gradually the person starts to acquire different stages of Nafs. The Sheikh only had theoretical knowledge about Islam with no practical exposure. He had no control over his Ego. However, after he fell in love, he realised the true love of  the almighty and gained the higher consciousness (nafs e Mutmainnah). 

This is how mch Ego is dangerous. THus, a Muslim must never take pride in anything nor become egoistic.