Second stage of purification

The mind

A sin is not committed by an organ. It is committed by a thought that was allowed to settle, and then to grow, until it took hold of the organ.

A seeker carries out a sin with one of his seven organs only after a sinful thought has entered his mind, and he has made the intention with his heart to carry it out. At the beginning the sin arrives as a small sparkle — and at that point it is easy to save himself. But if the sparkle turns into a flame, it takes over the whole heart and mind, which then leads the person to use the organ.

So the second stage trains the seeker to deal with the spark: to stop it entering, to stop it settling, to stop it expanding — and, if it does settle, how to extinguish and extract it and prevent it returning.

An airliner climbing away from a runway beneath a heavy dark storm front — The body of the plane is the mind — the shell that keeps the storm outsidep.78

In the allegory, the physical body of the plane is the mind. Just as the shell shields the passengers from rain, storms and wind, the mind can be trained to build a shield against the whispers of Shaytan — which are like storms and thunder and winds of fire, distracting the seeker off course. Every remembrance of Allah is a layer of protection, a layer of light that deflects them.

The book pushes the image further. When a whisper enters, it is like a shower of lava sticking to the fuselage. If you entertain the thought, the whisper deepens and the lava begins to burn. Left alone, it will set the whole mind alight — and when the plane burns, the sin is committed. Every second is crucial.

So when the lava sticks to the body of the plane, use the weapon of refuge and the water of willpower. The water extinguishes the lava before it can adhere, and the mind builds a layer of resistance against the flame.

Two parallel five-panel sequences of the same mind. The upper route leading to indulging in sin: a sparkle of evil grows and settles, the person begins to think about it and allows it, the mind becomes inclined and starts to entertain it, the thought dominates and orders the organs to carry it out, and finally the mind is darkened by indulging in sin. The lower route leading to salvation: the sparkle is crushed by seeking refuge in Allah and using willpower, the whisper enters again and the same technique is used, a protective shield slowly develops, the shield is strengthened by thinking of Allah and the Prophet, and finally good thoughts develop in a mind in constant remembrance — The two routes out of a single spark — the upper leading to sin, the lower to salvationp.85

Three instructions that apply throughout

Do not bring it. Do not extend it. Do not fight it.

This is the most practically useful rule in the stage, and it is counter-intuitive. When a servant remembers his Lord, Shaytan’s animosity flares up and he does whatever is in his power to distract and disturb — including whispering thoughts into the mind and heart, which he has the power to do.

As long as the seeker does not volitionally invite the thought, and does not extend it, the thought will not harm him. In fact, rejecting the whisper and returning to remembrance leads the seeker closer to Allah.

So remember: do not bring the thought. Do not extend it. Do not fight it. Instead ignore it, and continue.

Every remembrance of Allah is a layer of light.

Thirty consecutive days per level

The ten levels

The seeker is trained practically through each level for thirty consecutive days at a time. By the end, one who completes all ten will have purified his thoughts and become firmly established in the remembrance and presence of Allah, and in the love of His Messenger ﷺ.

Level 1 · Negation

Not to intentionally invite or think of an evil thought. If a satanic or egoistic thought enters the mind, disregard it and do not intentionally extend it. Seek refuge with Allah and redirect the thought — towards Allah, towards the Messenger ﷺ, towards the Hereafter, or towards any other permissible worldly matter.

One should never engage or fight with the thought, as this causes it to become stronger and to recur. Instead, recite: “O Allah, I seek refuge with You from the accursed devil,” or “I believed in Allah and His Messenger” — and then begin to think about any permissible worldly matter.

Level 2 · Communion through everyday activity

Worldly action usually makes a person heedless of Allah. This level turns that around. At the commencement of any worldly activity, implore from the heart: “O Allah, protect me from the evil that lies in this action, and through the means of it grant me benefit.”

On leaving the house: “O Allah, protect others from the evil inside me, bless the action I am about to undertake, and protect me from the evil of others.” In any difficulty: “O Allah, grant me patience in it, distance it from me, and make it an expiation for my sins.”

Level 3 · Asking permission

The seeker imagines in heart and mind that Allah is always with him, and before any religious or worldly action he asks permission from Allah, and only then undertakes it after taking Allah’s name. Whenever he forgets, he refreshes the thought.

Begin with major activities and gradually extend it to minor ones. When someone believes a person of high esteem is with them, they would naturally ask permission. So in prayer, remembrance, recitation, eating, sleeping, and before every action, say in the heart to the One who is Most Esteemed: “O Allah, give me permission to do this action, and place blessing in it.”

Level 4 · The forty prophetic supplications

Once the presence of Allah is firmly implanted in the mind, read the forty supplications that were read by the Holy Prophet ﷺ on different occasions — eating, drinking, sleeping, dressing and so forth. Learn those for the actions you undertake most frequently, and read them at their appropriate time whilst maintaining the presence of Allah.

Level 5 · Awareness, twenty-four hours a day

To maintain constant awareness of Allah at every moment and in every place, as though Allah is watching, listening, and with the seeker at all times. The seeker monitors the hours spent with and without that awareness on the mind sheet, so he can see how much of his day was spent in heedlessness.

The mechanism is a substitution. A person talks to himself all day — about the tasks ahead, how to resolve his finances, whether his spouse is pleased with him, what the future holds, in what state he will die. This level trains him to present those same thoughts to Allah instead of to himself.

The book gives three reasons. If a person talks only to himself, his mind becomes pressurised, which results in depression, tension and agitated behaviour; talking to Allah releases the pressure. If he keeps his thoughts to himself there is no change to his situation, because a human has limits and cannot fulfil his own needs; presenting them to the All-Powerful brings divine help day by day. And thinking only of himself makes him forgetful of Allah, whereas communicating with Him strengthens the relationship, because he is in constant communication with his Lord.

Level 6 · Deep thinking, seven a day

Allah mentions in the Qur’an that in the heavens and the earth and in the existence of creation there are signs pointing towards the Creator. At this level the seeker is trained to reflect on creation, and on the events that befall him, in a way that aids remembrance — pondering seven different incidents he experiences each day, and writing them down.

The worked example is illness. If you fall ill, this is a sign that life is temporal, and that illness and health are both in the hands of Allah. We also learn that a man falls short in prayer because of worldly occupations — yet now that he is ill, those occupations do not cease. And just as he suddenly became ill, death will come upon him suddenly, without warning.

Level 7 · Positive thinking

The mind and thoughts are trained to become good and positive — what is called Husn al-Dhan, having a good opinion. It divides into three: to have a good opinion of Allah; of Allah’s Messenger ﷺ and his Sunnah; and of the believers.

Two worked examples. When someone refuses to help you in a difficulty: rather than holding a grudge, think that had he helped it would have been out of his own mercy — it was not your right upon him. Perhaps he was caught in some difficulty himself, or lacked the means. Pray for him instead. And when the car breaks down on a journey: rather than asking what sin caused it, believe it is the grace of Allah that in thousands of journeys it did not break down, and that perhaps in Allah’s knowledge this was better, and He saved you from a greater problem. Anger will not repair the car.

Level 8 · Refusing the negative thought

Trained not to think negatively or hypocritically about any event, incident or person’s character. If such a thought comes unintentionally, do not let it settle in the heart — eradicate it through positive thinking. Regarding worldly blessings, do not focus on those who possess more than you; look rather at those surviving on less.

Level 9 · Love of the Prophet ﷺ, and his obedience

The seeker learns the biography and the appearance of the Prophet ﷺ, and thinks about him all the time — for only through his love and obedience can a person attain the closeness of Allah. He follows the prophetic ways outwardly in all respects, as though spending his day and night in his company: his way of sleeping, waking, dressing, doing business. And he contemplates how the Prophet ﷺ would have conducted those same acts.

Level 10 · Love of Allah, and His presence

The seeker concentrates his attention wholly towards the essence of Allah, and spends his life, day and night, as though Allah is seeing him — behaving and acting as though He is beside him. Two qualities are necessary at this level: the mental and spiritual concentration and awareness of Allah; and actions that match that awareness.

If the seeker remains resolute in his remembrance, and does not entertain any sinful thought, it becomes easier for him to disregard the evil desire and to save himself from committing the sin in future. Which is the whole purpose of the stage: not to become someone who resists sin heroically, but someone for whom the pull has quietly weakened.