Purification of the Soul

by Jamaal al-Din M. Zarabozo

For a number of reasons, this is a very important time to be writing a book of this nature. First, the concept of purification of the soul as a whole is and always will be central to the message of Islam and to the welfare of humans, both in this life and the Hereafter. Indeed, it was a main mission of the messengers and prophets themselves. Second, there is a very strong need to shed light on the correct path of purification as delineated by the Quran and Sunnah- free of the foreign influence, deviations and heresies that have found their way into the realm of the religion and have caused a great deal of harm. The path described by the Quran and Sunnah is the only path that can result in a true purification of the soul. Indeed, it is the only path that is truly consistent with the purpose for which humans were created. Hence, any discussion of purification of the soul must rely heavily and exclusively on the Quran and Sunnah and what can be correctly derived from those two sources. Third, many Muslims themselves are today being influenced by secular, materialistic psychology, leading them to neglect the spiritual side of humans and to ignore the guidance that Islam offers for the purification of the soul. This influence often occurs at a level wherein the person himself may not be completely aware that it is occurring. Fourth, for some time now, there has been an Islamic revival spreading throughout the Muslim world. Upon closer inspection, it seems that this revival is somewhat tenuous and delicate, in the sense that for many Muslims it is more of an µemotional¦ phenomenon. In order for this revival to be truly successful and lead to what it needs to lead to, it must be guided by the comprehensive teachings of Islam. First and foremost among those teachings is what is related to the purification of the soul. Without the purification of the souls, the revival will only be on the outer shell and will, in fact, be a "deceptive" revival, in the sense that the inner consciousness will not have been reformed and the lapse back to the pre-revival times may be very close at hand. Indeed, without the purifications of the souls, the very goals of the revival from the outset may be wrong.

Genres: Islam, Nonfiction

522 pages

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

M.A in Economics (UC Davis)
B.A in Economics (UC Berkley)

Reviews

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book a while ago and I have to re-read it to be able to write the best review. However, despite the fact that it has been a while, I can say with confidence that this is one of the best books out there on this topic. Why? While some other books focus at length on the various diseases of the heart, this book does not focus as much on the diseases, as it does focus on the "process and means" for curing them. I think that when it comes to the matter of purifying the heart, the emphasis should really be placed on the process of purification because we all have diseased hearts and there is no doubt about that.
I consider this book to be a hidden gem really because while other books are given more attention, this is the highest quality and it displays, I think, the best understanding of the matter.

Just going through the table of contents, here are some of the matters discussed: concept of purifying the soul in other religions and in modern psychology, definition and discussion of terms, importance of purification of the soul in Qur'an and sunnah, the goal and scope of purification according to the Qur'an and sunnah, the process of purification, means and measures to help one along the path of purification, impediments and dangers to one's purification, the results and benefits of the proper purification of the soul.

This book is also *essential* for your Islamic library. =)

[Nahlah · Rating 5 out of 5]

MashaAllah... this book was amazing. Sheikh Jamaal eloquently illustrates what it takes to purify your soul, and makes it seem possible! This book will make you rethink some of the things you're doing in your life. You'll begin to ask yourself, is this really necessary? It also reminds us constantly that we are ONLY here on this earth to worship Allah (SWT). You'll ask yourself, am I really concentrating on the ultimate goal? This book will make you automatically think twice before you decide to waste you time and it'll make you realize even more that this life is short...

[Sherifah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Masha Allah this book is a MUST READ for those seeking purification of the soul, in the light of Quran and Sunnah. Very practical and worth re-reading again and again for self improvement in becoming a better muslim.

[Betalgiry Seda]

Radical Salafists literature I AM NOT INTERESTED IN (not interested in Afghanistan's Taliban,either)!

[Sanya]

How to get access to this book ?

[Jumatil Fajar · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is very complete in reviewing the purification of the soul through Islamic perspective.