The Way of Ascension of three types of Human Nafs in Sufi Psychology: An Analysis of Syed Delawor Hossain Maizbhandari’s Thought

Abstract

During his lifetime, Syed Delawor Hossain Maizbhandari, the descendant and nominated sajjadah nasheen of Syed Ahmad Ullah, the founder of Maizbhandari Tariqa, unveiled special features of Maizbhandari Tariqa through various publications, practical activities, and guidelines as an unveiler of the true form of Maizbhandari Tariqa. He discovered the nature and action of the nafs and proposed a guideline for a man to advance from the lower to the upper levels of the nafs by indulging in spiritual pursuits. The Salik (the seeker after Allah's path) are unable to comprehend their level and psychological position in the path of spirituality due to their ignorance of the basic features of nafs. As a result, they are not being able to engage in the proper spiritual journey. According to Sufi psychology, analysing and interpreting nafs is vital for understanding and practicing Maizbhandari tariqa. Otherwise, it is really tough to succeed on this route. And to achieve success on this path, the Sufis have provided guidance on numerous types of spiritual pursuits. The Maizbhandari Tarika also discusses several methods of practice in this regard. By using these ways of practice, the seeker can
1 Nayeb Sajjadah Nasheen, Gausia Ahmadia Manzil, Maizbhandar Sharif, Chattogram; Managing Trustee, Darul Irfan Research Institute (DIRI)
2 Lecturer, Dilowara Jahan Memorial College, Chattogram. PhD Researcher, University of Dhaka, Research Fellow, Darul Irfan Research Institute (DIRI)
3 Assistant Professor, Department of English, Chittagong Independent University (CIU), Bangladesh
progress from one level of his soul to the next. Therefore, the purpose of the study is to explore the way of ascending from Nafs e Ammara to Nafs e Lawwama and Nafs e Mulhema on the views of Syed Delawor Hossain Maizbhandari. The data has been evaluated using descriptive and analytical approaches. The findings shows that how a seeker of God can advance in his spiritual life and achieve purity by engaging in Maizbhandari order’s spiritual practices such as dhikr, muraqabah, Usul-e Sab’a and other practices. There has been a lot of research into the dynamics of human nafs in the past. I believe that the research is not the end and that additional research will be conducted in the future that will have a significant impact on the minds of future generations.