Is the categorization of sins into those stemming from satanic whispers and those stemming from the whims and desires of the self accurate, and if so, how do we differentiate between them and what are the steps to suppress the misguidance of the self and its desires?
Man's fiercest enemies are Satan and the soul that incites to evil (an-nafs al-ammarah bi'l-su'). Satan is a clear enemy whose aim is to lead astray and cause discord, and the soul drives one towards evil, except for those upon whom my Lord has mercy. The soul that incites to evil responds to Satan's whisperings, and it is Satan's vehicle and entry point into man. To rectify the soul, one must follow these steps: mushārata (making a pact to abandon evil and commit to piety), murāqaba (monitoring to ensure adherence to the pact), muhāsaba (self-reckoning of deeds and words), and mujāhada (striving to obligate the soul to obey Allah and oppose whims and Satan). It is also recommended to supplicate and seek help from books such as "Mukhtasar Minhaj al-Qasidin," especially the sections on "al-muhlikāt" (destructive traits) and "al-munjiyāt" (salvific traits).
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