Befriend the inner GPS [75:2]

In these verses from Sura Qiyyamah, Allah swears by the day of judgment and by the “nafsal lawama” or self-reproaching soul:
لَا أُقْسِمُ بِيَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ 

[75:1] Nay! I swear by the day of resurrection.

وَلَا أُقْسِمُ بِالنَّفْسِ اللَّوَّامَةِ 

[75:2] Nay! I swear by the self-accusing soul.

Let us remind ourselves that whenever Allah swears by something, it is not to convince us. It is to wake us up, to tell us: Pay attention. This is important.

Earlier in this series, we spoke about how our inner compass has already been calibrated with the discernment of right and wrong. We are innately programed to seek goodness. That is our true north. 

However, we are also weak and have a nafs that has strong desires and loves comfort and pleasure. So what happens when weakness, desire, or ego pull us slightly off course?

This is where Nafs al Lawwāmah comes in.

Allah has placed within our soul a capacity for self-censorship which has a crucial role in guiding us toward self-improvement and spiritual awakening.

The Nafs al Lawamah points out our shortcomings and creates a sense of guilt when we are veering off the straight path. It is an internal compass that is programmed to guide us towards His pleasure. In common language we call it “the guilty conscience”. 

Think of it as our inner GPS – God’s Protective System, the gift of an inbuilt mechanism [did not have to pay extra!] that alerts us each time we venture into territory that is going to lead us down a path away from our wellbeing. It starts ringing internal alarm bells when we are on the wrong track. 

The Link Between Conscience and Resurrection

Scholars explain that the two oaths at the beginning of the Sura are connected.

The Day of Resurrection is the Day when all actions will be judged openly.

The self-reproaching soul (nafs lawwamah) is like a mini court inside the human being. It is the conscience that blames us when we do wrong.

When we do good, we feel inner happiness and peace. When we do wrong, we feel guilt and inner pain. These pricks of conscience can be quite strong and in this sense, conscience already acts as a judge inside us.

Scholars also use the presence of the Nafs al Lawama to point towards the reality of the Day of Resurrection. If there is a “mini-court” inside the human being (the microcosm), how could the vast universe (the macrocosm) exist without a great and final court of justice?

Scholars say that every human soul can recognize its own faults. A hadith says: “There is no soul, whether righteous or sinful, except that it blames itself on the Day of Resurrection. If it did good, it will say: ‘Why did I not do more?’ And if it did evil, it will say: ‘If only I had stopped!’” 

This shows that this awareness and self-blame is part of being human. Both in this world and in the next. 

In modern times, guilt is a much frowned upon emotion and people are often told "not to feel guilty".

On the spiritual path however, this guilty conscience is not to be shunned, feared or silenced but embraced, as it nudges us back on the right path when we stray. Like an internal GPS, Nafs al Lawama helps us correct course when we veer away from our values, especially during times of spiritual fatigue or worldly distractions.

The Nafs al Lawama gives us daily feedback and allows us to course correct before the Final Judgement. It is a mercy from God in that it is an early warning system of danger ahead if we continue down the path we are heading towards. 

Imam Zainul Abedin [as] talks about this moral awakening in Dua Tawba, 

Until when the sight of guidance opened to him, and the clouds of blindness cleared from him, he counted what he had wronged his soul with, and he reflected upon what he had opposed his Lord with.

So he saw the enormity of his disobedience as immense, and the greatness of his opposition as great.

Dua Tawba Sahifa Sajjadiya

This is the awakening of conscience, the discomfort of recognition of how we have fallen short. 

In a world full of distractions, we are tempted to quiet this inner voice [it IS uncomfortable, and we love comfort] through indulgence, addiction, and mindless entertainment. We seek to silence the discomfort that guilt brings because it feels like an unwelcome interruption. 

And in a culture that idolizes comfort and devalues accountability, we are told
“Don’t feel guilty.”
“Don’t judge yourself.”
“Just be happy.”

Yet, ignoring guilt does not make it disappear immediately. Over time however, if we continue to disregard it, the voice of the self-accusing soul becomes softer, and eventually, we stop feeling guilty altogether. In terms of the metaphor of the GPS, if we repeatedly override the signal, the system adapts. A GPS that never alerts may be freedom from discomfort and annoyance but with regard to its role, it is malfunctioning and will not alert you when you are heading into dangerous territory.

Similarly, when our internal GPS fails us, and we lose the ability to distinguish right from wrong. This is when we are most vulnerable to being lost – in life and in our faith. Psychology calls this desensitization. Islam calls it a hardened heart. In this regard, Imam Ali (as) reminds us: "Whoever does not have a voice of self-blame does not have a heart."

Instead of numbing ourselves to the alarm bells of the conscience, we can recognize the GPS as God’s Protective System, a gift. We can learn to befriend it, to listen and to correct course. This is the essence of spiritual growth – listening to our conscience and seeking forgiveness when we fall short. 

This is why Imam Ali [as] said: "The soundness of consciences is from the best provisions".

Psychologically, guilt serves as an emotional feedback mechanism that can prompt us to reflect on our actions and align them with our higher aspirations. 

When we feel guilty, it is because we have failed to live in accordance with our values. This sense of unease can be a prompt to re-evaluate our behavior, make necessary changes, and heal the relationships we have damaged. 

Each time guilt arises, we can reflect on its source and ask ourselves what needs to be changed. Instead of running from the discomfort, we can embrace it, learn from it, and seek forgiveness from God and those around us. It is in this process of self-correction and seeking forgiveness that we refine our character and move closer to becoming the best version of ourselves.

And this process of growth is perfectly aligned with our wellbeing both in this world and the next. When we follow our conscience, we do not live in regret [which is even more uncomfortable than guilt]. 

Also, contrary to social media memes, self-worth and esteem does NOT come from silencing guilt or from external sources. Self-esteem is a byproduct of living according to our highest aspirations and making amends when we don’t. [can you see how?]

This Ramadan, as we strive to purify our hearts and souls, let us make peace with our Nafs al Lawama. During this month, our heart is softer, our awareness sharper and therefore our inner feedback clearer.

Let us use it as a guide to improve ourselves, knowing that its discomfort is a sign of life within us – a sign that we are still capable of growth and transformation. 

When guilt arises, instead of suppressing it, ask:

•         What value did I violate?
•         What would alignment with my values look like?
•         What repair is needed?

·       What step would move me one degree back toward my true north?