Infamies of The Soul
SowSee Summary
About the Book
This classical text addresses the purification of the soul by analyzing its flaws—termed “infamies”—and offering practical treatments rooted in Qur’anic wisdom and prophetic guidance. Authored by the revered Imam Abu ‘Abd al-Rahman al-Sulami, a luminary in the fields of spirituality and law, the book remains a cornerstone for seekers of self-improvement and divine proximity.
The work divides the soul into three types: the inciting soul, the reproachful soul, and the serene soul. The ultimate aim is transforming one’s soul into the serene type through acknowledgment, discipline, and adherence to divine instructions.
About the Author
Imam Abu ‘Abd al-Rahman al-Sulami (937–1021 CE) was a profound scholar of Islamic spirituality, Shafi’i jurisprudence, and Hadith. His works reflect deep introspection and a mastery of Qur’anic and prophetic sciences, making him a beacon for seekers of inner purity.
Insight 1: The Illusion of Seeking Salvation While Persisting in Sin
There’s a dangerous contradiction the soul often falls into—it seeks salvation while stubbornly holding onto the very actions that keep it distant from God. Imam al-Sulami captures this vividly, describing the soul as “standing at the door of salvation, knocking with various litanies and good deeds while the door is open, yet it shuts the door of returning [to the truth] on itself through numerous violations.”
Let that sink in. The door to salvation isn’t locked. It’s already open. But the soul—your soul—refuses to step through because it’s too attached to the comforts of sin and heedlessness. You perform the outward rituals, convincing yourself that invocations or praying extra units of prayer will somehow cancel out persistent disobedience. But deep down, you know something is off. The weight of unresolved sins lingers.
“The door is open, O underminer! But you flee from it! How can you reach a goal when you mistook its path from the first step?”
Rabi’a al-Adawiyya’s words, as quoted by Imam al-Sulami, strip away the illusion. The real obstacle isn’t external—it’s internal. The soul flees from the open door of salvation because walking through it requires sacrifice. It means giving up certain habits, swallowing pride, and confronting hard truths about yourself.
Why This Happens
The ego craves comfort. The lower self convinces you that as long as you intend to become better, the work can wait. Maybe you tell yourself that The Most Merciful is forgiving, that He understands your struggles, and that eventually, you’ll repent. But this mindset is exactly what Imam al-Sulami warns against.
You hope for forgiveness without actively repenting. You plan to change but persist in small violations, thinking they don’t matter. But the small infractions accumulate. Over time, they build a wall between you and God, even as you stand knocking on salvation’s door.
A sage in the book offers a blunt reminder:
“Do not expect to sober up while you have an infamy. And do not expect salvation while you have a sin, against you.”
Your soul can’t heal if you refuse to acknowledge the wound. You can’t move closer to God while continuing to engage in the very actions that drive you further from Him.
Why It’s Dangerous
This illusion of seeking salvation while persisting in sin leads to a hardening of the heart. At first, the guilt weighs on you. But eventually, the mind normalizes the disobedience. You justify it, rationalize it, or worse—stop noticing it altogether. This is where the real danger lies. The Qur’an warns:
“Then, after that, your hearts became hardened like stone, or even harder”.
When the heart hardens, acts of worship feel heavy. The Qur’an gathers dust. Prayers become mechanical. You might still go through the motions, but the soul feels distant.
Breaking the Cycle
Imam al-Sulami doesn’t leave you stranded. The path back is clear, but it requires deliberate action.
- Start with Brutal Honesty
Sit with yourself. Ask hard questions: Where am I falling short? What sins do I excuse under the guise of “struggle”? Write them down. The ego resists this kind of introspection because it forces accountability. But accountability is the first step toward sincerity. - Repent Immediately
Delaying repentance is the soul’s way of staying comfortable. Imam al-Sulami emphasizes that “returning to the truth requires urgency.” Repent as soon as you recognize a violation, even if it feels small. The Prophet ﷺ said, “The one who repents from sin is like the one who never sinned”. - Replace Violations with Acts of Obedience
It’s not enough to stop sinning. Fill the void with good deeds. If you miss a prayer, pray two extra units of prayer of repentance. If you harm someone with words, supplicate for them. The goal is to overwhelm the soul with righteousness until disobedience feels foreign. - Surround Yourself with the Righteous
Imam al-Sulami advises walking the path of guidance, which means keeping righteous company. When you’re around people striving for God’s pleasure, your own shortcomings become clearer—and harder to ignore. The Prophet, peace be upon him, said, “A person is upon the religion of their close friend”. Choose your circle wisely. - Make Dua for Sincerity
Ask your Lord to remove the barriers in your heart. The Prophet, peace be upon him, taught to frequently pray, “O God, purify my heart from hypocrisy and my deeds from ostentation”.
Sowsee note: The Quran says: “Indeed, God will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves” God’s mercy is vast, but it flows toward those who take steps to change. Don’t let the illusion of good intentions replace the reality of action.
The door to salvation is already open. The only thing standing between you and it is the weight of unrepented sins and unresolved ego. Imam al-Sulami’s insight is clear— the door is open, step through. The path is clear, but the first step requires leaving behind the burdens that have held you back for too long.
Insight 2: The Danger of Ostentation
There’s a subtle trap the soul lays for you, one that feels harmless but corrodes everything good from within. It’s called ostentation, the desire to be seen, admired, and praised for acts that should belong solely to God. Imam al-Sulami, in his stark and uncompromising way, warns that this infamy can turn worship into a performance.
You stand in prayer a little longer because you know others are watching. You give charity with just enough flair for it to be noticed. You recite the Qur’an aloud, making sure your voice carries across the room. Outwardly, it seems virtuous. Inwardly, the intention shifts from pleasing The Most Merciful to pleasing people.
This is dangerous. Not because the action itself is wrong—prayer, charity, Qur’an recitation are all noble acts—but because the reason behind them has been corrupted. The Prophet, peace be upon him, said, “The thing I fear most for my ummah is hidden shirk—when a man stands to pray and beautifies his prayer because he sees someone watching.”
The frightening part? ostentation is subtle. It slips in unnoticed. You might not even realize it’s happening. You convince yourself the prayer was longer out of devotion, the charity was generous because of sincerity. But deep down, if you’re honest, there’s a part of you that craved recognition.
Why is Ostentation So Destructive?
The Qur’an issues a severe warning to those who engage in worship for show:
“So woe to those who pray, but are heedless of their prayer—those who make a show of their deeds”.
Did you catch that? It’s not the absence of prayer that earns divine wrath—it’s the act of praying while the heart is distracted by appearances. This isn’t about major hypocrisy but the quiet erosion of sincerity.
The reason ostentation is so destructive is simple: it invalidates the very thing you seek to accomplish. You might fast, give zakat, or recite Qur’an, but if it’s done for others, the reward is stripped away. The Prophet, peace be upon him, said, “On the Day of Judgment, God will say to the ostentatious, ‘Go to those for whom you performed your deeds in the world and see if they can reward you.”
Think about that. You could stand before your Lord with a lifetime of good deeds—only to find them weightless because they weren’t truly for Him.
The Cure for Ostentation
- Return to the Source: Remind yourself why you worship. Strip away the noise. “And they were not commanded except to worship God, being sincere to Him in religion”. Every action must trace back to this fundamental truth—worship belongs to God alone. If you catch yourself seeking praise, stop. Repent. Realign your intention.
- Hide Your Good Deeds: Imam al-Sulami advises, “The safest good deeds are those hidden from others, performed in the stillness of the night when only The Creator can see.” Pray when no one is watching. Make dua in the quiet corners of your room. Hidden acts of worship starve the ego and nourish the soul.
- Regularly Renew Your Intention: Intention isn’t a one-time declaration; it’s something you revisit constantly. The Prophet, peace be upon him, said, “Actions are judged by intentions”. Pause in the middle of your prayer or charity and ask: Why am I doing this? If the answer isn’t God, reset.
- Engage in Private Worship: Develop a relationship with your Lord that thrives away from public view. The Prophet, peace be upon him, advised, “Pray at night when others are asleep. It is the practice of the righteous who came before you”. These unseen acts of devotion cultivate sincerity because they happen in solitude, away from the gaze of people.
Sowsee Note: Imam al-Ghazali writes that ostentation is like planting a tree that appears healthy but rots from within. Eventually, the fruit falls before ripening. Deeds without sincerity yield nothing in the Hereafter. Reflect on the verse: “Whoever desires the reward of this world—We will give him of it; but in the Hereafter, he will have no share”.
Ostentation is a thief. It robs you of the very essence of worship. But the good news? The door to sincerity is always open. Every day presents a chance to reset, to strip away the need for validation and return to God in humility. Small, sincere acts—done for God alone—carry far more weight than grand gestures tainted by the need to be seen.
Guard your intentions like you guard your wealth. Protect your worship like you protect your most prized possessions. Because, at the end of the day, what’s done for God remains. What’s done for others vanishes, leaving you to stand before Him empty-handed.
Insight 3: Preoccupation with Others’ Faults
There’s something deeply satisfying—almost addictive—about pointing out other people’s flaws. It feels good to notice their mistakes, to dissect their shortcomings, and to elevate yourself in the process. But Imam al-Sulami exposes this habit for what it really is: a veil that hides your own imperfections. “The soul delights in pursuing the faults of others, yet is blind to its own infamies,” he writes.
It’s easy to rationalize this behavior. You tell yourself you’re just offering advice, trying to help. Maybe you convince yourself that by criticizing others, you’re protecting them from greater harm. But more often than not, it’s a smokescreen. It diverts attention away from the hard truth—there are things about you that need fixing. The harsh reality? The more time you spend cataloging the faults of others, the less time you spend addressing your own.
Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, put it plainly: “Blessed is the one who is too busy with their own faults to notice the faults of others”. This isn’t just a spiritual maxim; it’s a blueprint for growth. If you’re serious about becoming better—closer to the Creator, more grounded, more self-aware—you need to stop wasting energy on things outside your control.
Why Fault-Finding is Dangerous
When you preoccupy yourself with other people’s mistakes, you fall into a spiritual trap. First, it breeds arrogance. Without realizing it, you begin to feel morally superior. You view others as broken, misguided, or beneath you, while imagining yourself as enlightened or virtuous. This is the same mindset that destroyed Iblis. He looked at Adam and thought, “I am better than him”. That one moment of arrogance severed his connection to The Creator forever.
Second, fault-finding corrodes relationships. Nobody enjoys being around someone who constantly highlights their weaknesses. It creates tension, resentment, and mistrust. Instead of fostering connection and empathy, your words drive people away. You might even push someone further from the path of God because your judgment feels heavier than the mercy they so desperately need.
Lastly, obsessing over others distracts you from your primary mission—to refine your soul. Imam al-Ghazali explains that your heart is like a mirror. Each time you focus on someone else’s flaws, it’s as if you smear dirt across that mirror. Over time, your reflection becomes unrecognizable. “He who busies himself with the defects of others blinds himself to his own defects,” he writes in Revival of Islamic Sciences.
The Cure for Fault-Finding
- Turn the Mirror Inward: The next time you catch yourself criticizing someone, pause. Ask yourself: What does this reveal about me? Often, the faults we see in others are reflections of our own insecurities. Imam al-Sulami advises, “Reckon with yourself before reckoning with others.” Before pointing fingers, ensure you’ve done the internal work.
- Practice Empathy: Imagine the best possible reason for someone’s behavior. Maybe they’re struggling with something you can’t see. Maybe they didn’t receive the same guidance you did. The Prophet, peace be upon him, said, “Whoever conceals the faults of a Muslim, God will conceal his faults on the Day of Judgment”. Mercy toward others invites mercy from The Most Merciful.
- Shift Focus to Self-Improvement: Channel the energy you’d use to dissect someone else’s mistakes into fixing your own. Umar ibn al-Khattab famously said, “Take account of yourselves before you are taken to account.” Create a habit of daily self-reflection. Ask: Did I fulfill my obligations today? Where did I fall short?
- Dua for Purification: Ask God to cleanse your heart of arrogance and judgment. The Prophet Peace be upon him, taught us to pray often, “O God, purify my heart from hypocrisy and my deeds from ostentation.” You need divine assistance to escape the grip of ego and pride.
- Serve Others Quietly: When you notice a fault in someone, instead of announcing it, find ways to serve them silently. If a friend is neglecting prayer, invite them to join you for salah. If someone struggles with anger, model patience. Change through action, not words.
The path to God is not through negative competition with others, but through compassion. Soften your heart, humble yourself, and walk alongside people—not ahead of them.
Fault-finding offers temporary satisfaction, but long-term loss. The energy you spend scrutinizing others could be used to reshape your soul. Don’t let the habit of criticizing others rob you of your own progress. As Imam al-Sulami advises, “Occupy yourself with rectifying what lies between you and God, and He will rectify what lies between you and people.” The real work isn’t in fixing the world—it’s in fixing yourself.
Insight 4: Laziness as a Spiritual Disease
Laziness isn’t just a bad habit—it’s a spiritual disease. And like any disease, if left untreated, it spreads, weakening your resolve and slowly dimming the light of your faith. Imam al-Sulami doesn’t mince words when addressing this infamy of the soul. He points out that laziness isn’t merely about procrastinating on daily tasks or neglecting responsibilities—it’s a condition that seeps into your worship, your pursuit of knowledge, and your relationship with God.
“The soul’s laziness begins as indulgence,” he writes, “but soon, it devours the heart and leaves the limbs weak, unable to rise in obedience.” It starts small—missing Fajr once, skipping Qur’an recitation here and there, delaying repentance until later. But over time, this laziness hardens into a habit. Eventually, the very thought of prayer feels heavy. Fasting becomes burdensome. Good deeds feel like an obligation instead of an opportunity.
The Anatomy of Laziness
At its core, laziness is a product of heedlessness. You drift through life, forgetting your ultimate purpose. It’s not that you deny God’s presence, but you stop living as if He is watching. And when that awareness fades, discipline crumbles. The Qur’an reminds you of this reality: “Let not the life of this world deceive you, nor let the Deceiver deceive you about God”.
Laziness thrives in distraction. Social media, endless entertainment, and constant noise dull the soul’s sensitivity to divine reminders. Imam al-Sulami draws attention to this, explaining that indulgence feeds laziness. “When the stomach is filled and the eyes are distracted, the soul sinks into its pleasures, and worship becomes a burden.”
Why Laziness is Dangerous
The danger of laziness lies in its subtlety. It doesn’t strike like a sudden sin. It creeps in quietly. Before you know it, months pass, and the spiritual fire that once burned bright feels like a flicker barely holding on. When laziness sets in, consistency breaks. And when consistency breaks, spiritual stagnation follows. It’s not just about missed prayers or forgotten invocations. It’s about what you lose in the process—the closeness to The Creator, the tranquility of the heart, and the clarity that comes from regular acts of worship.
The Cure for Laziness
- Start With Small Acts of Worship
Laziness often wins because you set unrealistic goals. You convince yourself that change requires monumental effort. But the reality? Small, consistent actions reshape the soul. Begin with small steps—a two unit prayer before Fajr, five minutes of Qur’an after Maghrib. Imam al-Sulami advises, “Let the soul taste the sweetness of obedience in small doses until it craves what it once resisted.” - Break the Cycle of Comfort
Laziness thrives in comfort. And the antidote? Struggle against the lower self. The Qur’an affirms this:
“But as for he who feared standing before his Lord and restrained the soul from its desires, then Paradise will be his refuge”.
Train your soul by denying it excessive indulgence. Fast regularly, even outside of Ramadan. Limit unnecessary screen time. Wake up for night prayers, even if just once a week. These small forms of resistance weaken the grip of laziness. - Surround Yourself with the Righteous
The company you keep shapes your spiritual state. The Prophet ﷺ said, “A person is upon the religion of their close friend”. If you’re constantly around people who prioritize this world over deen, laziness will become normalized. Surround yourself with those who remind you of God—people whose very presence motivates you to rise in worship. - Reflect on Death and Accountability
Imam al-Sulami prescribes remembrance of death as a cure for laziness. “Remembering death shakes the heart from its slumber,” he writes. Reflecting on your mortality strips away the illusion of infinite time. The Qur’an says:
“And hasten to forgiveness from your Lord and a garden as wide as the heavens and earth”.
Hasten—because you may not get another chance. - Supplication for Strength
The Prophet peace be upon him, would often seek refuge from laziness, teaching us to recite:
“O God, I seek refuge in You from incapacity and laziness”.
Recognize that spiritual energy isn’t purely a matter of willpower. It’s a gift from God, and you need His help to maintain it.
Sowsee Note: Reflect on the verse: “And those who strive for Us—We will surely guide them to Our ways”. Laziness is overcome through striving, even if imperfectly. The effort itself, even if small, is what draws God’s guidance and blessings.
Laziness like ostentation, is a thief, but it doesn’t have to win. Every small act of resistance chips away at its hold over you. Imam al-Sulami reminds you that the soul is like clay—it can be shaped, but only if you’re willing to put in the work. Start now. Even a single sincere action today could ignite the spiritual energy you thought was gone.
Insight 5: Heedlessness and False Security
There’s a kind of sleep that has nothing to do with closing your eyes. It’s a spiritual slumber—a state where the heart is awake, but not alive. This is heedlessness, one of the soul’s most deceptive diseases. You drift, thinking everything is fine. Life continues. You pray, sometimes. You remember your Lord, occasionally. You know what’s right, but there’s no urgency. And that’s the problem.
Heedlessness convinces you there’s always more time. More time to repent. More time to become better. More time to seek forgiveness. But if you’re not careful, that mindset becomes your undoing. The Qur’an warns, “And do not be like those who forgot God, so He made them forget themselves”. When you neglect The Creator, you lose touch with the core of who you are.
Heedlessness isn’t rebellion. It’s more subtle than that. You don’t outright deny God’s commands—you just postpone them. You don’t reject prayer, but you delay it until the last minute. You don’t refuse to give charity, but you convince yourself that you’ll give when the time is right. It’s a dangerous place to be, because unlike sin, heedlessness doesn’t feel wrong. It feels normal.
The Illusion of Security
At the heart of heedlessness is a false sense of security—the belief that nothing bad will happen. You tell yourself that God is Merciful, that He understands, that eventually, you’ll find your way. While it’s true that His mercy is vast, relying on it without action is a form of self-deception. Imam al-Sulami reminds you that hope without effort is a trick of the lower self.
You forget that life can change in an instant. Death doesn’t wait for convenience. The Prophet, peace be upon him, warned, “Remember often the destroyer of pleasures—death”. Reflecting on death is not morbid; it’s clarifying. It cuts through the illusion that there will always be another day to do what should have been done yesterday.
The Cost of Heedlessness
Heedlessness carries a heavy price, though you may not notice it immediately. Every day spent in this state pushes you further from your Lord. The heart hardens, and the pull toward good weakens. Imam al-Sulami describes this condition as “a veil that thickens with time, making the light of guidance harder to see.” The longer you stay heedless, the harder it becomes to return.
The Qur’an provides a sobering reminder: “They will cry out, ‘Our Lord, let us out! We will do righteousness, other than what we used to do.’ But did We not grant you life long enough for whoever would remember to remember, and the warner had come to you?”. Regret comes too late for those who let heedlessness dictate their lives.
Breaking the Cycle of Heedlessness
- Daily Self-Accountability: Start by reflecting at the end of each day. Ask yourself: Did I fulfill my obligations to God today? Did I miss opportunities to do good? “Take account of yourselves before you are taken to account”. Self-reflection awakens the heart and prevents small slips from becoming long-term habits.
- Frequent Remembrance: Heedlessness thrives in empty spaces. Fill those gaps with remembrance of God. Your Lord says, “Indeed, the remembrance of God is greater”. Even a few moments of sincere remembrance keeps the heart anchored.
- Surround Yourself with the Mindful: Heedlessness is contagious, but so is mindfulness. The Prophet, peace be upon him, said, “A person is upon the religion of their close friend”. Surround yourself with people who remind you of your Lord, not the dunya. Their presence will keep your heart soft and your focus sharp.
- Reflect on Mortality: Imam al-Sulami prescribes reflecting on death as a remedy for heedlessness. Remembering that life is short cuts through distractions and trivial pursuits. The Qur’an asks, “Where are you going?”. This verse pulls you back to your true purpose.
- Small, Consistent Acts of Worship: Don’t wait for grand moments to reconnect with The Creator. A single prayer on time, a small charity given quietly, a brief moment of repentance—these small acts done consistently break the cycle of neglect.
Sowsee Note: Reflect on the verse: “Whoever turns away from My remembrance will have a depressed life” Heedlessness not only disconnects you from The Creator but creates unease in this life. The antidote isn’t more distractions—it’s reconnection.
Heedlessness is subtle, but its impact is profound. It slowly pulls you away from God under the guise of comfort and routine. But there’s hope. The door of repentance and mindfulness is always open. The moment you decide to return—to shake off the slumber—you’ve already begun the journey back. Imam al-Sulami’s reminder stands clear: “Awakening begins with awareness. Do not let the soul sleep when the hour of reckoning draws near.”
Now is the time. Wake up
Insight 6: Pursuing Caprice and Desires
The pursuit of desires is intoxicating. It feels liberating at first—a taste of freedom, a reward for hard work, a way to unwind. But if you’re not careful, it becomes a leash that tightens around your soul. Imam al-Sulami warns that following your desires is like handing the reins of your heart to a reckless rider. “The soul that chases its desires is like water that finds its lowest point,” he writes. Left unchecked, desire will drag you down, far from the path God set for you.
You know the feeling. That impulse to skip prayer because you’re tired. The urge to indulge because you deserve it. The quiet voice that says, “Just this once.” But the thing about desires is that it doesn’t show up all at once. It chips away at you gradually, wearing down your resistance until what was once a firm boundary becomes blurry.
The Qur’an addresses this head-on:
“Have you seen the one who takes his own desires as his god?”.
This verse isn’t about idol worship in the traditional sense. It’s about the subtle idolatry of the self—the elevation of your whims to the point where they dictate your actions more than your Lord’s commands.
How Desires Take Hold
The pursuit of desires is alluring because it promises comfort. It convinces you that obedience to God is restrictive, while indulgence feels like freedom. But this freedom is deceptive. What feels like control is actually submission—to your lower self, to fleeting pleasures, to the distractions of the worldly life.
Imam al-Sulami compares following desires to attempting to fill an endless void. “The soul that feeds on desire will always hunger for more, never satisfied, never full,” he says. No matter how much you indulge, it’s never enough. Each indulgence creates a craving for the next.
And here lies the danger. Desires, once indulged, gain momentum. Pursuing your desires feels easier, more natural—but the ease is a trap, and the hardship of discipline is the true path to success.
The Consequences of Chasing Desires
When you let your desires lead, the consequences extend beyond the physical. Spiritual stagnation sets in. Prayer loses its sweetness. Fasting feels like a burden. You begin to justify sins, finding loopholes in your own morality. Imam al-Sulami notes, “The heart, when conquered by desire, no longer distinguishes between right and wrong. It bends the truth to fit its craving.”
This leads to heedlessness, a state where you no longer feel the weight of disobedience. And once that happens, repentance becomes harder. You stop feeling the need to return to your Lord because you no longer believe you’ve strayed.
Breaking Free from the Grip of Desire
- Recognize the Illusion: The first step is to acknowledge the deception. Desires promise fulfillment but deliver emptiness. Reflect on the times when indulgence left you feeling hollow. This awareness disrupts the cycle and opens the door to change.
- Practice Restraint: The Qur’an praises those who restrain themselves:
“But as for he who feared standing before his Lord and restrained the soul from its desires, then Paradise will be his refuge”.
Fasting is one of the most effective ways to weaken the hold of desire. By denying the body, you train the soul to resist. - Delay Gratification: Imam al-Sulami advises postponing indulgence. “Let the soul wait,” he says, “and often, its craving will pass.” When you feel the urge to follow a whim, give yourself an hour—or a day. This small act of resistance builds spiritual discipline.
- Immerse Yourself in Worship: The more time you spend in worship, the less room there is for desires to grow. Invocations, Qur’an recitation, and voluntary prayers create a spiritual environment where desire struggles to thrive.
- Surround Yourself with the Right Company: Desires flourish in isolation but weaken in good company. The Prophet, peace be upon him, said, “A man follows the religion of his close friend, so let him be careful whom he takes as a friend”. Find people who remind you of your Lord—people who make you feel uncomfortable chasing desires openly.
- Seek God’s Help: You can’t overcome desires alone. The Prophet, peace be upon him, taught to often pray, “O God, do not leave me to my soul for even the blink of an eye”. Acknowledge your weakness and ask for strength. The act of turning to your Lord, even in moments of failure, disrupts the lower self’’s hold.
Chasing desires feels easy, but it costs more than you realize. The path of restraint feels harder, but it leads somewhere worthwhile—toward clarity, peace, and ultimately, God’s pleasure. Imam al-Sulami’s advice is clear: “Do not let the lower self lead. Let it follow.” When you place your desires in the backseat and let God’s commands guide you, you reclaim control over your life. And that is true freedom.