Shaykh often warned us about the dangers of letting our desires run wild. He said our inner selves, or ‘nafs’, are incredibly tricky and can lead us astray. He described the nafs as a chalak – “devious” part of us that wants to ruin our lives. Shaykh would say, “Our nafs wants to pull us down until the very end.”
To protect ourselves, Shaykh taught us to say these prayers regularly:
Protection from the nafs:
اللَّهُمَّ قِنِي شَرَّ نَفْسِي
“O Allah, protect me from the evil of my nafs.”
One notable practice of the Shaykh was his immediate recitation of the prayer, whenever someone helped him or asked for something. This was a deliberate act of grounding himself. By this simple yet profound action, the Shaykh constantly reminded himself of his reliance on Allah and that all blessings ultimately originate from the Divine.
Protection from Shaytan:
اللَّهُمَّ اعصِمْنِي مِنَ الشَّيطانِ
“O Allah, protect me from Shaytan.”
Shaykh explained that Shaytan is our sworn enemy and won’t give up until our dying breath.
These prayers are powerful tools to help us stay on the right path.