the concept of Self (nafs)

Bi ismillahir rahmanir raheem assalamu alaikum

Please explain the concept of Self (nafs)

The original question: I am really puzzled about this 'Self'. How is it nothing? I know that we have a free will and have many privileges given to us by Allah. But are we really 'nothing'. I'm not speaking in comparison to God but generally.

When one speaks of the nafs, it is first a good idea to know what we are referring to, before we delve deeper.

Allah says in 4:1 of the Qur'an that He created us from a single soul (nafsin wahidatin).

At-Tabataba`i writes:

"The words, "Who created you from a single being and created its mate of the same (kind)": "an-Nafs (النفس = translated here as "being") according to the dictionary and language denotes the thing itself.  They say: "He came to me (nafsuhu) himself"; or "He came to me ('aynuhu) the self same"; although the basis for use of these two words "an-nafs" and "al-'ayn" in this meaning (self; same; quiddity of a thing) is etymologically different.  an-Nafs of a man is that because of which man is man; and it is the combination of soul and body in this life and only the soul in the life of al-Barzakh..."
--From al-Mizan fi tafsir al-Qur'an by al-'Allamah Muhammad Husayn at-Tabataba`i
And Shaykh Fadhlalla Haeri has written in Prophetic Traditions in Islam:

"Allah says:

Do they not reflect within themselves? (30:8)

We will show them Our signs in the universe in their own souls, until it will become clear to them that it is the truth. (41:53)

And in the earth there are signs for those who are sure, and in your own souls too; will you not then see? (51:20-21)

"The Messenger said, 'Whoever knows himself knows his Lord.'

A man came to the Messenger and said, 'O Messenger of Allah, how does one arrive at knowledge of the Real?'  'By knowing oneself,' he replied.

Imam 'Ali said, 'Knowledge of the self is the most useful form of knowledge.'
'The self's introspection is a way of caring for its improvement (salah).
'He who succeeds in knowing himself has gained a mighty victory.'
'The greatest form of knowledge is that a man may know himself.'
'Whoever gets to know himself has arrived at the limits of gnosis and science.'
'The man of knowledge is the man who knows his own capability; ignorant is the man who does not.'
'The man who does not know his own capacity is doomed.'

"The renowned scholar Fayd al-Kashani said, 'The self is the essence of the spirit worlds (al-jawhar al-malakuti), which is used by the body and subject to this service by the Lord; it is the core of a man and the reality of his awareness.  This spirit essence is also called the breath -- as the life of the body depends upon it; the fluctuating heart -- as it changes with the movement of perceptions and thoughts; and the intellect -- as it gathers knowledge and is associated with the faculty of comprehension.  These four terms are also used in other senses according to the context.'

"The self is described in different ways according to its different states; if it accepts the commands and prohibitions with tranquility, and confusion and commotion depart when desires are resisted, then it is called "the self at rest' (al-nafs al-mutma'innah).

Allah says, 'O soul that art at rest!  Return to your Lord, well pleased [with Him], well-pleasing [Him].'  If the self or soul has not found tranquility, but tends rather towards desire and anger and is open to their influence, then it is called 'the self accusing soul (al-nafs al-lawwamah) because it accuses the owner when he falls short in worship of his Lord.  Allah says, 'Nay I swear by the Day of Ressurrection; nay, I swear by the self-accusing soul' (75:1).

"If the self abandons its fight and submits to the demands of the desires and the tempting call of Satan, it is called, 'the commander of evil' (al-nafs al-ammarah bi al-su')  Allah says through the mouth of Yusuf, 'And I do not declare myself free, most surely [man's] self is wont to command [him to do] evil, except such as my Lord has had mercy on.' (12:53)"

--excerpt from Prophetic Traditions in Islam under the section "Knowing the Self"

Now we know that the true tendency of any being, not just human beings, is to return to the Real (Haqiqah), that the ultimate quest is the return journey (ma'ad).  At this point, the self and every other created thing becomes meaningless.  Moreover, all of it is non-existent in relation to the Truth (al-Haqq).

ash-Shahid Murtada Mutahhari relates,

"It may also be at this stage that his state will become apparent to others; but as he progresses deeper into this gnosis, its appearance will be less detectable in him and he will be absent when appearing to be present and traveling when appearing to be still.

This passage calls to mind a sentence spoken by 'Ali ibn Abi Talib (a) to his disciple Kumayl ibn Ziyad about the 'friends of God' (awilya al-Haqq), who exist in every age:

'Knowledge has led them to the reality of insight, and they are in contact with the spirit of certainty.  They find easy what is regarded as rough by those who live in comfort and luxury.  They are intimate with what terrifies the ignorant.  They are in the company of people with their bodies, yet their souls are lodged in the highest realm.' (Nahj al-balaghah, Hikam, No. 147)

"Until this stage, perhaps, this state of gnosis will occur to him only occasionally.  Thereafter it will gradually become such that it is available to him whenever he wants.

"He now advances further, until his state no longer depends on his own wish.  Whenever he observes a thing he sees other than it (i.e. God), even if his observation is not for the sake of reflection.  So, the opportunity presents itself to ascend from the plane of false appearances to the plane of Truth.  He becomes stabilized upon it, while (in the world) he is surrounded by the heedless.

"Up until this point we have been dealing with the stage of exercise, self discipline, struggle and the spiritual itinerary.  Now the 'arif has reached his goal.

"When he crosses from the stage of riyadah to that of attainment, his inner self becomes like a clear mirror facing in the direction of the Real.  Sublime delights shower down upon him and he rejoices for what he sees in himself of the Real.  Now (like one viewing an image in a mirror) he is perplexed by two views: the view of the Real and the view of his own self.

"Then he becomes oblivious to himself and views only the Holy.  And if he notices himself it is because he is the viewer, not because he is admiring his own beauty (as when one looks at an image in a mirror and sees the image only, and although one does not pay attention specifically to the mirror, nevertheless one sees it as one looks at the image; the mirror is not viewed for its own beauty).  It is at this point that the wayfarer attains union (and his journey from khalq to Haqq becomes complete)."

--excerpt from Understanding Islamic Sciences by Murtada Mutahhari, under the section 'Irfan: Islamic Mysticism

I hope that clarifies the concept for you.  We cannot say that the "self" is physically non-existent, if we understand the reality (or lack thereof) of the physical realm.  But, we can say that the self, if it reaches the realm of the Real, ceases to be aware of itself and is aware only of Allah.