Don’t Trust Your Ego

Bismi Llāhi r-Raḥmāni r-Raḥīm

وَمَا أُبَرِّئُ نَفْسِي ۚ إِنَّ النَّفْسَ لَأَمَّارَةٌ بِالسُّوءِ إِلَّا مَا رَحِمَ رَبِّي

(Qur’ān 12:53)

‘Wa-mā ubarri’u nafsī, Inna An-Nafsa La- ‘Ammāratun Bis-Sū’i ‘Illā Mā Raĥima Rabbī’

‘And I do not acquit myself. Verily, the (human) ego is inclined to evil, except when my Lord bestows His Mercy (upon whom He wills).’ Ṣadaqa Llāhu l-‘Aẓīm.

Allāh ‘Azza wa-Jalla is making us say in this ayah karīmah of Qur’ān ‘Aẓīmu sh-Sha’n, “We do not trust our egos, for our egos are not good.”

He ﷻ says in this ayah, “Indeed, every ego commands evil. “إِلَّا مَا رَحِمَ رَبِّي”, “Illā Mā Raĥima Rabbī,” “Except when my Lord bestows His Mercy (upon whom He wills).” (Qur’ān 12:53).

There are very few such egos. But every ego does so. It is rare that an ego does not command evil.

Therefore, the ego is a test in this world, a test for people. He who follows it and does badness loses. He who disobeys it, goes against it, and does not do what it commands, wins. This is for everyone.

Some people ask, “How can we defeat our ego?” You can defeat it. But even though you defeated it, you will continue to fight it. You won’t rejoice in your victory saying, “I defeated it” and give up. It will immediately overthrow you. It has no mercy, no trust. The ego is treacherous. The ego is untrustworthy.

Therefore, sometimes people ask, “When will I finish my ego?” Our brothers or ṭarīqah murīds think, “Once we join ṭarīqah, we’ve defeated our egos, everything is done.” No, there’s no such thing. The ego is with you until your last breath; it shouldn’t find the opportunity to lead you astray.

Therefore, we must be careful. May Allāh ﷻprotect us from the evil of our ego. The evil of the ego is greater than shayṭān’s. After all, they are all together: the ego, hawa (desires), and dunyā. They all support each other and try to lead you astray.

If you don’t obey them, you will defeat them. Of course, you can defeat them, but don’t say, “I’ve defeated them,” and then relax. If you act carelessly, they know no mercy. Therefore, may Allāh ﷻ protect us from the evil of our egos. Wa min Allah at-Tawfiq. Al-Fatiha.

There are recited Qur’an recitations, ayat, surahs, tasbihat, tahlilat and salawat. Our brothers have read them from all over the world. We gift everything firstly to the blessed soul of our Prophet ṣallá Llāhu ‘alayhi wa-sallam, his ﷺ Ahlu l-Bayt and ṣaḥābah, souls of all Anbiya, Awliya, Asfiya.

To the souls of our Mashayikh. To the souls of all our passed ones. To the souls of our Shaykh, Mawlānā Shaykh Nāẓim and Hajjah Anne. For the passed ones of those who read. May those who recited reach whatever good goals they have. For happiness here and hereafter. For strength of our īmān, in shā’a Llāh. Li-Llahi Ta’āla.

Al-Fatiha.

• Mawlana Sheikh Muhammad Adil ar-Rabbaniق

12 September 2025/ 20 Rabih Al-Awwal 1447

Fajr Prayer – Akbaba Dergah, Istanbul