…And ask forgiveness for your sin and for the believing men and women…He said:That is, ‘Seek forgiveness for the desire (himma) of the natural self (nafs al-ṭabʿ).’ The Prophet said, ‘There is not one among us who has not had the desire [to do something] and then transgressed.’This means that a [person’s] lower self (nafs) intended something, overwhelming the heart (ʿalā’l-qalb), for the immediate [gratification of its share of] lusts (ʿājil al-shahawāt), but then thatperson turned away from that [intent] and sought forgiveness from God, just as the Prophet said: ‘Truly, my heart becomes clouded, and truly I ask forgiveness from God, Exalted is He, seventy times every day.’ His words:
said, ‘There is not one among us who has not had the desire [to do something] and then transgressed.’This means that a [person’s] lower self (nafs) intended something, overwhelming the heart (ʿalā’l-qalb), for the immediate [gratification of its share of] lusts (ʿājil al-shahawāt), but then thatperson turned away from that [intent] and sought forgiveness from God, just as the Prophet