What are Nafs e Ammara, Nafs e Lawwamah and Nafs e Mutmainna?

There are three types of nafs: Nafs e Ammara, which commands a person to evil; Nafs e Lawwamah, which reproaches itself and repents; and Nafs e Mutmainna, which is content in the obedience of Allah and at peace.

The nafs carries the blameworthy traits of anger, pride, envy, greed and discontent, and when it indulges in darkness and surrenders to the devil it is called Nafs e Ammara: "Indeed, the self is a persistent enjoiner of evil" [Qur'an, Yusuf 12:53]. The carnal self takes command and joins Satan in evil, and so it is heedless and disobedient to Allah.

The second type is imperfect, but it rebukes for neglecting the Divine duties, and it is called the self-accusing, Nafs e Lawwamah. Lawwam means to incriminate and reproach oneself. This is the nafs that may bring a person to sin, but then it incriminates itself and repents, eventually making it possible for the person to stop that sin altogether.

Its sign is that it is remorseful and repentant, and that it fights a battle which it may lose or win. Allah mentions it: "And I swear by the reproaching self" [Qur'an, al-Qiyamah 75:2]

The third is Nafs e Mutmainna. This nafs is content in the obedience of Allah and finds its epiphany performing the acts of devotion. It finds peace in unison with Allah, and the heart becomes the epicentre for sincerity and reaches a state of serenity.

Rather than indulge in its desires, this nafs finds peace in obedience to Allah, and in return Allah is pleased with this nafs: "To the righteous it will be said 'oh reassured soul, return to your Lord well pleased, and pleasing to Him'" [Qur'an, al-Fajr 89:27-28]

In the first stage the carnal self is uncontrolled, restless and lacks conscience. Through a systematic course of training and rigor it develops a sense of self inculpation and repents if it slips from the right course, and so becomes Nafs e Lawwamah. With constant training and rebuke it eventually turns into Nafs e Mutmainna.