The Concept of Tazkiyat Al-Nafs in Islam in the Light of the Works of Al-Harith Al-Muhasibi

The principle of tazkiyat al-nafs is central to Islam, but despite this, relatively little work has been written on it compared to the vast volumes devoted to Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh) or Prophetic narration (hadith). In addition to this, much of what has been written falls within the general precepts of what is now termed tasawwuf, or Sufism, and much of this work has been concerned with the post-Ghazali period.

Despite this, many works had been written, and indeed, the concept of tazkiyat al-nafs had been developed prior to the advent of al-Ghazali. One of the most influential scholars in the pre-Ghazali period within this field was the second/eighth-century Muslim scholar Abu Abd Allah al-Harith b. Asad al-Muhasibi, who was born in Basra around 165/782 but later resided in Baghdad, albeit with a period of exile in Kufa, until his death in 243/857. Al-Muhasibi was also known for his skills in many disciplines, including the Qur'an, Prophetic narration (hadith), and scholastic theology (Ilm al-kalam), but it is for his mastery in the field of Islamic spirituality and moral psychology that he is remembered.