The harmful tendencies of our baser self (nafs) are discussed at many places. The most succinct description is in the book Education of Religion (ta-alim-ud-din) by Hazrat Ashraf Ali Thanwi, a leisurely discussion is there in Character of The Prophet (PBUH) (Serat-un-Nabi) by Syed Sulaiman Nadwi while the following list is prepared from Revival of Religious Sciences (Ahya-al-Uloom-id-Din) by Imam Ghazali, may Allah Almighty fill their tombs with light.
(1) Harms of Greed
(2) Harms of Sexual Passion
(3) Harms of Tongue
(4) Harms of Anger Hatred
(5) Harms of Envy
(6) Evils of the World
(7) Evils of Wealth
(8) Harms of Miserliness
(9) Evils of Power
(10) Evils of Show
(11) Evils of Pride
(12) Evils of Self-Praise
(13) Evils of Erroneous Beliefs
The easiest way to cleanse one-self of these destructive evils is done in the pious company of the Elders. This is seeking (sulook), the method (tareeqat), sufism and mysticism (tasawwuf).
