In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
And in Him we seek aid.
All praise belongs to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may Allah bless our master Muhammad, his entire family, and grant them perfect peace.

Section
On purifying the soul, and how it is purified by shunning what is forbidden while fulfilling what is commanded.

Allah, the Exalted, says:

“Successful indeed is the one who purifies himself, and remembers the name of his Lord, and then prays.” ⦗Al-Aʿlā 14-15⦘

And He says:

“Successful indeed is the one who purifies it, and ruined indeed is the one who debases it.” ⦗Ash-Shams 9-10⦘

Sufyān ibn ʿUyaynah, Qatādah, and others said: “He has truly prospered who purifies his soul through obedience to Allah and righteous deeds.” (1)

Abū’l-Faraj said: “The meaning of zakkāhā is that he cleansed it from sins and reformed it through obedience.” (2)

It has also been said: “A soul that Allah purifies has certainly triumphed, and a soul that Allah debases has certainly failed.” This is the position of al-Farrāʾ and az-Zajjāj. (3)