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Two distinct natures

Human beings have 2 distinct natures that are often confused and seen as one. The first nature is what we call 'tabi'ah'. To survive a physical experience on this planet, we have a physical body that is driven by an animal-like instinct and this nature that we call 'tabi'ah'. Its purpose is to drive the human body to keep him in survival mode in existence. Tabi'ah seeks pleasure, flees pain and fights for survival. This is driven by selfishness. Tabi'ah does not last.

We are also wired with a more innate nature, divinely ingrained nature called fitrah that is unique in human beings. Fitrah is that which drives your soul. Fitrah is selfless. Fitrah is lasting. Fitrah is the compass within you. You can change it, you can deny it but it's still there.

Tabi'ah cannot comprehend things like justice, fairness, equity, this is for fitrah to understand. But tabi'ah cannot be taken out from us. It demands from us to be fulfilled. Tabi'ah and fitrah are two sides from the same coin. And thus we need to properly identify them.

Half the challenge is to disidentify from the  physical body. That we are not our body. Our body are carriers for our souls. 


- Brother Khalil Jaffer in "Freeing the Butterfly Within"

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