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June 1, 2026Anthropology of ConsciousnessOpen Access

The Vicissitudes of the Nafs : Madness, Paralysis, and the Work of Transgression in Sufi Ethics

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Authors

MIMuhammad Osama Imran

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Overview

Ethnographic analysis of zikr reveals the dual risks of enlightenment and ethical breakdown in Sufi practices.

Key Points

  • This paper explores how Sufi ethics navigate the balance between spiritual enlightenment and the risk of ethical paralysis.
  • Conducted ethnographic research within the Naqshbandia Awaisia Sufi order in Pakistan
  • Examined the practice of zikr and its impact on practitioners' spiritual and ethical lives
  • Analyzed the disciplinary techniques used to manage the nafs
  • Identified the dual nature of zikr, promoting divine awareness while risking ethical breakdown
  • Showed that practitioners fear interruption of their ethical capacities due to excessive discipline
  • Highlighted the creative labor in modulating devotional intensity to maintain a balance between the sacred and the worldly.

Cite This Study

Muhammad Osama Imran (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a1d236002fbce9130638f61https://doi.org/10.1111/anoc.70045
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