SELF-PURIFICATION IN THE NARRATIONS OF ʿABDULLĀH IBN MASʿŪD (RA): A THEMATIC ANALYSIS AND CONTEMPORARY APPLICATIONS

Abstract

This study examines the concept of self-purification (tazkiyat al-nafs) through the narrations and ethical teachings of ʿAbdullāh ibn Masʿūd (RA), a distinguished Companion of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ renowned for his expertise in Qur’anic interpretation and spiritual guidance. The study aims to identify the major dimensions of self-purification reflected in his narrations and explore their relevance to contemporary moral and spiritual challenges.Using an inductive qualitative method and thematic analysis, the research investigates selected narrations from primary classical sources, including Musannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah, Ḥilyat al-Awliyāʾ, Kitāb al-Zuhd, and Jāmiʿ Bayān al-ʿIlm wa Faḍlih. The narrations are analyzed under key themes such as self-accountability (muḥāsabah), fear of Allah (khashyah), sincerity (ikhlāṣ), asceticism (zuhd), Qur’anic spirituality, and adherence to the Prophetic Sunnah. The findings indicate that Ibn Masʿūd’s teachings offer a comprehensive framework of self-purification that combines spiritual refinement, moral responsibility, and intellectual discipline. The study further demonstrates the continuing relevance of his ethical insights in addressing contemporary issues, including materialism, spiritual alienation, digital distraction, and moral relativism. By contextualizing Ibn Masʿūd’s legacy within modern scholarly discourse, this research contributes to the fields of Islamic ethics, spirituality, and spiritual psychology, highlighting the enduring significance of the Companions’ teachings for contemporary Muslim societies.