[Roohi]

Imam al-Hasan al-Basri (rahimahullah) stated:


“If there are four things present in a person, Allah would preserve him from the Shaytaan and prevent him from entering the Fire: Whoever has control over himself during times of:

1. Raghbah - Need
2. Rahbah - Fear
3. Shahwah - Desire
4. Ghadab - Anger."

Ibn Rajab stated: “These four that al-Hasan mentioned are the basis of all evil.”


Raghbah is to have a need for something, is to want it and believe that it is beneficial for you. So whoever has a need for something, this need may drive him to attain it through any means possible, a lot of which could be impermissible. The object that is needed could be prohibited itself.

Rahbah is to fear something. If a person fears something he would try to repel it by any means necessary, a lot of which may be impermissible.

Shahwah is to desire something that you take pleasure from. A person may desire a lot of things that are prohibited such as fornication, theft, alcohol, disbelief, magic, hypocrisy and innovations.

Ghadab - Anger: It is the boiling of the hearts blood to repel a harm fearing that it would take place, or to take revenge from someone who has previously caused harm. A lot of impermissible things take place as a consequence of anger, such as fighting, hitting as well as other types of oppression and transgression. A lot of impermissible forms of speech also take place such as defamation, insults, and evil words. This may even reach the level of disbelief.

Author: Shaykh Zayd al Madkhalee
Reference: Al Afnaan an Nadiyyah Vol.8 p, 328