FINDING INNER STABILITY IN TURBULENT TIMES: REFLECTIONS ON SHAYKH FADHLALLA HAERI’S RECENT SOHBAT
These days, it’s hard not to feel tossed around by the world—there’s noise everywhere, divisions keep widening, technology keeps racing ahead. So when I listened to Shaykh Fadhlalla Haeri’s recent sohbat from March 14, 2026, it felt like a breath of calm air. He spoke quietly to a small circle of friends, focusing on a classic Sufi teaching: the difference between the nafs—the restless, reactive self—and the ruh, that unchanging core of spirit inside us.
Shaykh Fadhlalla explained it with such clarity. The nafs is like a vehicle; it lets the ruh taste this world’s ups and downs. Trouble starts when the nafs forgets it’s a servant and starts calling the shots—chasing after power, pleasure, or just reacting to everything. That’s where conflict and pain come in, both around us and inside our own hearts.
What really stayed with me is how he talked about suffering. It’s not a punishment, he said. It’s more like a gentle, merciful nudge—a signal from Allah that the nafs has wobbled off track and needs to find its way back to the ruh. That’s such a different way to look at hardship. Instead of fighting against our struggles, we can start to see them as signposts guiding us back to an inner steadiness that doesn’t depend on circumstances. In times like these, when challenges seem nonstop, that feels both comforting and practical.
He didn’t just speak in big ideas, either—he gave concrete advice. The heart of it? Make space for silence. Step back from the constant noise and slip into a few moments of stillness, whether through sajda or just quiet withdrawal. From there, pay attention. See what’s really happening before rushing into any action. “Iqra”—read with courtesy and clarity—then only move when you sense it’s your ruh guiding you, not your impatient nafs. Practicing gratitude, in all situations, trains the nafs to stay humble and open. Shaykh Fadhlalla also warned about so-called “sacred rage.” So often, what feels like righteous anger is just our egos putting on a spiritual mask.
And yes, he touched on our modern world too—including AI. He acknowledged its usefulness for handling routine things, maybe even freeing us up for deeper reflection. But at the same time, he cautioned that AI has a knack for magnifying deception and superficiality—traits of the nafs if we’re not careful. All of this, for him, circles back to “vertical referencing.” In plain terms, stay tuned to the ruh, not just the latest distraction or urge from the ego. Only then, he said, do we develop a quiet resilience that can’t be shaken, whatever’s going on outside.
The Sohbat also made me think about how this inner alignment really comes alive when rooted in the Prophetic example and timeless principles. It’s not just about private spiritual experience; it has to show up in how we act, treat others, and shape our communities. When our ruh is in the lead, ethics and kindness become natural, and our lives start to echo that bigger, divinely-oriented harmony. The inner and outer, in the end, keep each other honest and balanced.
Honestly, this sohbat felt like a much-needed dose of clarity. There was nothing showy or distant about Shaykh Fadhlalla’s words—they made centuries-old wisdom feel both fresh and real. It’s easy to forget that quiet guidance from the ruh is always close by. I finished the video feeling more committed to inner alignment—not just as an escape from the world, but as a foundation for living and acting in tune with divine trust, both alone and with others. Real change, he reminded me, starts inside and then naturally finds its way into the world around us.
If any of this speaks to you, do yourself a favor and watch the full sohbat (link below). When everything seems uncertain, consciously living from the ruh—and doing so with intention—might just be the most meaningful and radical thing we can do.
How do you find balance between listening to your ruh and living out those insights every day? I’d really like to hear what you think.
A Sohbat with Shaykh Fadhlalla Haeri March 14, 2026 YouTube Link:
Author’s Notes
I write only as a student, guided by the radiance of spiritual teachers and enlightened beings. I welcome thoughtful reflections in the comments, especially where clarity or correction may deepen our shared understanding.
I looked for my Rabb in all the wrong places. I sought him in prophets, sahabas, tabeein, saints, Allah walay from Tablighi jamaats and tasawwuf, modern and classical scholars and their interpretations. I hero-worshipped them till CONvid happened and veils started lifting. I realized how untouched and in some cases ignorant they were regarding the modern medicine paradigm, and how they feared an unproven germ theory dogma.
However even then I never questioned my religious understanding and felt safe in my arrogant self righteous ignorance. But Gaza proved to be the last nail in the coffin and I asked, how come we the Muslims with the best prophet, the best book, as the best ummah are going through such misery and humiliation on individual and collective level. What went wrong and where? And that's when I delved in the history of Islam with all the good, bad and ugly details. It was painful to say the least. I came down from the pedestal I had placed myself and us Muslims on. Maybe that was my Rabb's way for humbling me. I was very disturbed and had had to question everything, even the rituals. I have prayed diligently with hardly any qazas for the past 18 years and now I don't feel like it. No I am not being defiant for I love my Rabb more than love itself, but I cant keep doing a performance out of an obligation that's devoid of focus, meaning and true knowing. I just cant, even when I want to.
A religious understanding I thought as the most pristine, scholars that I looked up to as my source of closeness to my Rabb all came crumbling down. And now I have broken all the idols between me and my Rabb. I can learn from people of every faith , but never will I outsource my authority to anyone anymore. No sheikh, no pir no saint. That's the path I am on now..No big claims anymore, just a search for truth wherever it takes me....
When you hear about “ghadab” or “azaab,” most of us picture human anger—messy, emotional, and tangled up with ego. But the old teachers make it clear: Divine “anger” isn’t an emotion. It’s more like a built-in result, a law baked into existence. Fire burns, whoever touches it
Thats a beautiful reply ...However when that fire is cooled down for Ibrahim, the law is broken. That mean only Allah swt can break His own laws which are then called miracles. 2 questions. Are miracles real? I have listened to some good muslim scholars who kind of deny it and say it has some other explanation. Maybe they take science way too seriously and believe that every effect has to have a cause. Unless science proves otherwise.Can miracles still happen to and for people or was it only for the prophets? Also what are ur thoughts on mairaaj? Was it physical or spiritual ascension