Human Nature (Fiṭrah)

In Islamic thought, the human being is created with a fiṭrah an inherent, divinely designed disposition inclined toward truth, goodness, and recognition of the Creator.

Allah says:

“So set your face toward the religion, inclining to truth.The fiṭrah of Allah upon which He has created all people.”(Qur’an 30:30)

This fiṭrah is not merely a spiritual instinct; it is a holistic framework guiding moral reasoning, emotional balance, social behavior, and the search for meaning.

When a person lives in harmony with this innate design, the result is inner tranquility (sakīnah), moral clarity, and a purposeful life. Conversely, when a person struggles against this divinely embedded nature, psychological unease, moral confusion, and existential distress follow.

The Nature of the Internal Struggle

Islam teaches that the heart (qalb) naturally inclines toward remembrance of Allah and toward justice, compassion, and humility. Yet human beings also possess desires, impulses, and external influences that can obscure this inner compass.

The Qur’an describes this tension:

“Indeed, the soul constantly commands to evil except those upon whom my Lord has mercy.”(Qur’an 12:53)

A struggle rooted in spiritual discipline, self-accountability (muḥāsabah), and purification (tazkiyah) is noble and necessary.

However, modern struggles often take another form: resisting one’s inherent moral structure, denying divine guidance, or redefining human nature according to personal whims. This is the struggle against fiṭrah, not the struggle ofself-improvement.

Consequences of Violating the Fiṭrah

When the human being acts in contradiction to the very design Allah instilled, several consequences unfold:

1. Spiritual Disconnection and Loss of Meaning

The Qur’an warns of the inner emptiness experienced by those who turn away from divine guidance:

“And whoever turns away from My remembrance for him is a life of constriction.”(Qur’an 20:124)

This constricted life is not merely material difficulty but a profound lack of peace: anxiety, restlessness, and the sense of being unanchored.

2. Moral Confusion

The suppression of fiṭrah leads to blurred moral boundaries. Actions once recognized as harmful become normalized. Allah describes communities that corrupted their innate morality:

“Rather, their hearts have been stained by what they used to earn.”(Qur’an 83:14)

When the heart becomes stained, the ability to discern right from wrong weakens, and society drifts toward moral relativism and chaos.

3. Psychological and Emotional Turmoil

Islamic scholarship often connects mental and emotional imbalance with the heart’s distance from its Creator. The Qur’an states:

“Truly, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest.”(Qur’an 13:28)

By contrast, resisting the heart’s natural inclination toward its Maker results in the opposite: internal agitation, the loss of inner harmony, and emotional instability.

4. Social Corruption

A society that collectively resists its fiṭrah faces structural consequences: injustice, selfishness, exploitation, and the breakdown of family and community. Allah warns:

“And do not follow the desires of those who have gone astray,who misguide many and themselves stray from the straight path.”(Qur’an 6:116)

Historical and Qur’anic Examples

The Qur’an provides many narratives of communities that chose to resist their innate moral nature and divine guidance.

• The People of Thamūd opposed the message of righteousness, violating their purity and moral structure.

“They belied him, and they hamstrung the she-camel;so their Lord destroyed them for their sin.”(Qur’an 91:14)

• The People of Lūṭ deviated from human fiṭrah in matters of family and sexuality, resulting in moral collapse.

• The People of ‘Ād pursued arrogance and domination, building monuments merely for show, violating the humility embedded in human nature.

The Qur’an repeatedly shows that resisting fiṭrah leads to the collapse of both individuals and civilizations.

Returning to Fiṭrah: The Islamic Renewal of the Self

Islam calls the human being to return to authenticity not through self-worship or self-invention, but through aligning the inner self with divine design. This is accomplished through:

• knowledge (ʿilm)

• reflection (tafakkur)

• purification of the heart (tazkiyah)

• consistent acts of worship

• seeking moral clarity through revelation

The Prophet said:

“Every child is born upon the fiṭrah.”(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)

Returning to fiṭrah, then, is not becoming someone new it is rediscovering who we were meant to be.

Conclusion

The struggle against the fiṭrah is ultimately a struggle against one’s own well-being, identity, and purpose. Islam offers a path where the heart, mind, and soul align with divine guidance, producing balance, dignity, and fulfillment. To resist this path is to invite spiritual emptiness and existential confusion; to embrace it is to walk toward light, clarity, and peace.

Allah Knows Best