How To Become A Spiritual Athlete - With Prof Mehmet Ozalp

In this podcast, Dr Zuleyha Keskin sits down with Prof Mehmet Ozalp to explore one of the most profound concepts in Islamic spirituality: the journey of the nafs. Using the powerful analogy of a spiritual athlete, they unpack the 7 levels of the nafs—showing how each stage reflects a different level of inner struggle, awareness, and transformation. This conversation moves beyond theory, offering a deeply reflective framework for understanding the self and striving towards spiritual excellence. 📌 Timestamps 00:00 Introduction 00:33 What is the nafs? 03:07 Where is the nafs located? 09:57 Where the nafs becomes an issue 14:29 The feature of nafs al-ammarrah 17:24 We are spiritual athletes 19:00 Nafs al-lawwamah signals commitment 20:35 The biggest hurdle is nafs al-lawwamah 21:48 Nafs al-mulhimah is when the heart truly opens 26:50 Nafs al-mutmaʾinnah – the good amateur spiritual athlete 34:44 Nafs al-radiyah – transcending good and evil 36:22 Nafs al-mardiyyah – the self Allah is pleased with 38:07 Nafs al-kamilah – reaching full potential