Is it permissible to say, “By Allah, I shall certainly discipline you, O nafs”?

There is nothingwrong with a person saying to himself, “I shall certainly discipline you, Onafs” if he is disciplining himself in accordance with the teachings of Islam.Even though Allah created the nafs, the main purpose for which Allah hasprescribed religion is to discipline the nafs, purify it, and instruct it to doacts of worship and obedience. To Allah belong the creation and thecommandment.

Imam al-Aajurri(may Allah have mercy on him) said:

If someone wereto say: what evidence is there for disciplining the nafs? The answer is: TheQur’aan, the Sunnah and the words of the Muslim scholars. End quote from Adaban-Nufoos, p. 9

He also said (p.17):

How bad is thesituation of the one who neglects to discipline his nafs and train it on thebasis of knowledge; and how good is the situation of the one who pays attentionto disciplining his nafs and knows what Allah has enjoined upon him and what Hehas forbidden to him, and is patient in going against the whims and desires ofhis nafs, and seeks the help of Allah the Almighty in doing so. End quote.

And he narratedin his book (p. 13) that ar-Rabee‘ ibn Anas said, concerning the verse “Wardoff from yourselves and your families a Fire (Hell)” [at-Tahreem 66:6]:Discipline and train yourselves and your families to adhere to the commands ofAllah, may He be glorified and exalted.

And he narrated(p. 14) that Sa‘eed ibn Jubayr said: that is: proper etiquette and manners.

Then he (mayAllah have mercy on him) said (p. 15): Do you not see, may Allah have mercy onyou, that your Lord Most Generous is urging you to discipline yourself and yourfamilies. Pay heed to Allah and make yourselves adhere to that. End quote.

Based on that:there is nothing wrong with the phrase mentioned and there is nothing wrongwith giving the group the title mentioned, even if this phrase was not narratedin this way from some of the Salaf, so long as it is Islamically acceptable inand of itself and does not include anything that is not appropriate accordingto Islam.

If you choose atitle that is similar in meaning, such as “Self-discipline” or “Training thenafs” and so on, that is also good. Such words were used as book titles by someof the Salaf.

The oathmentioned is not regarded as compelling anyone to join the group; rather he isa member if he accepts the conditions stipulated in the group.

And Allah knowsbest.