The Nafs, known as The Devil in traditional Tarot, is not so much an external force. Rather, it is our own lower self, often called the ego. It is the smoke in our minds that keeps us from seeing clearly, our fears that lead us toward destructive behavior, and the ilah that Sufis talk about. Liter- ally translated as “god” with a lowercase g, an ilah is a construct of our minds we give so much power to that it consumes us. It is often the last thing you think or worry about before going to sleep. The Sufis describe the ilahs as excessive emphasis placed on material success, physical pleasure, and matters related to the ego. What holds you down? What is your ilah?