The Process of Self Development
THE path to God is only illuminated when a person recognizes the central place of God inhis life and strives to develop his self accordingly. The Messenger of God said:If someone wants to know what position he enjoys in the eyes of God, he has only to look at what place he gives to God (in his heart and life). (
Hakim
)The term nearest in meaning to self development in the Quranic vocabulary is
tazkiya
.
Tazkiya
means purification and refers to the cleansing of the human self from all that isunwholesome, undesirable and unwelcome. It also refers to the nurturing and strengtheningof all the qualities within the human self that are essential for growth and development, for blossoming and flowering.
THE GOAL IN LIFE
Success and happiness in this world and the Hereafter depend on
tazkiya
, the purificationand nurturing of our personality. The Quran states that true success is only reserved for those who seek to purify themselves:
Successful indeed is the one who purifies his whole self
[ash-Shams 91:9]Our personality comprises not only the physical body but also the mind and the heart,feelings and attitudes, character and behavior. Proper nurturing and development of theseelements of the personality will achieve desirable goals. When goals are desirable, the process of aspiring to, working towards and achieving them also become desirable. This is part of human nature. It is critical, therefore, that we recognize and understand the truenature of our ultimate goal in life.For the Believer, the most coveted goal in life is to seek the good pleasure of Allah andJanna or Paradise. Our Creator has set this goal for us:
And surely Paradise - it is the goal
[an-Naziat 79: 41];
Indeed the Next abode - it is truly the life!
[al-Ankabut 29: 64];
Thecompanions of Paradise - they are the triumphant ones
[al-Hashr 59: 20].Know, however, that attaining the pleasure of Allah takes precedence over seeking Janna but the two are closely connected. Paradise can only be attained through seeking Allah's pleasure, and when Allah's pleasure is gained, we will indeed be granted Paradise. Reflectupon the following two verses in the Quran:
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And there is a kind of person who would willingly give up personal interests, seeking Allah's pleasure; and God is Most Compassionate towards His servants.
[al-Baqara 2: 207.]
Indeed Allah has purchased from the Believers their lives and their possessions, promising them Paradise, in return.
[at-Tawba 9: 111.]The alternative to attaining Paradise in the Hereafter is to be placed in
Jahannam
or Hellfire and to receive its punishments. The Quran states:
But in the life to come
: [it iseither]
severe suffering, or God's forgiveness and His goodly acceptance
. [al-Hadid 57: 20.]What is it that makes a person deserving of such a suffering? The answer is to be found inthe second part of the same verse:
for the life of this world is nothing but an enjoyment of self-delusion
[al-Hadid 57: 20.]
Jahannam
therefore, is for those who seek as their ultimategoal in life, not the pleasure of Allah or Paradise, but the enjoyment of worldly gains.The pursuit of worldly gain is but a mirage. All worldly gains are left behind when you die.All that is on earth is bound to perish while Allah and His good favor will remain forever. Itis for this reason that the Queen advises:
Vie with one another in seeking to attain to your Sustainer's forgiveness; and to a Paradiseas vast as the heavens and the earth, which has been readied for those who have attained to faith in God and His messengers: such is the bounty of Allah which He grants untowhomever He wills -for Allah is limitless in His great bounty.
[al-Hadid 57: 21.]All your efforts in this world should therefore be focused only on seeking Paradise. It is thePromise of the Almighty that:
2
You will only be rewarded fully for all your good deeds on the Day of Resurrection, and
[onthat Day]
whoever will be drawn away from Hellfire, and admitted into Paradise, will indeed have triumphed
[Ali Imran 3:185.]
THE FIRST STEP TO PARADISE
The first step in self development, then, is to concentrate single-mindedly on Paradise.Indeed, the one who is unsure of his destiny in life, torn between this world and the Next,like one standing with his feet in two separate boats - will be thrown off balance. Many of the difficulties that we face are due to this lack of commitment and inability to focus on thereal and ultimate goal. If you can keep your focus on Janna, then everything else will be possible.The selection of the ultimate goal of Paradise must be made consciously and may involvean absolute break with the past. To choose this new goal as the ultimate goal in one's life isin fact to choose a new life, to begin a new journey. Embark on this new journey byrefreshing your
wudu
(ablution) and offering two
rakas
(units) of
Salat
or Prayer remindingyourself of all the punishment of Hellfire you have just resolved to avoid at all costs and allthe rewards of Paradise that you will strive to achieve. Remind yourself also of theimportant stations and landmarks on the journey; imagine death as near; imagine themoment when the Angel of Death will declare, `your time is over, now you must followme'; imagine that moment when you will be made to stand in the presence of Allah, MostHigh, so that the final judgment of life may be passed on you and imagine theconsequences of that judgment. When you have completed the two
rakas
then resolve oncemore that all efforts will be directed towards achieving Paradise, beseech Allah and praywith humility:O Allah, I ask for Your mercy and whatever brings me closer to it, in word and deed.O Allah, I ask for a faith that will never vanish, a blessing that will never diminish, a pleasure that will never abate, and the most elevated position in Paradise distinguished bythe companionship of Your Messenger, Muhammad.While improvement in your habits and actions is a life-long process, the desire to achieve itcan thus be sparked in a moment. This desire will provide the momentum for attaining your goal - the good pleasure of Allah and Paradise.
YOUR MISSION
Having taken the fast step and resolved to attain Paradise, you may ask yourself, what does
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The Process of Self Development
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| Upload Date: | 04/29/2009 |
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