“KNOW THYSELF”- UNRAVELING SELF-KNOWLEDGE
The quest for self-knowledge has always been at the heart of philosophical minds from ancient to modern times. Not just philosophers, but many of us ask ourselves this profound question, “Who am I?” Perhaps, man is curious about this question by inclination. The knowledge of self transcends the physical realm of our existence; it is a knowledge of one’s spiritual needs. Islam, being a complete way of life, puts emphasis on the contemplation of self-knowledge, so that man understands his status in the world and acts accordingly.
God has honored human beings with the highest position on Earth. They have been bestowed all those noble faculties of intellect, thought, and knowledge that no other creature has been blessed with. Allah says in the Quran, “Indeed, We created humans in the best form” (95:4), and “Indeed, We have dignified the children of Adam, carried them on land and sea, granted them good and lawful provisions, and privileged them far above many of Our creatures” (17:70). But the question is, how can a man use his potentialities and intellect properly in the right direction? He can make full use of all his God-given abilities if he strives to increase his self-knowledge. The Islamic philosopher, Imam Al-Ghazali, said, “Now nothing is nearer to thee than thyself, and if thou knowest not thyself, how canst thou know anything else?” The right use of self-knowledge makes man ascend to the levels of perfection, and the wrong use of it can descend him to the lowest levels that no animal has fallen. Imam Ali (RA) said, “Whenever the knowledge of a man increases, his attention to his soul also increases, and he tries his best to train and purify it.”
We are so immersed in material life that we do not allow ourselves to be curious and question non-material ideas. If we ponder over the manner in which we are molded and designed, our inborn knowledge is awakened, redirecting our attention towards the one who created us. By knowing yourself through your creator, you get to know yourself better. Allah says, “And do not be like those who forgot Allah, so He made them forget themselves. It is they who are truly rebellious” (59:19), and there is a famous saying, “Whoever knows himself, knows his Lord.” This implies that the knowledge of oneself and the knowledge of the creator are interrelated.
A painter knows the details of his painting better than anyone else. Similarly, our creator knows us better than we know ourselves. Allah says in the Quran, “He certainly knows what is secret and what is even more hidden” (20:7). There are deeply ingrained complexities within human beings that they are not aware of consciously, but they impact them in the way they behave, think, and speak. Therefore, mindfulness of the creator allows us to unveil the fundamental truth of the original heavenly human nature and the mysteries of self, resulting in changing the outlook of our lives, and making us develop a strong moral conscience and disposition that human beings were meant to have.
