In the journey of life which is full of twists and turns, people often get lost not because the road is dark, but because they don’t know themselves. We walk long distances, looking for meaning in various directions, even though the key to calm lies within us.
When a person begins to know himself, he is no longer unfamiliar with his origins, understands what he really needs, and is able to distinguish between what strengthens him and what slowly destroys him. From there, an inner compass was born that guides your steps so that you are not easily swayed by various slander.
Ibn Qayyim Al-Jauziyah God bless said,
Whoever knows himself with weakness will know his Lord with strength, whoever knows himself with his helplessness will know his Lord with greatness, whoever knows himself with humiliation will know his Lord with glory, and whoever knows himself with ignorance will know his Lord with knowledge.
“Whoever knows himself as a weak creature, he will know his Lord as the Almighty.
Whoever knows that he is incapable, then he will know his Rabb as the Almighty.
Whoever knows himself as lowly, then he will know his Rabb as the Most Exalted.
Whoever knows that he is stupid, then he will know his Lord as the All-Knowing.” (Madarijus Salikin, 1: 427)
Knowing yourself is not just about understanding your strengths, but also having the courage to look at your weaknesses honestly. In that honesty, the heart becomes broader, softer, and makes us aware of our weaknesses, needs, and total dependence on Allah Drug.
There are several ways we can get to know ourselves more deeply.
First, know the basic elements of self-creation
Humans are special (noble) creatures, given reason, given a mandate, and created caliph in this world. Allah Drug said,
And We have glorified Adam’s children and grandchildren
“Indeed, We have glorified the children of Adam…” (QS. Al-Isra’: 70)
This glory is not without reason. One of them is because humans are created from two large elements, namely body and spirit.
Body elements (birth)
Allah Drug said,
And among the signs of His power is that He created you from clay.
“And among the signs of His power is that He created you from clay.” (QS. Ar-Rum: 20)
Human bodies come from the earth, requiring food, clothing, shelter, rest and care. All of these are signs that humans are weak and dependent on God’s gifts.
Element of spirit (mind)
Allah Drug also said about the spirit,
And they ask you about the soul. Say, “The Spirit comes from the command of my Lord.”
“And they ask you about the soul. Say: The soul is the business of my Lord…” (QS. Al-Isra’: 85)
The Spirit is the breath of glory from God Drug. It’s not visible, it’s untouchable, but it’s what moves our hearts, faith and direction in life.
Therefore, anyone who only cares about his body, but lets his soul starve, has destroyed the balance towards himself.
Also read: Two Wisdoms of Human Creation
Second, recognize your basic needs
When we know that humans are created from two elements (physical and spiritual), then to be able to know ourselves we also need to know the basic needs of physical and spiritual.
The basic needs of the body include food (food), clothing (clothing), and shelter (shelter), because these three are basic needs that make humans able to survive.
Allah Drug said,
And eat and drink, and do not overdo it. Indeed, He does not like excess.
“Eat and drink, but do not overdo it…” (QS. Al-A’raf: 31)
Therefore, the body’s needs must be met, but they must not be fulfilled excessively or without limits.
Then there are the needs of the soul. Spirit is the essence of life. He lives not from eating and drinking, but from knowledge and worship.
Imam Ahmad God bless said,
Humans need knowledge more than food and drink. Because a man needs to eat and drink once or twice a day. And his need to know the number of breaths
“Humans need knowledge (religion) more than they need food and drink. Because a person only needs to eat and drink once or twice a day. Meanwhile, he needs knowledge with every breath he takes.” (Madarijus Salikin, 2: 440)
Without knowledge, a person will be lost. Without worship, the soul becomes empty. Allah Drug emphasizes the purpose of human creation,
I did not create jinn and humans except for worship
“I did not create jinn and humans except to worship Me.” (QS. Adz-Dzariyat: 56)
This is food for the soul, namely through prayer, dhikr, reading the Koran, seeking knowledge, and drawing closer to God in all circumstances.
Third, recognize things that damage yourself
After knowing what we were created from and what our main needs are, we are also obliged to recognize anything that can damage us, both physically and spiritually.
Things that can damage the body include consuming haram or dangerous food, engaging in habits that damage health, and being lazy and not taking care of the body’s trust.
Rasulullah sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said,
Your body has rights over you
“Indeed, your body has rights over you.” (HR. Bukhari)
So this body is a trust from God that must be guarded and must not be wasted.
Apart from destroying the body, there are also things that destroy the spirit. Damage to the spirit is much more dangerous than damage to the body, because the spirit is the center of faith, calm and direction of life. If the soul is damaged, then all life is damaged. The following are some of the things that most damage a servant’s spirit:
Sin and ugliness
Sin is poison to the heart. Every time a person sins, he adds stains that darken his heart. Rasulullah sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said,
If a servant commits a sin, then there is a black spot in his heart, so if he withdraws, asks for forgiveness and repents, then his heart will be healed, and if Zaid returns it until it appears in his heart, and he is the one who says to Allah: {No, but what they strive for is visible in their hearts.}
“If a servant commits a sin, then a black stain will be engraved on his heart. If he abandons the sin, apologizes and repents, then the stain will disappear. (HR. Tirmidhi from Abu Hurairah May Allah bless him and grant him peace. This hadith is assessed hasan sahih by Tirmidhi)
The more stains are left, the darker a person’s heart becomes, making it difficult to receive advice and light of guidance. Sin makes the spirit weak, faith decreases, and the heart becomes hard.
Ignore dhikr and worship
A soul that is not given food in the form of remembrance, prayer and worship will become weak like the body. Allah Drug warn,
And do not be like those who forget Allah and He makes them forget themselves.
“And do not be like those who forget Allah, then Allah makes them forget themselves.” (QS. Al-Hasyr: 19)
When someone forgets Allah, he loses direction in life. He forgets the purpose of his creation, forgets his obligations, and ultimately ends up harming himself.
Shoubat, passion, and lust
Hesitant destroys thinking. Lust destroys desires and actions. Lust destroys steadfastness.
These three things are the greatest enemies of the spirit. Allah Drug mentions that following one’s desires will lead astray from the right path,
And do not follow your desires, because these desires will lead you astray from the path of Allah.
“And do not follow your desires, because that will lead you astray from the path of Allah.” (QS. Shad: 26)
Hesitant makes a person doubt religion, lust makes him easily slip, and lust makes him justify mistakes.
Do not seek religious knowledge
A heart without knowledge will be empty and easily infiltrated by ignorance, doubts and the whispers of Satan. Knowledge is light, and ignorance is darkness. Allah Drug said,
Say: Are those who know and those who do not know the same?
“Are those who know and those who don’t know the same?” (QS. Az-Zumar: 9)
Bad friends and environment
The spirit is very easily influenced by the environment. Bad friends can drag someone into negligence and sin. Rasulullah sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said,
If someone adheres to a friend’s religion, then each of you should look at his opinion about him
“A person’s religion is in accordance with the religion of his close friends. You should see who his close friends are.” (HR. Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi. See Ash-Shahihah lineage, NO. 927)
A bad environment makes it difficult for the spirit to develop, while pious friends are a helper for faith and peace of mind.
The journey to knowing yourself is the journey home
Knowing yourself is not just knowing your own weaknesses, but understanding where we came from and where we will return. Allah Drug said,
They said, “Indeed we belong to Allah and to Him we will return.”
“Indeed we belong to Allah, and to Him we will return.” (QS. Al-Baqarah: 156)
May God give us taufik to know ourselves, improve ourselves, and draw closer to Him wholeheartedly. Amen.
Also read: Internal Factors Destroying Faith
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Writer: Arif Muhammad Nurwijaya
Article Muslim.or.id
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