Reality of Human
Self-realization means understanding your own reality. Allama Iqbal says:
تلاش او کنی جز خود نہ بینی
تلاش خود کنی جز او نیابی
Meaning: If you search for Him, you will find nothing but yourself. And if you search for yourself, you will find nothing but Him. Here Allama Iqbal wants to say that whether a person attains self-realization or he attains the recognition of Allah, he attains the recognition of Allah in both situations. Self-realization is a priceless process that results in Divine gnosis.
A Hadith says:
مَنْ عَرَفَ نَفْسَہُ فَقَدْ عَرَفَ رَبَّہُ
Meaning: One who recognizes his self has come to recognize Allah.
Indeed it is very important to know human creation for self-realization.
Background of Creation of Man
Allah says in the Holy Quran:
(Recall) when your Lord said to the angels: ‘I am about to create a human organism from (moist) clay. Then when I have perfected its (visible body) and blown into its (invisible) self My Own (illumining) spirit, fall down prostrate before him (in his honour). (38: 71-72)
According to this verse, there are two phases of creation of man that are proof of humans being the greatest of all creation. The two phases are:
- Creation of body from clay
- Breathing Allah’s Own soul into body.
Allah is pure and unique in His majesty. The question arises why did this statue of clay get so much importance that Allah breathed His soul into it? In fact, Allah created the universe for His recognition and to express love for the Holy Prophet (pbuh). Allah entered soul into the body and manifested the story of love between Him and the Holy Prophet
Allah says in a Qudsi Hadith:
لَوْ لَا کَ لِمَا خَلَقْتُ الْاَ فْلَاکَ
Meaning: O beloved! If it were not for you, I would not have created the earth and the sky.
See the explanation of this Hadith in the words of a poet:
ارض و سما نہ ہوتا، نہ ہوتے ابوالبشر
کیا چیز عرش و کرسی خورشید و قمر
نامِ خدا نہ ہوتا زمانے میں سربسر
منظور حق کو ہوتی نہ تخلیق تیریؐ گر
Meaning that Allah created the universe in order to increase the glory of the Holy Prophet and raise his status. The clear proof of which is that Allah created every human being in the form of Ism-e-Mohammad and breathed into them His soul, which is the true Mohammadan Light.
Reality of the Physical Form of Human
Allah says: Indeed, We have created man in the best constitution (equipoised in the finest proportion). (95:4)
Yusuf al-Nabhani says in the summary of Al-Qastallani’s famous book Al-Mawahib al-Laduniyah “A quality of the four-letter Holy name Mohammad (محمد) is that it is similar to the name Allah and resembles the human body. First “م” is the head, “ح” is the two arms, the second “م” is the navel, and “د” is the two feet.
This form is evident in this ancient script. (Al-Anwar Mohammadiyyah min Al-Mawahib Al-Laduniyah: 181)
Moreover, there was no end to the surprise when an X-ray of a person’s chest was done with a computer in a hospital in Jeddah, it revealed the structure of the respiratory tract and right lung. You can clearly see Kalma e Tauheed and the beloved name of Prophet Mohammad (pbuh).
This is a sign of truth and a miracle. No doubt Allah said truth in the Holy Quran:
- We will soon show them Our signs all around the world and in their own selves until it dawns on them that indeed this is the truth. Is your Lord not Sufficient (to confirm your veracity), for He alone is (also) witness to everything? (41:53)
Allah created the structure of the human body in the image of the name of Mohammad. That is why He breathed His soul into the human body.
Allama Iqbal says this in his poetry:
اسرارِ ازل جوئی بر خود نظری وا کن
یکتائی و بسیاری، پنہائی و پیدائی
Meaning: If you want to know the secrets of eternity, look within yourself. There is one of you but also thousands, you are visible but also hidden.
Mohammadan Light
Note that self-realization relates to the fact that a person understands there is a rare gem (Mohammadan Light) in this outer existence.
Rumi says:
- Search for your soul, don’t set your heart just in these bones (outer existence).
He further states
اول ہر آدمی خود صورت است
بعد ازاں جان کو جمال سیرت ست
That is, the beginning of man is the form of (Allah) himself and after that (the soul) is the essence, which is the beauty of self. (Masnavi Rumi Book 4)
Rumi has explained inward energy and light of existence like this, he says “Just as the baby deer needs its mother’s footsteps for some time, after which its intellect becomes its guide, in the same way when a human knows the light of his existence (i.e., Mohammadan Light) this beauty becomes his guide.
Inward Reality of Human
Before writing about the inward human reality, it will be appropriate to inform the readers that behind the veil of knowing the truth of the inward reality is the argument that one who strays from his origin finds the time of his connection again. The real identity of human inward or soul is that it comes from Divine Light. Now, what fool would not want to reach the light again? A wise person would not be able to spend even a moment in peace without recognizing the light.
Data Ganj Bakhsh Ali ibn Usman al-Hajveri says:
Know well that knowledge of the inward is essential, and intellect is incapable of attaining it. Although scholars and sages have said something or the other about it according to supposition, and sections of disbelievers have also talked about it. When the disbelieving Quraysh, following the teachings of the Jews, sent Al-Naḍr ibn al-Ḥārith to the Holy Prophet to ask him about the soul, Allah revealed to the Holy Prophet “And they (the disbelievers) ask you about the spirit. Say: ‘The spirit is from my Lord’s command, and you have been given but a very little knowledge.'” (17: 85)
Lord’s command means that Allah says Kun (happen) and it happens. We explain this through Sultan Bahoo’s book Risala Roohi Sharif:
When Allah, coming out of His isolated Oneness, intended to manifest Himself in multiplicity, He manifested Himself in the first realm of manifestation (YaHoot). Concealed Himself in the veil of M (م) of Ahmad (احمد) and manifested as Ahmad.
Allah created the Holy Prophet from His own Light
Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani says:
Know that Allah first created the soul of Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) with His Light, as Allah says, “I created the soul of Mohammad from the Light of My face”. Master of both worlds, the Holy Prophet says that Allah created his soul first. (Sirr Al-Asrar)
This is the soul that Allah called His own soul and breathed into the statue of Adam as the Holy Prophet says:
I am from Allah’s Light and all created beings are from my Light.
Now it is easier for you to understand why the outer structure of man was built on the name of Mohammad. In fact, it was a unique way of expressing love for the Holy Prophet because the Lover is always thinking of His beloved. He sees and wants to see his face in every situation. This is the point and the secret, the search for which becomes the means for us to reach our destination.
Ibn Arabi says:
The Mohammadan light is present in everything in all the worlds just like water is present in every cell of the tree (it is the foundation of entire existence). The tree whose roots become dry and devoid of water, dies. (Sufism-The Soul of Islam)
The question is, when everything is an expression of the pure and subtle Mohammadan Light, then on what basis are these different colors and differences in the world?
Sultan-ul-Ashiqeen says:
- Allah sent man in the material world which is in fact an abode of trial. Man descended from best constitution (Ahsan Taqwim اَحْسَنِ تَقْوِیْم) towards lowest of the lowest (Asfal-us Safilin اَسْفَلَ سٰفِلِیْن ) as the desires of self, satanic attributes, filth and impurities of the material world were added to the human nature during his descent towards the material world. Moreover, to test the ability of every soul to protect the Divine Trust, Allah allowed Satan and the self to dominate it and hence man was brought in the trial of this world from the heaven of His closeness and union. (Sufism-The Soul of Islam)
- Allah made this world a testing ground for His man. Now someone who takes the gift of Mohammadan Light that is hidden in him back to Allah in its purest form by understanding the tricks of Satan and self in this testing ground will succeed. This is the most difficult stage for a human being. Where he has to go back to his origin while keeping his soul pure. Self-Realization is indispensable for the purity of the soul. He who has not recognized the reality of his inner self, how will he keep its purity?
Al-Ghazali says:
O human! Nearest to you is your very own entity, so if you do not know yourself, how can you recognize others? Only to know that these are my hands, these are my feet, these are my bones, and this is my body, is not the recognition of yourself. This much recognition is possessed by animals too. Or to know that in hunger eat something while in anger fight and on being overwhelmed by sexual desire, just involve in sex is also insufficient. All these things are equally found in animals too. How are you then better and nobler than them? The requirement of gnosis and recognition of your entity is to know your real inner being and your true identity regarding who you are, where have you come from and where have you to return? If you have come to this world, what is the purpose of your being here? Why have you been given birth? What are your virtues and good fortunes and in which things do they exist? What is your misfortune and what is its source? The attributes which are accumulated in you, some of them are bestial and wild, some are devilish and evil, but some are angelic and celestial too. Just consider whose attributes do you possess? Who are you among these? Your reality is similar to which one of these? Which qualities have transitory, temporary and alien status in your inward? Unless you recognize these facts, you will remain deprived of your identity. You will never find your good fortunes because each one has different instinct and the source of nourishment to grow in yourself.
Animal instinct
The animals’ instinct and source of nourishment are to eat, sleep and indulge in sex. If you are the same, then struggle day and night to continue feeding your stomach and satisfying your appetite. The nourishment and instinct of beasts are in fighting, killing and ferociousness.
The nourishment and instinct of devils lie in evil, deceit and wickedness. If you are one of them, adopt their nature and habits to achieve your required pleasures and goals. The instinct and nourishment of angels lie in invocation, glorification, and circumambulation of the Holy Kaaba in heavens. Whereas the virtue and nourishment of human being lie in the observation of the Divine lights of beauty of Allah in His nearness.
If you are a human, then try to recognize the Divine Essence and witness His Divine light and beauty. Strive also to liberate yourself from the clutches of your bestial anger and appetite and only seek the Divine Essence, the One, so that you may find out who is the Creator of these bestial and ferocious attributes? The reality would also be disclosed upon you that if the Creator has created these qualities within you, it does not mean that they should overpower and enslave you and become victorious over you.
Defeat the bestial desires
Rather they are for you to imprison and enslave and become the conqueror. By overpowering them you can convert some of these slaves to the horse of your journey (towards Allah) so that a few days that you have to stay in this mortal world, you may use these to get your good fortune. When you get it just trample over these slaves to enter the eternal calm and tranquil place which is called Divine presence by the virtuous persons.
You must know these facts. The one who does not know them remains far away from the true faith. Certainly, the reality of true faith is veiled for him. (Kimiya-e-Sa’adat)
In this text, Ghazali clearly informs that when a person is in search of Allah or in the process of self-realization, he should crush the desires of the self and make it his slave. And reach the realm of Divine Closeness and Union by purifying the self and traveling on it. This is the true realm from where human was separated and where he will find peace through Divine Union with the Beloved. The leader of this spiritual journey is the perfect spiritual guide submerged in the Divine Essence. He who has reached the highest level after going through all levels himself. And the tool for this journey is the invocation and contemplation of Ism-e-Allah Zaat.
You are invited to start your inward journey of self realisation under the spiritual guidance of the Universal Divine Man of this era, Sultan-ul-Ashiqeen Sultan Mohammad Najib-ur-Rehman.
Questions:
Allah created the structure of the human body in the image of the name of Mohammad. That is why He breathed His soul into the human body. This is the physical reality.
Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani says:
Know that Allah first created the soul of Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) with His Light, as Allah says, I created the soul of Mohammad from the Light of My face.
Master of both worlds, the Holy Prophet says that Allah created his soul first.
This is the soul that Allah called His own soul and breathed into the statue of Adam as the Holy Prophet says:
I am from Allah’s Light and all created beings are from my Light.
This is the spiritual or inward reality.
Allah says in the Holy Quran:
(Recall) when your Lord said to the angels: ‘I am about to create a human organism from (moist) clay. Then when I have perfected its (visible body) and blown into its (invisible) self My Own (illumining) spirit, fall down prostrate before him (in his honour). (38: 71-72)
According to this verse, there are two phases of creation of man. The two phases are:
- Creation of body from clay
- Breathing Allah’s Own soul into body.
Self is a person’s essential being that distinguishes them from others. It has worldly desires that need to be crushed in order to get to Allah and attain His Divine Closeness and Union
Comments (23)
Very beautiful ❤️ and informative article. May Allah grant His “Ishq” to all of us. Ameen.
Amazing artical
Very great and informative article..👌❤️😍
Self is a person’s essential being that distinguishes them from
others.
Allah created the structure of the human body in the image of the name of Mohammad. That is why He breathed His soul into the human body.
Allah created the structure of the human body in the image of the name of Mohammad. That is why He breathed His soul into the human body.
Beautiful article
Self-realization means understanding your own reality
Great Article Thanks for Posting
A Hadith says:
مَنْ عَرَفَ نَفْسَہُ فَقَدْ عَرَفَ رَبَّہُ
Meaning: One who recognizes his self has come to recognize Allah.
Let us start the journey of self-realization whose destination is
Allah Himself, in the Holy assembly and guidance of the perfect spiritual
guide submerged in the Divine Essence Sultan-ul-Ashiqeen
this is very informative and guiding article
Best Article
Allah created the universe in order to increase the glory
of the Holy Prophet and raise his status. The clear proof of which is that
Allah created every human being in the form of Ism-e-Mohammad and
breathed into them His soul, which is the true Mohammadan Light.
Amazing article
Beautiful article
Very well written👍🏻
A Hadith says:
مَنْ عَرَفَ نَفْسَہُ فَقَدْ عَرَفَ رَبَّہُ
Meaning: One who recognizes his self has come to recognize Allah.
Indeed it is very important to know human creation for self-realization.
Self realisation is very important one must understand
Allah first of all created Mohammadan light from His own light (Nur). And then from Mohammadan light created the whole creation.
Ibn Arabi says:
The Mohammadan light is present in everything in all the worlds
just like water is present in every cell of the tree (it is the
foundation of entire existence). The tree whose roots become dry
and devoid of water, dies. (Sufism-The Soul of Islam)
Self-realization is a priceless
process that results in Divine gnosis.
Allama Iqbal says:
بینی نہ خود جز کنی او تلاش
نیابی او جز کنی خود تلاش
Meaning: If you search for Him, you will find nothing but yourself. And if you search for yourself, you will find nothing but Him.