Self Development Regime
 Understanding the
principles is generally within the reach of most people. Putting those
principles into practice requires courage, rigor and regularity.
Consider the following excerpt from a Tradition (hadith)
of the Prophet Muhammad, may peace be upon him, about one of the things that
happened to him during his appearance before God. Prophet said: “… Allah
enjoined fifty prayers on my followers when I returned with this order of
Allah, I passed by Moses who asked me, ‘What has Allah enjoined on your
followers?’ I replied, ‘He has enjoined fifty prayers on them.’ Moses said, ‘Go
back to your Lord (and appeal for reduction) for your followers will not be
able to bear it.’ (So I went back to Allah and requested for reduction) and He
reduced it to half. When I passed by Moses again and informed him about it, he
said, ‘Go back to your Lord as your followers will not be able to bear it.’ So
I returned to Allah and requested for further reduction and half of it was
reduced. I again passed by Moses and he said to me: ‘Return to your Lord, for
your followers will not be able to bear it. So I returned to Allah and He
said, ‘These are five prayers and they are all (equal to) fifty (in reward) for
My Word does not change’.”
The prayer we offer to God is an act of His remembrance
and the guidance that he has revealed for shaping our lives. We engage in this
formal exercise five times a day. What about the rest of the time? This requires
us to reflect on the moral of the above saying of the Prophet. Perhaps an
ideal number to stand formally before God would have been fifty times a day as
the Prophet was informed first. But this would have been too much of a burden
to carry for most human beings, as the Prophet Moses interjected, may peace be
upon. While the formal number of times we pray is five, the rest of the period
must be filled, to our best ability, in continuous remembrance of God and
reflections on our actions in the light of that guidance. We need to be
mindful of Allah at all times, regardless of the time and place, and to take
heed of His guidance in all our affairs. We need to be thoughtful, rather than
impulsive, before we speak, and before we act. We need to reflect on what we
may have uttered and acted. The process of purification of the mind in Islam
is called the utmost form of human struggle. It must be pursued with vigor,
patience and perseverance, with belief in what God has revealed, and actions
that manifest that belief at all times, in adversity as well as prosperity.
Many of us were told during our childhood to maintain a
diary and to record in it the various things that happened during the day. The
wisdom of that advice lies less in creating a legacy and more in reflecting, as
we normally would do when we record things, and to sort out things that may be
desirable from those that may be undesirable. There is a need to regularly
recall imprints made on our mind by what we may see, hear, feel, and do, and
re-establish the linkages for recall, that we know to be desirable. This way we
can avoid impulsive behavior based on what we may encounter in our environment.
It is impossible to sort out things as we encounter them, particularly when
they occur in rapid succession, or in theatrics that spellbound us momentarily.
We must take the time to re-examine those things in slow motion and without the
momentary influences and background noises. We all need moments of quiet
reflection and solitude, trying to make sense out of our affairs in the light
of divine guidance.
One may ask as whether there are some special words that
one can utter for engaging in remembrance of God and reflecting on our thoughts
and actions. The Prophets asked the same question. While there are no bounds
on what one can say and utter, what we are reminded to say by God is very
simple, easy to remember and utter, and direct in meaning. Here are some
examples:
...There is no true god (deity) but God (Allah).
This simple expression provides the pinnacle for human
development. Reminding ourselves that there is no true deity but God provides
the best possible framework for human development since what God (Allah) tells
us to do is for our own good, and there is no need for us to succumb to any
power contrary to what God tells us. Ultimately God has power over all things
and God arranges our affairs rightly if we reach out to him. We should
say La ilaha illa Allah (there is no true deity but God) as often
as we can utter. Without repetition we may forget and not recall this wisdom
and thus do the wrong thing despite not meaning to do it. Also:
...All praise be to Allah (Al-hamdu-lillah)
La ilaha illa Allah guides us to do the right
things. Whatever good comes to us is from Allah. La ilaha illa Allah is
the anchor for doing the right thing, and Al-hamdu-lillah (all
praise be to God) is a recognition, with all humility, that we get only what is
made possible by God. These before and after expressions of La ilaha
illa Allah and Al-hamdu-lillah should be the all pervasive
reminders in managing our affairs and they are the fundamental cleansing
elements in purifying our mind and soul, psyching us to remain on a path that
is in our best interest.
Examples of expanded expressions for remembrance of God
for self-development are:
‘How Perfect is God, and praise be to God, there is no true
deity except God, and God is the Greatest’. Also there is ‘there is no true deity
but God, alone, without partner. To Him belongs all sovereignty and praise and
He is over all things omnipotent’.
Conclusions
There are infinite words and ways of expressing
ourselves in remembering God, and seeking closeness to Him for personal
development. However, simple words can reach boundless depths in meaning when
expressed with devotion and sincerity. It is this power of amazing simplicity
that is within easy reach for all of us.
Finally, here is an assurance of the rewards promised to
us by God in this world and Hereafter:
“He has certainly succeeded who purifies himself. And
mentions the name of his Lord and prays.” (Quran 87:14-15)
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