Two
Aspects of the Evolution of Human Personality
The human being’s personality has
the potential to develop and evolve — and this is something that Allah (SWT)
wishes to see happen. In terms of the actual methodology that has to be adopted
in order to begin this process of growth, it is essential to understand that
the human being is a compound of two incompatible and antithetical elements.
Mere incompatibility does not necessarily imply friction or opposition, it only
means that the two elements are unsuitable for each other. However, the word
“antithetical” imply that the factors of friction and opposition are also
present, and that the two elements actually pull the individual in opposite
directions. The human being is made up of the nafs (the animal self) and the ruh (the spiritual soul); these two
constituent elements are not only incompatible but also antithetical to each
other in terms of their origin and inclination.
In Islamic vocabulary, the word nafs is either used for the total personality
of an individual, encompassing all the constituent elements of his or her
being, or it is used to denote the lower, baser urges of an individual’s animal
self. In the latter sense, the word nafs is roughly equivalent to Freudian id, and the
Holy Qur’an uses the expression alnafs al-ammarah to convey the idea that the animal instincts
inherent in the physical being of an individual constantly and vehemently pull the
qalb (or heart) — the center of
decision-making — towards its own baser and libidinal needs. When the qalb of an individual leans towards al-nafs al-ammarah, the ruh (or spiritual soul) protests and
it is precisely this protest that is felt as the pricking of the conscience
from within. This state of personality is described by the Qur’an as al-nafs al-lawwamah, or the “reproaching self.” At
this stage, the individual becomes cognizant of the fact that there are higher
ideals than merely the fulfillment of one’s libidinal desires. The challenge
here is to discipline and control the baser, animal urges on the one hand and
to strengthen and empower the spiritual soul on the other. Thus, when the qalb decisively turns towards the ruh, when higher, spiritual goals
acquire the center-stage instead of baser, animal instincts as the primary
objectives before a person, and the qalb attains an inner state of peace
with the ruh as well as with the Lord, the state of the personality is called al-nafs al-muta’innah, or the “peaceful self.”
In order for the human personality
to grow, mature, and evolve, the nafs (or the animal self) has to be
disciplined and purified, while the ruh (or the spiritual soul) has to be
nourished and strengthened. The effort and struggle to meet these twin
requirements can be illustrated by the following hadith. The Prophet (SAW) has said that
an honored caller, speaking on behalf of Allah (SWT), calls out in the
beginning of Ramadan: “O Seeker of the Good! Proceed onwards. O Seeker of the Evil!
Fall back and go away.” Since the ruh within each one of us is the element
that lifts us towards higher ethical and spiritual ideals, this element must be
nourished and empowered. At the same time, since the nafs within each one of us pulls us
towards our lower and baser animal desires, this element must be contained,
controlled, and disciplined.
Concerning the disciplining and
containment of the animal self, it must be emphasized that the goal is
self-control rather than self annihilation. The concept of annihilation or renunciation
of self is a foreign notion that has been introduced into Islamic thought. If the
animal self is controlled, the dynamic power inherent in it can be used in the service
of the spiritual soul. Shah Waliullah’s categorization of human beings is based
on these very two elements — spiritual and corporeal strength. He notes that the
most developed individuals are those who possess both spiritual and corporeal strength,
while the most base individuals are those who possess corporeal strength but no
spiritual strength. The reason why he recognizes the importance of corporeal strength
is that dynamism, stamina, and animation — factors that are required for action
— are directly dependent upon physical and corporeal capabilities. It logically
follows that the concept of self-annihilation is totally incompatible with
Islamic teachings, and that the real objective is self-control and
self-purification.
The combined result of the control
and purification of nafs is what I call Tahrir Al-Ruh, or the “liberation of the
spirit.” When the animal self is restrained and cultured, the spiritual soul is
emancipated and is able to continue its upward journey. In other words, there
is an inverse relationship between the state of the nafs and the ruh. The stronger the animal urges of
the nafs, the weaker will be the ruh. Conversely, the weaker the animal
urges, the stronger will be the ruh. The disciplining and purification
of the nafs results in the form of a liberated ruh that breaks away from the fetters
of a nafs that constantly beckons towards base desires.
To be continued....
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