Self-Awareness: Impact on Nature and Humanity

  • Self-Awareness is the capacity for Self-Introspection
  • Self-Introspection involves the examination of one’s own conscious thoughts and feelings and actions.
  • Introspection is often compared with Perception, Reason, Memory, and Evidence – as a source of knowledge.
  • Introspection is closely related to human Self-Reflection in contrast to external observation.
  • The reality of (دین) Deen is: Keeping the Universe always in mind and taking stock of all our actions in relation to the Universe. Allam Iqbal calls it ”Ehtisaab-e-Kainat” (کائنات احتساب) [Iblis ki Majlis Shura]

ہے حقیقت جسکے دیں کی  احتساب کائنات

Consciousness

  • Simple Consciousness: Possessed by both animals and humans
  • Self-Consciousness: Possessed by humankind, encompassing thought, reason, and imagination (خویش شعور)
  • Cosmic Consciousness: Higher consciousness (کائنات شعور). Allama Iqbal calls it: پیما فلک فکر
  • The Quran asks us to reflect on Signs of Allah in the Universe and in the Human “Self” 

Reflecting on the Signs of Allah

وَسَخَّرَ لَكُم مَّا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ جَمِيعًا مِّنْهُ ۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَآيَاتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ(He has subdued everything in the heavens and earth for you. And herein are signs for those who think and reflect. Allama Iqbal has essentially translated this verse when he says:

پرے ہے چرخ نیلی فام سے منزل مسلماں کی

ستارے جسکی گرد راہ  ہوں وہ کارواں تو ہے

 وَفِي أَنفُسِكُمْ ۚ أَفَلَا تُبْصِرُونَ ;  وَفِي الْأَرْضِ آيَاتٌ لِّلْمُوقِنِينَ  And there are signs in Earth for all who are endowed with conviction. And there are signs within your own selves.  Can you not, then, reflect? Again, Allama Iqbal has essentially translated this verse when he says:

تو راز کن فکاں ہے اپنی آنکھوں پر عیاں ہوجا

خودی کا رازداں ہو جا خدا کا  ترجماں  ہو  جا

The Incredible Machinery of the Universe and its Goals

The Quran says that the goal of this incredible machinery operating in the Universe is to preserve the results of human deeds.

وَمَا خَلَقْنَا السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا لَاعِبِينَ ; مَا خَلَقْنَاهُمَا إِلَّا بِالْحَقِّ وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ

Relation Between Material Values of the Universe and “Absolute Values” of Human Life

وَخَلَقَ اللَّـهُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ بِالْحَقِّ وَلِتُجْزَىٰ كُلُّ نَفْسٍ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ وَهُمْ لَا يُظْلَمُونَ

Allah has created the universe for a definite constructive purpose. The purpose is that everyone gets the result of one’s action, and that no one is harmed.

Justice and Mercy Are Not Against Each Other in Islam

إِلَّا مَن رَّحِمَ اللَّـهُ ۚ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الرَّحِيمُ

  • Apparently, mercy and justice seem contradictory but the entire edifice of the Quran is erected on justice. The Law of requital is based on justice.
  • Those whose self-development has taken place as per Divine Laws will have no fear on that Day.
  • The Divine Law of Sustenance and Nourishment is exalted in power and might 

Effect of Human Actions on Human “Self”

مَنْ عَمِلَ صَالِحًا فَلِنَفْسِهِ ۖ وَمَنْ أَسَاءَ فَعَلَيْهَا ۖ ثُمَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكُمْ تُرْجَعُونَ

  • Whoever does good, does good for his own self.
  • Whoever does evil, does bad to his own self.
  • Everything is subject to the Law of Requital.
  • Whoever works for improving the human condition will benefit himself.
  • Whoever goes astray will himself suffer the consequence thereof.
  • No one is outside the realm of the Law of Requital. Our every step goes towards it.

The Importance of Conquering the Forces of Nature

وَسَخَّرَ لَكُم مَّا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ جَمِيعًا مِّنْهُ ۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَآيَاتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ

Those who think and reflect on the fact that whoever acquires knowledge of the Laws of Nature, will be able to control these forces.

يَاتٍ لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ; آيَاتٌ لِّقَوْمٍ يُوقِنُونَ ; آيَاتٌ لِّقَوْمٍ يَعْقِلُونَ . لَآيَاتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ

Conclusion

Therefore, we need to first align, adjust, and balance our intellectual energy, our emotional energy, and our psychological energy within our own inner “selves.”

This will repair and restore our external misalignment and imbalance.

We have to first synchronize our will with that of Allah’s Will before any real change in our external conditions will take place.

We will be able then to function as holistic and consilience community for the benefit of entire humankind: You are an Ummah raised for the good of all humanity.

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