who am i
The writer, Hasina Khalil Champsi (Toronto, Canada) is a mother of four whose goal in life is to empower individuals with skills following the Seerah of our Ahlulbayt (AS).
I
would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere thanks first to Allah
swt for giving me a chance to spend the next three days with your community.
And I also extend my gratitude to you all for giving me an opportunity to come
and share knowledge after learning.
[Shakir 66:6] O you who believe! save yourselves and your families from a fire I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere thanks first to Allah swt for giving me a chance to spend the next three days with your community.
And I also extend my gratitude to you all for giving me an opportunity to come and share knowledge after learning. On that note Salaamun Alykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu
In the next three days we will inshA try and examine how
a. Knowing ourselves and perfecting our Spirituality
b. Kind speech and silatur Rahm
c. Acquiring noble characteristics and the what the Mizan of the hereafter is?
The whole crux of life is that Surely we have come from Allah and surely we will return back to Him. And to reach our goals Allah swt has kept many pathways through which we can try and understand and perfect it: “O you who believe! save yourselves”
The ayat begins with O you believe therefore this verse is talking to moomeneens like you and I, it’s talking to believers. The verb Qu is the imperative or command form of wiqayaah – meaning safeguarding to what? Means to protect something from distress and harm.
The word anfus is the plural of nafs which means soul or self. Therefore the command is to protect the nafs from distress and harm. Today we will examine how to save ourselves in the following understanding.
- What is the self and how have the scholars defined the self as?
- How can I make my spirituality strong?
- Using one such means by which we as a family, community can help each other and excel in our spirituality – Jamaat salaat
What is the self and how have the scholars defined the self as?
Sadr ul-Muta’alliheen Shirazi quoted al-Sheikh ul-Raees Abu Ali Sina from Shafa: “There are three divisions for the self.
At first we have the plant self, that is the first degree of perfection for an organic natural being having the ability to feed and grow. eg baby and then compare to prophet Musa (as)
The second division is the animal self, that is the first perfection of an organic natural being which only has the ability to feel and move combined with will. eg
The third is the human self which is the perfection of an organic natural being with the ability to think, understand and draw conclusions.
Then the various properties and characteristics of these divisions are presented.”1 eg NEED TO ADD SOMETHING TO MAKE A FLOW
In the twenty-second chapter of Risalat Fosoos al-Hikam, Abu Nasr Farabi known as “the second teacher” said the following regarding the self: “Indeed the perfection of the self is in the recognition of God’s first right incumbent upon oneself. This will result in a state of self-confidence.”
Prophet Muhammad ( ??? ???? ???? ????), “Man ‘arafa nafsahu faqad ‘arafa Rabbahu” which translates to “Who knows himself, knows his Lord.”
All of us will agree that when it comes to our own spirituality, it fluctuates and so the question is how can I control it? Thus maintaining closeness to Allah swt.
Find the answer in part 2!
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