by Humza!

I am still trying to figure out who or what I am and until this mammoth task is complete, I won't know anybody and nobody will ever know me. You ask why? Well, if I don't know myself, then how can somebody else know me? If I can't get to know myself, then how can I get to know another? So it all starts of with ME. This document is about getting to no one’s self and should be acknowledged as a guide, rather than a set of rules, to getting to know what one is all about.

“It is like a finger pointing the way to the moon. Concentrate not on the finger, for you’ll miss all that heavenly glory.”

So why should one get to know oneself? The answer to this may be derived when we ask the question, "Why was I born?” I don't know about you, but the reason that I was born was to worship my Creator and to grow and develop in all aspects(emotionally, physically, financially, psychologically, mentally, etc.). In essence, the human has to consistently be in a state of change or transition. If the human is not in this transitional state then the being might just as well be DEAD! Now, if one is constantly changing, then how does one keep up with these changes? The first step would be to differentiate between intentional and unintentional changes. An intentional change is when a being thinks about making a change and then actually makes the change. An unintentional change is when a being changes without actually thinking about it. Upon undergoing an unintentional change, it takes some time before the human actually discovers the change, and in some instances, the human isn't aware that a change has taken place at all. Bearing this in mind, it is definite that the being would be a step or more behind the changes resulting in the being never totally knowing itself. Then how the hell would somebody apart from the being be in-touch with the being when the being is not in-touch with itself?

Now let's get back to the original question, "Why should one know oneself"? It has been ascertained in the previous paragraph that we were born to change. The important rule of change is that in order to change, we need to know what to change from. In other words, to be different from what we are, we need to be able to at least know what we are. This is why we must know ourselves.

How does one get to know oneself? The only way to accomplish this is to develop a relationship with one's self. Considering that we have many distractions like other relationships, work, study, entertainment, noise, etcetera, this is not going to be easy. It is not daily increase, but daily decrease that counts. We need to hack away the unessentials that act as a veil from us looking into ourselves. Firstly, let’s distinguish what distracts us from ourselves. The saddest thing is that humans always seek comfort in entities apart from themselves. This is a natural response for it is human nature to choose comfort over discomfort. If one is uncomfortable with one’s self, then it is human nature to look elsewhere for comfort. But this is only temporary escapism, for the discomfort within the human still persists and will be part of that person permanently, unless of course, something is done about rectifying this discomfort. Would it then not be beneficial to resolve the problem at grass roots, i.e. within the person itself, rather than diverting from this discomfort? A feeling of discomfort could result from a problem of some sort. Can there be a solution without a problem? The answer is most definitely not! There can never be a solution without a problem, just as there can never be night without day, nor can there be right without left. We can therefore surmise that these opposites are one entity, for it is only the human mind that separates them. Bearing this in mind, it is safe to say that the problem and solution are together, that is, they are one entity. It is human nature to escape from the discomfort caused by the problem and seek comfort elsewhere. This in turn leads to the human diverting from the problem and in so doing, the human diverts from the solution, for we have established that the problem and solution are together. As a result, the problem wouldn’t be resolved and would persist in the background until whatever is comforting the human ceases to do so, causing the original discomfort to come to the fore. Feeling this discomfort again, the human succumbing to the course of nature once again seeks comfort from any source possible. This vicious circle continues until the human runs out of comfort zones and the persisting problem becomes present. At this stage, the human has no alternative but to deal with the problem and eventually either resolves it or learns to live with it, for the human’s ability to adapt is a phenomenal trait. The reason that the problem is easier to bare at this stage is because the human has had this problem over a period of time, and the human has somewhat gotten immune to the effect it has. In other words, time heals all wounds.

At this stage it is pertinent to discuss my philosophy regarding problems. A problem only becomes a problem when it is perceived as such by the human who names it. Naming a problem makes it tangible and if it has no name, then it is nothing. A problem is only recognised as a problem by the mind, for the rest of the body doesn’t have the reasoning to acknowledge a problem. When one experiences a physical problem, e.g. a pain in the calve muscle, the calve sends impulses to the brain. The brain would then search the memory for all types of pains until it finds a pain that matches the impulses being received and names it. This is how the body’s experiences are defined. Now what if there wasn’t a matching name for the feeling being experienced by the calve? My guess is that it won’t be recognised as a problem and would be ignored totally. So too, many problems are accepted as such by one’s own attitude. When one is confronted with an undesirable situation, then it is only one’s attitude that can present this scenario as problematic or not. Similarly, one might also be presented with a solution, but it is the attitude that could accept or reject this solution. The above examples of how the being deals with problems and solutions are clearly indicative of how much these entities have in common. Although we look at them as opposites, they are actually very much alike.

If comfort and happiness is derived from an external source, and because this external source could be removed or detached from the human at any stage and without any warning, then this happiness and comfort is temporary. This is also not conducive to acquiring eternal happiness, peace and comfort. The best way to achieve eternal bliss is to be happy and content from within and do not look for happiness and contentment elsewhere. If one derives happiness and comfort externally, then this must be supplementary and a “nice-to-have” rather than a “must-have”. In essence, external happiness must lead to one feeling happier for one should always be in state of happiness within one’s self. I believe that happiness and love must radiate from within and this in turn will definitely affect those that come into contact with this radiation. This concept brings about a feeling of love that is true, rather than diverting one’s attention to the words of love that might be false. In short the recipient of love, care, etc. must feet love and being cared about rather than these entities being spoken about. The core of the human must be in such a state of contentment, that if it is placed in the most miserable situation, it will be too content to allow the misery to effect it. Reaching this state in life doesn’t happen overnight for it is through constant evaluation of one’s self and constant reflection of what one learns about one’s self, that this state may be reached. Getting to successfully know one’s self is as difficult as cracking a combination to a safe. It could take a lifetime or more before this is achieved, as the possible combinations are endless. Knowing this leaves one feeling despondent, but don’t despair for a step in any direction is better than none at all. The first step would be to think about it, for the body will never go where the mind hasn’t been before. The mind is an extremely powerful tool for achieving goals. The first step is to visualise the objective. Then get the rest of the five senses involved. Add texture or heat for feel, or add colour to make it more vivid, the brighter the better. In other words, see, hear, feel, touch and smell your objective within your mind, for if it is real in the mind, then it could become a reality. Affirmation is another powerful tool for it programs the mind to follow orders that a being gives it.

Why is getting to know one’s self like cracking a combination to a safe? To unlock a safe, you turn the dial backwards x-times and forwards y-times, a little to the left, then a little to the right until that proverbial click is heard. Turn the handle and Voilla! You’ve found that valuable so-well-guarded treasure. Similarly, in life we slip a little, get up a little, then fall a little, wake and sleep a little, cry and laugh a little, live and die a little, experience this and that a little. It is only when we understand all of these experiences, reflect upon them, and draw a correlation between them, that we have finally started knowing a little about ourselves. It is when we reach this state of knowing ourselves that we have finally found the combination to unlock that secret treasure called enlightenment.

The human is like a building and each brick that makes up this building resembles an experience in life. The brick that resembles the time when you were little and burned your finger on the stove is located close to the ground. Near the ceiling there is another brick that resembles you close to a stove that’s switched on. If you cannot correlate these two bricks together, then you will be doing yourself a great injustice. Furthermore, you don’t want to destroy a single brick in your building because the mere existence of this building will be destroyed. Every brick in this building, every experience in life is important. Lets take the example of the two bricks concerning the stove illustrated in the example above. The brick that resembles the burning of your hand is a nasty experience, an uncomfortable one and one might choose to destroy it and replace it with a more pleasant experience. If this happens, what’s going to happen when one approaches the brick that resembles one being close to the stove that is switched on? Obviously, one is bound to burn again. So too, changing any brick no matter how unpleasant that experience might be, could possibly result in one having to go through those experiences again.

Let’s discuss external sources of comfort and their effects. The first on the list is the entertainment industry such as movies, music videos and books create the greatest mass hysteria. Some people identify themselves with the make-believe false heroes that are created by producers and storytellers alike, which causes these people to lead their lives according to that stipulated by this media. It’s extremely dangerous that humans mimic and imitate their heroes, which makes the human false and artificial. One should be leading one’s own life, but within the folds stipulated by the Creator, following the examples of God’s prophets, and not those false heroes personified by the media. On the contrary, the false heroes have been created as a diversion from man following the prophets.

Why should we live our lives according to that stipulated by God and God’s messengers? Getting to know one’s self is made easier by the authority on life and the self, God, the Creator of the universe. I believe that the universe and everything therein was created by the Creator we all call God. So how do I know that there is a GOD and how do I know that God is the Creator with Knowledge Infinite?

This air that we inhale is composed of a number of elements, two components of which are important: One component is suitable for man’s breathing which chemists conventionally call oxygen. The other component is a harmful one that they call carbon dioxide. Among the qualities of the great interrelationships amongst the units of this miraculous universe is that the component that is harmful to man is inhaled by plants and it is useful for them, whilst animals inhale oxygen and exhales carbon dioxide the plants do the reverse process. Consider this co-operative relationship between man and plants with regard to that which is the most important element of life for both of them, namely breathing. Now, could something like this be done in the great universe by other than an Omnipotent, Omniscient and all-Wise Being? What is also intriguing is how the lung of the mammal is fashioned to cater for that which is coming from the plant. How does the lung know that it’s going to be accommodating a gas called oxygen, so it has to be moist in order to convert this gas into a liquid that will allow this oxygen to then pass through the lung into the rest of the body using a process called osmosis? Come now, oh you with the ability to reason! Think! Reflect! Can all of this occur by some freak accident, some big explosion? And then there is the important fact that none of this has changed since the beginning of creation, and is maintained by the automatic cycle of nature.

Another point to ponder and reason about is the miracle of birth and in particular, the fertililisation of the embryo. What occurs at the time of conception is that the egg in the female attracts the sperm. This is indicative of the fact that the egg was designed to cater for an external entity, namely, the sperm and knows how to attract the sperm into fertilising the egg. Where did the egg acquire this intelligence? What happens next is a further miracle. Once fertilisation takes place, the very same egg that attracted the sperm, immediately changes this attraction to repulsion in order to repel the rest of the millions of sperm that it was attracting. Not even the female who this egg “belongs” to has the ability to control this process, and inevitably practice the best form of birth control.  These are just two of the millions of reasons why there is a God!

When an inventor invents or creates something, then he or she documents the characteristics and unique attributes of this creation. Inventors also publish users’ manuals for the users of the invention as well as a technical or workshop manual for the person that will fix and maintain this invention. Everybody else might be able to figure out the workings of this invention, but it is the inventor that will have true infinite knowledge of this invention. Every man-made creation can be dissected and copied or fixed if broken. But still, it is imperative to have a manual regarding these entities’ workings. To date nobody could copy the creation of God, and this feat will never be accomplished. One can strip the components of a machine, copy and reproduce all the parts in order to create another machine based on the stripped one, but this couldn’t be done to any creation of God. The reason for this is that man cannot have enough knowledge or education regarding the working of God’s creations. Medical professionals profess to understanding the way the body works but have to study at least seven years and have many years of practical experience before they begin to truly understand the physical aspect of man. Then there are still the more complicated mental and spiritual aspects. This only touches the surface of the intricacies of God’s creation. It can be therefore deduced that man hasn’t enough knowledge about these sensitive intricacies of God’s creation. If I created the latest Mercedes Benz and documented in the owner’s manual that the engine temperature must reach 15 degrees centigrade before driving, would you the owner who paid a quarter million for this vehicle adhere to this rule? Most definitely, you would. Similarly, when the instructions regarding the washing of a garment specifies that the garment be only washed in cold water, would you the owner of the garment adhere to this rule or not? You would adhere to this rule because the authorities and creators of these entities have stipulated it. It has been established above that whenever an entity is created or invented, the inventor or creator has to support the user by transferring pertinent knowledge by means of a manual or other documentation. Various representatives from the manufacturers of these entities would then give demonstrations and teach the usage of these entities. This is true especially when the entity is an expensive and intricate one. It seems that all inventors follow the Ultimate Creator of the Universe in providing support by transferring knowledge pertaining to what was created. Not only did the Authority on life and the universe send various manuals on the handling of life, but together with it, sent practical examples in the prophets or sages, to enlighten those human beings that have the ability to reason. So the understanding and adherence to these manuals and the human-examples that have accompanied them would then lead to the self-enlightenment and better knowledge of the intricacies of nature and the “self”. I have searched for an apt description of mankind’s purpose in life that’s conducive to the much-needed success of life in this world.  Here is an example of guidance to mankind as taught by the Prophet of Islam Muhammad (peace be upon him).

Mankind is sprung from Adam,
therefore they are brothers and
it is their duty to cooperate with one another,
to keep the peace among themselves,
to deal mercifully with one another,
to guide one another toward the good
to vie with one another in performing good works.
It is their duty to strive, each within his (own) sphere,
so that mankind may advance.

Have you ever seen humanity rise to heights loftier than this, or a teaching more excellent than this? 

By mimicking the lifestyle of those false heroes personified by the media, man is no longer himself. When one is not leading one’s own life, but a life of somebody else’s, then that person’s originality and individuality dies, and with it the spirit, strength and soul. Every attribute that such an individual has is artificial and false. Furthermore, this media is so powerful that it can influence human emotion such as sadness, happiness, etcetera, as well as human thought processes. In other word, this media can brainwash humans into behaving in a particular way. Why are humans susceptible to this mass hysteria? One of the reasons is that we all have this entity called the ego. The ego, if not controlled is best described as a huge hungry serpent inside us that has to be fed all the time. The more this serpent gets, the more it wants. The ego thrives on power, glamour, fame, etcetera and dictates our carnal desires. The workings of the ego are not fully known. The best way to make one understand the intricate operations of the ego is to give one lots of gold jewelry and let that person go public. A person in this state automatically will have more pride, feel euphoric and adopt a different attitude, an attitude just like that of a peacock. When this gold is taken away, then this pride and euphoria is lost, proving that the pride was a false one. We all have carnal desires, but because we have been blessed with the power of reasoning, we are in a position of letting our ability to reason buffer these desires. If we don't reason, then we are animals, for it is the ability to reason that differentiates us from animals. Possessing that entity called reason is great, but how many of us are able to utilise this ability.

Upon watching a movie where actors are being personified in a manner that’s conducive to fulfilling the needs of our egos and desires, we mimic their actions thinking that our egos will be satisfied. But the ego is never satisfied and all we got to do with our lives is feed this ego.

The next on the list is that humans have the need to conform. Why do humans always have to conform to others? The reason is simply that we feel insecure and don’t have any faith in ourselves. We rather be other people than be ourselves for we feel that we are not good enough to be ourselves. One of the reasons for having a low self-esteem is that we want to compare ourselves to those false heroes that are created by the media.   The reason that we compare ourselves with those heroes created by the media is because the media presents them in a very attractive form, making them perfect beings. All this hype is a diversion and a distraction from what and who we are. Upon trying to match up to these heroes and failing, for it is impossible to match up to something that is not real, the human loses self-esteem, making the being feel like a failure. Still busy thinking what to write about next…