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Self/Personal Growing
Personal development is the conscious pursuit of self-growth by self-discovery, self-awareness, self-help and self-evaluation.In simpler words. It’s making yourself better. Better in every possible way. Then what is self development in islam? It’s making yourself better as a Muslim. It is the process of “Purification of your SELF”. That’s what it is. In the Islamic terminology, it is Jihad-al-Nafs- The struggle against the soul. The greatest of all types of Jihad. Making yourself better as a Muslim doesn’t only imply working on the spiritual aspect. It means becoming a better Muslim in every aspect of life following the principles of self development in islam. (mentioned below). The process of self-development in Islam was easier for the Muslims before us (in previous centuries) because they:
- Didn’t have to struggle against the extreme fitnah of this century.
- The people present at the time of the Prophet Muhammad S.A.W had his Holy presence to take direct inspiration from. Whereas we have to struggle harder to connect with Islam through the signs in the Quran and sunnah.
So I get it folks- The struggle is real. Period.
But that’s even more reason to start struggling against your “self”.
More struggle, more reward in the Akhirah..
Allah says in the Quran: “As for him who feared to stand before his Lord and he restrained himself from his desires, then Paradise will be his refuge.” [ Quran: Surah Naziat 79, Ayah 40]
Principles of self-development in Islam
Prophet Muhammad S.A.W worked day and night to spread Islam and after a little more than 2 decades of perseverance, he (S.A.W) was successful in eastablishing the roots of Islam in the world at the time.
Even though our targets do not span over such a large scale or are as significant as the goals of our beloved Prophet (S.A.W), but the same principles of true success apply to us.
There’s a lesson for us in everything that Prophet Muhammad S.A.W did or said.
When you hear these worldly-success stories, they tell you about how dynamic changes occurred in a day or overnight.
What they don’t tell you (because nobody wants to listen to that boring part) is how much hard work and persistent effort over a period of time went behind that “overnight” achievement.
A much more intense level of hard work, persistency and efforts are required to be successful as a Muslim. To let go of bad habits, to build better habits, to pray on time, to read Quran consistently, to get closer to Allah etc.. All of these are fruitful results of self-development in Islam that take time, energy and effort. And guess what only matters to Allah? Our efforts.
So that means, as long as we keep trying sincerely to become a better Muslim and put constant effort in purifying our soul, we are already successful in the light of Islam.
[And it will be said], “Indeed, this is for you a reward, and your effort has been appreciated.”
[Quran: Surah 76, Ayah 22]
Muslims earn countless benefits & rewards for reciting the Quran with understanding, especially if it’s performed on a daily basis. Some of these benefits:
- The Quran we recite will intercede for us on the Day of Judgment.
- When a Muslim recites Quran, it affects the heart and purifies it by cleaning it from all the impurities that stick on it.
- Recitation of Quran is a smart way to earn so many good deeds in a short-time; each letter you recite from the Quran brings you a good deed and each deed is multiplied by ten.
- Quran recitation can initiate a sort of conversation with Allah (SWT).
- Fulfill the religious duty of reciting the Quran with understanding.
- Recitation of the Holy Quran is the best cure for issues like stress and anxiety.
- Those who recite the Quran with difficulty, stammering or stumbling through its verses, then they will have twice its rewards.
SELF-DEVELOPMENT IS NOT SOMETHING YOU CAN ACHIEVE AND THEN FORGET ABOUT…
Another important thing to understand is that if you are not working on yourself consciously and consistently then your self-growth graph will fall flat over time. Like the one below! It’s a saying in the business world, that in order for a business to survive and remain, it needs to grow. A plant needs water to grow or else it dies. A relationship needs understanding and love in order to grow or else it dies slowly. Muslims need to work on their faith in order to grow closer to Allah and strengthen their beliefs or else their faith will weaken till it dies. Same as you need to work on your health, body and mind. If you don’t put effort in staying healthy and fit, you will start gaining weight and become unhealthy. You may ask the following question:
