Who Am I? How do you define yourself in that little box called your personal profile? Does it really express who you are? Does it show you to be an optimist? A pessimist? Depressed? Confused? Creative? Awakened dreams… injuries… a friend at night… tears… A shattered mass of feelings. The pen compels you to confront yourself. How do you express who you are in writing? Jābir knocked on Prophet Muhammad’s door to speak with him about his father’s debt. The Prophet asked “Who is at the door?” Jābir replied: “It is me” Upon hearing this, the Prophet simply repeated the word “me, me”. Jābir understood that the Prophet disliked the way he had answered.” [Sahīh al-Bukhārī and Sahīh Muslim] The phrase “It is me” does not inform. It is different than saying “I am Buraydah” or “I am Umm Hāni’”. Ibn al-Jawzī mentions that the reason the answer “It is me” was disliked was because it implied a kind of arrogance. It was as if he was saying: “I am the one who does not need to mention his name.” Though we can be sure that this was not what Jābir meant, we can learn the lesson from it all the same. Can you be truly objective in filling out this single page of information? Put a check or an “X” next to each of the following statements: - I am forgiving of others but they are not forgiving of me. - I have had to bear what ordinary people could not bear. - I have suffered through difficult circumstances. - I feel that I bear the brunt of my family’s burdens. - I have the right, and I defeat my opponent. - Everyone around me likes me. - I am a self-made individual. No one else helped me to be the person I am. - Those who are senior to me come to me for advice. - I am always the focus of attention in any gathering or meeting. What is most important is to know your ideas, desires, sentiments, ambitions, and motivations. The greatest obstacle to self-awareness and spiritual growth is the wall known as “ego”. Sh. Salman Awda
Posted on: Mon, 03 Nov 2014 19:35:52 +0000
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