Self development is very popular nowadays because of its health benefits. Steaming from deep Islamic roots, such as from concepts of Tazkiyah —purification of the heart — self-development can be easier if we strive more against our own nafs. If the heart is sick, the whole body is sick, as we know from authentic Islamic texts. So, what can we do as Muslims to practice more self-development? For a start, we can work on becoming among the five groups of people mentioned in the criterion.

1. We can be of the seven types of people Allah ﷻ loves.

Who are they?

Allah ﷻ loves the Tawwaabeen; those who repent. — Quran 2:222

Why? The more you repent, the cleaner your heart will be. As a result, you pay more attention to the things that will cause you to sin or fall off the wagon. You apply yourself to acting better for the pleasure of Allah ﷻ.

Allah ﷻ loves the Muttaqeen; those who are mindful of Him and righteous. — Quran 9:4

If you fear Allahﷻ and know that He ﷻ is watching all your movements, especially when no one is around, you will watch your behavior carefully. This also translates into more self development on your part. It’s a win-win.

Allah ﷻ loves the Mutatahhireen; those who clean and purify themselves. — Quran 2:222

There is a strong correlation among organized people, tidy people, and clean people. Don’t you feel like you grew a little bit internally (happy with yourself) after cleaning yourself by performing wudu, ghusl, taking a shower, or cleaning your place? You feel a little more elevated, for sure. Alhamdulillah.

Allah ﷻ  loves the Muhsineen; those who do good. — Quran 3:134 

The good doers, when they do it right with pure intentions, feel like they have achieved another milestone in their own lives and hopefully in the sight of their Creator. Self-development is also an internal feeling of renewed or increased glow, serenity, peace, and contentment.

Allah ﷻ loves the Mutawakkileen; those who rely upon Him. — Quran 3:159

When affliction hits them, they pray and remain calm. This increases their self-restraint; thus, they self-develop more.

Allah ﷻ also loves the Muqsiteen; those who are just and act justly. — Quran 5:42

How many people do you know in your entourage who were just chosen to arbitrate a quarrel or a dispute just because they are fair in their day-to-day affairs? I am sure of many, starting with the Rasul ﷺ , the best of Creations and of Character. Their character simply elevated them in the eyes of the people around them. Alhamdulillah.

Finally, Allah ﷻ loves the Sabareen; those who are firm and steadfast. 

Just like the Mutawakkileen, their patience earns them high spiritual degrees, masha’Allah, and the love of Allahﷻ above all.

Our Creator is Al-Wadud, the All-Loving. So He ﷻ permitted self development in other ways, such as in the following groups:

2. We can self-develop by being of the believers.

The Mu’minun are people for whom Allah ﷻ has confirmed their belief. So, to maintain that belief, they have to maintain their hearts by self-developing themselves. Furthermore, the Mu’minun have several characteristics enumerated in the first eleven verses of the 23rd chapter of the Criterion. Amongst these criteria is the fact that they shun idle talk and remain chaste. Remaining chaste for the fear and pleasure of Allah ﷻ is another level of restraint and self development, especially if you are single, divorced, or widowed. This leads to the next point.

3. Self Development by Means of The Ibadur Rahman:

The Ibadur Rahman, or the special group of servants of the Merciful, and their criteria are mentioned in Surah Furqan, verses 63-77. They also shun idle talk and zina, amongst other things. For these reasons, Allahﷻ will reward them by making them leaders among the mindful.

4. Self Development by Means of The People of Rasul ﷺ:

As mentioned at the end of Surah Fath, those with the Rasul ﷺ are like a plant that grows, in which Allah ﷻ strengthens and surprises its planters (teachers, parents, etc.). They defend their religion as instructed in Surah Muhammad. They don’t let people disrespect their Lord. Kudos to the People of Rasul ﷺ in Sweden! May Allah ﷻ always succor you and make you firm, aameen.

5. Self Development by Being of The Ulamas:

Finally, we can develop ourselves by becoming one of The Ulamas praised in Surah Fatir and Surah Baqarah. By saying that they (the angels) know only what Allah ﷻ has taught them, Allah ﷻ made them Ulamas according to the tafsir. That is because they were humble and aware of their limits in ilm (Islamic knowledge) and origins.

So above all, as we seek knowledge, we need to first realize that we only hold a tiny piece of the iceberg. All we can do is convey the little information bestowed upon us as accurately as we can without self-amazement entering our hearts. Anything good from this post is from Allah ﷻ and anything bad is from me alone. Allahu alim.

May Allah ﷻ make us of the Ulamas, the People of Rasul ﷻ, of His Ibadur Rahman, of the Mu’minun, and of the People He ﷻ  loves, aameen. May He ﷻ  also give us the love of the People He ﷻ loves and help us perform the actions that will bring us closer to Him ﷻ. Allahummah aameen. 

For Allah ﷻ loves ihsan; excellence. And we can only achieve excellence by striving to be better people and Muslims, thus working tirelessly on our own self-development.

About the Author:

Papatia Feauxzar is an author-publisher who holds a one-year certificate of intensive Quranic Arabic from an accredited Islamic Seminary. She loves tea, coffee, and comfort food. A mother of one, she lives with her family in Dallas, Texas. 

Visit her blogs at papatia.wordpress.com or aducktrinormom.wordpress.com .

Find her @PapatyaFZ on Twitter, @papatia_feauxzar on IG, and at https://www.facebook.com/PapatyaFZ/ on FB.

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