Self-Awareness & Connection with Allah

  Who Am I in the Eyes of Allah?

Theme: Discovering Your Spiritual Identity as a Muslimah

Rooted in the teachings of the Qur’an, Sunnah, and the methodology of Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama‘ah.

1. WHO ARE YOU IN THE EYES OF ALLAH?

You are a Creation of Honour and purpose.

“And We have certainly honored the children of Adam...”
— Surah Al-Isra (17:70)

This verse is a foundation for understanding your spiritual identity. Allah created every human being with inherent dignity, regardless of status, race, wealth, or background.


Ibn Kathir (رحمه الله) explains:

“Allah has favoured the human being over many of His creations in both body and soul, speech and understanding, will and intelligence, and the ability to distinguish.”

You are not random. You are a khalifah (vicegerent) on earth. (Surah al-Baqarah 2:30)


2. FITRAH – YOUR NATURAL SPIRITUAL BLUEPRINT

What is Fitrah?

The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Every child is born upon the Fitrah…”
— Sahih al-Bukhari & Muslim

 

Fitrah is the pure, natural state upon which Allah created you: a disposition inclined to recognize Allah, love Him, submit to Him, and seek what is good.

  • Ibn Taymiyyah (رحمه الله) said:

    “Fitrah includes recognition of Allah and loving Him; it’s imprinted in the soul before teachings.”

  • Ibn al-Qayyim:

    “Fitrah is the seed of Tawheed sown in every soul, which flourishes when watered with revelation.”

This means: even before society defines you, Allah already honoured and defined you.


3. THE NAFS – YOUR INNER WORLD

Types of the Nafs (Qur’anic Model):

Type

Description

Qur’anic Evidence

Nafs al-Ammarah

The soul that commands evil

Surah Yusuf 12:53

Nafs al-Lawwamah

The self-reproaching soul

Surah Al-Qiyamah 75:2

Nafs al-Mutma’innah

The soul at peace

Surah Al-Fajr 89:27



Understanding your spiritual identity requires recognizing which stage your nafs is in. The scholars teach that tazkiyah (purification) of the nafs leads to elevation of the soul.

4. THE RUH – YOUR DIVINE SPARK

“And they ask you concerning the soul. Say: ‘The soul is from the command of my Lord...’”
— Surah Al-Isra (17:85)

 

While knowledge of the Ruh is limited, scholars say:

  • Al-Raghib al-Asfahani: “The ruh is what gives life to the body; it’s the noble component breathed into us.”

  • Ibn al-Qayyim describes the ruh as a bird — when freed from the body, it either soars or is caged depending on its deeds.


You are not the body — you are the soul.
Your value is not your appearance, role, wealth, or followers.
It is your connection to Allah and purity of your ruh.


5. HOW ALLAH DEFINES YOU

Qur’anic Term

What It Means

Ayah

ʿAbd (Servant)

Your highest identity

25:63 – "The servants of the Most Merciful..."

Khalifah (Vicegerent)

You are entrusted to act with wisdom and care on earth

2:30

Ahsan Taqwim (Best Form)

You are not broken; you were made perfectly

95:4

Mu’minah (Believer)

Your worth is based on faith, not fame

33:35

Ta’ibah (Repenter)

You’re loved by Allah when you return

2:222



Even when you sin, fall, or forget — Allah still invites you to return.
He does not define you by your failure, but by your capacity for tawbah.



6. SELF-WORTH IN ISLAM VS. MODERNITY

Modern Identity Crisis

Islamic Resolution

"I’m not good enough."

“Indeed, the most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous.” (49:13)

"I don’t know who I am."

You are a soul on a journey, not a label or role

"I’m just a housewife/student/failure."

You are an ʿabd of Allah — a status no title can surpass

"People don’t see me."

“And your Lord is never unaware…” (6:59)


7. ADVICE FOR YOU FROM THE SCHOLARS

Imam al-Ghazali (Ihya ʿUlum ad-Deen):

“The greatest knowledge is self-knowledge, for he who knows his self knows his Lord.”

Ibn al-Qayyim:

“The key to happiness lies in knowing yourself, your Lord, and your purpose.”

 

Shaykh Ibn ʿUthaymeen:

“A believer understands the value of life only when he lives as an obedient servant to Allah. This defines his identity, not status.”

 

ON SPIRITUAL IDENTITY & THE SOUL

1. “Tazkiyat al-Nafs” – Ibn Rajab, Ibn al-Qayyim, Al-Ghazali

Definition:
Tazkiyat al-Nafs means purification, growth, and development of the soul toward what pleases Allah and away from what corrupts it.

🔹 Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali:

  • Emphasized the danger of hidden diseases like riya’ (showing off), Hasad (envy), and ʿujb (self-admiration).

  • Said:

    "The heart is like a mirror. If desires stain it, the reflection of the truth disappears. But when polished by dhikr and sincerity, it reflects divine realities."

     

Key Concepts:

  • Istiʿdad (readiness of the soul to receive divine light)

  • Ikhlas (sincerity as the root of all purification)

  • The most purified soul is the one closest to complete servitude (ʿubudiyyah).


🔹 Ibn al-Qayyim:

  • Masterfully categorized the three levels of the nafs (as mentioned previously).

  • In Madarij al-Salikin, he states:

    “The soul is tested in three ways: with desire (shahwah), with anger (ghadab), and with heedlessness (ghaflah). Success lies in reforming all three.”

     

Core Tools of Tazkiyah (according to him):

  1. Tawbah – returning again and again.

  2. Shukr – gratitude purifies pride.

  3. Sabr – against desires and delays.

  4. Muraqabah – awareness of Allah in public and private.

  5. Dhikr & Qur'an – oxygen for the ruh.


He also warns:

"The soul, if not occupied with truth, will be consumed by falsehood."

 

🔹 Imam Al-Ghazali (Ihyaʾ ʿUlum ad-Deen):

  • Saw the heart as the seat of divine knowledge and love.

  • Taught that every human being is on a journey from animalistic impulses to angelic refinement.


Four Stages of the Soul’s Purification:

  1. Tafakkur (Reflection) – Realizing you’re not your thoughts or emotions.

  2. Takhliyah (Emptying) – Removing love of the world, pride, and heedlessness.

  3. Tahliyah (Beautifying) – Filling the soul with sabr, tawakkul, shukr.

  4. Tajalli (Manifestation) – Experiencing divine nearness.

“The greatest loss is to know the outer aspects of Islam and be unaware of the rust on your heart.”

 

He explains that real identity is not outer titles or clothes but the state of the qalb (heart) before Allah.


2. “Ibn Taymiyyah’s Essay on the Soul” (Risalat al-Ruh)

This treatise is a response to deep theological and spiritual questions about the soul’s nature, journey after death, and its connection to the body.


Key Highlights:

  • The soul is created, but its essence is unknown, as per:

    “They ask you about the soul…” (Al-Israʾ 17:85)

  • Ibn Taymiyyah explains:

    “The soul is a subtle body, residing within the physical body during life, and then separates but remains connected in the Barzakh (intermediate realm).”

     

Insights on Identity:

  • Your real self is the Ruh (not the body), and the ruh remembers and knows Allah.

  • Sins blacken and weaken the ruh, while worship strengthens it.

He emphasizes the importance of dhikr, salah, and tilawah in keeping the soul alive.


Advice for Students of Knowledge (you!):

“The more you cleanse your soul with remembrance and sincerity, the clearer you’ll see truth, even amidst chaos.”

 

3. Tafseer al-Kabir – Imam al-Razi (on Surah Al-Israʾ 17:85)

“Say: The soul is from the command of my Lord…”

 

Imam al-Razi reflects:

  • The soul is not from the elements of the world, but from amr (command) — a subtle, divine act of creation.

  • Knowledge of the soul is intentionally limited — to teach us humility and dependence on revelation.

  • He discusses that the Ruh carries the responsibility of Taklif (Divine obligation) — meaning only the soul makes us accountable before Allah.

Thus, the human's real value is spiritual, not physical or material.


4. “Inner Dimensions of Islamic Worship” – Imam Al-Ghazali

Explains how every Islamic ritual feeds and purifies the soul.

On Identity through Worship:

  • Salah (Prayer):

    “It is the miʿraj (ascension) of the believer — a conversation with the Creator. Through it, the soul is reminded of its divine origin.”

  • Fasting:

    “Breaks the hold of nafs al-ammarah and revives the ruh’s light.”

  • Zakat:

    “Purifies the heart from greed and reminds you that your value is not in wealth but generosity.”

  • Hajj:

    “A reminder that you are a traveler — and your ruh is not at home here in this world.”

The essence of all worship is to uncover the ruh, humble the nafs, and return to Allah’s view of you — not the world’s.



5. Shaykh Ibn ʿUthaymin’s Works on Human Nature & the Soul

Shaykh Ibn ʿUthaymin (رحمه الله) clarified:

  • The soul (ruh) is what distinguishes life from death.

  • The nafs is a more general term that can refer to the whole person or the inner self.


He taught in his Sharh of Riyad al-Salihin:

“The nafs inclines toward ease and sin, but the believer strives to restrain it through muraqabah and taqwa.”

 

On spiritual identity, he emphasized:

  • Our highest label is ʿabd of Allah, not scholar, speaker, mother, or leader.

  • Worship is what restores identity, especially dhikr and Qur’an recitation.


Remember.

“You are a soul, not a statistic. You are an ʿabd of Ar-Rahman before being a follower, founder, or even a family member. Your ruh is from His Command.

 

Your worth is not created by Instagram, your degree, your money, or your appearance. It was already written in the heavens.”

 

Always Remind Yourself That:

  • I am a soul created for worship.

  • I am honored by Allah.

  • I am on a journey back to Him.

  • I was created in the best form.

  • My value is tied to my taqwa, not my status.


REFLECTION QUESTIONS FOR YOU

  1. Who am I outside of roles, titles, and society?

  2. Which type of nafs do I feel I am struggling with most right now?

  3. What names has Allah used in the Qur’an to define the believer — and which do I want to embody?

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