Chapter 2: A Multi-Dimensional Creature
Chapter one revealed a portrait of the human being as a material and spiritual being who shares many common aspects with other animals but, at the same time, is separated from them by a great distance in terms of some basic, conspicuous distinctions; each offering him a separate dimension, each a separatemanifesta
tion
in the whole of his existence. Such distinctions occur in three different areas:
1. recognition of the self and the world
2. desires which govern human beings
3. the degree to which the human beingisinfluenced
by such desires and the ability to choose.
So far as the recognition of the world is concerned, the physical senses serve animals as a means of awareness of the world. Human beings share this quality with other creatures, although in some cases certain animals take precedence over them. The recognition that senses offer human beings and other animals is superficial. It does not go deeply into the nature and essence of things or the logical relationship among them.
In human beings, however, there exists another element whichguidesthem
to knowledge of themselves and the world, and of which other animals are deprived. This mysterious potency is termed 'thinking'.
Human beings discover basic laws of the world, and get a general view of it through thinking. They employ different aspects of the existent world to achieve their purposes. As was pointed out before, this potential belongs to human beings alone. In fact, the mechanism of rational recognition is one of the most complexed mechanisms of human existence.
If this mechanism is developed properly, it will help human beings know themselves as well as many other aspects of the universe with which no direct contact through the senses is possible. Moreover, knowledge of supernatural phenomena and ultimately, a philosophical recognition of God can be attained through this mysterious talent of human beings.
As to the desires which govern human beings, they are under the influence of natural forces in the same way as other creatures are. The desire to eat, to rest, to sleep, to establish sexual relationships, attracts them towards the material world. But there are other appeals that guide them in the direction of non-materialistic affairs which lack weight and substance, and which are not measurable by earthly instruments.
1.
KnowledgeAnd
Learning
Human beings do not seek to acquire knowledge and learning just to conquer nature and to prosper in their material life. Rather, they possess an instinct for research and discovering the truth, and knowledge in itself an enjoyable goal for them. Although learning serves as a means the betterment of life and the accomplishment of responsibilities, it is ideal and desired by itself.
For instance, should human beings perceive a secret beyond the galaxies, and understand that even having knowledge about it does not affect themselves, they would still prefer to obtain information about it. This shows that human beings intrinsically turn away from ignorance towards knowledge and learning, and hat these two constitute a spiritual dimension of the existence of human beings.
2. Ethical Goodness
Human beings perform some of their actions only under the influence of a series of ethical emotions rather than with an intention of gaining a benefit of repelling a harm.
They believe that humanity requires such actions. Suppose a man has been left stranded in severe circumstances in a horrible desert. He is devoid of food and provisions, and in danger of death. All of a sudden, another person appears and saves him from an inescapable death. Then, each of them goes his own way, and they do not see each other for a long time. Many years later, the former meets hissaviour
who has fallen into a state of wretchedness, and remembers the time when he was saved from death.
Now, does not his conscience command him to take action? Does it not remind him of the saying that 'goodnes
should be met by goodness'? Doesn't he think 'one should be grateful to his benefactor'? The answer to all such questions would be in the affirmative. What would be the evaluation of conscientious people if he would assist the wretched man; or else, what would happen if he passed him by without looking and without any reaction?
Admiration would definitely be the response of other conscientious men in the first case; while in the second, they would curse the ungrateful man.
هَلْ جَزَاءُ الْإِحْسَانِ إِلَّا الْإِحْسَانُ
Therefore, the call of the conscience, shall the reward of good be aught but good? (55:60).
And the grateful should be admired and the ungrateful should be blamed',initates
from moral conscience and it is called ethicalgooodness
.
The stimulus for many of the actions of human beings is ethical goodness. In other words, human beings perform a great many of their actions for the sake of their ethical values, not in the hope of their material rewards. This is another spiritual attribute of human beings, which other creatures lack. Ethical goodness and ethical values are meaningless to other animals. These aspects establish another dimension of the human beings' spirituality.
3. Aesthetics
Another of the spiritual dimensions of human beings is their interest in beauty. Beauty, in effect, constitutes an integral part of men's existence and affects all aspects of their life. They wear different types of clothing against cold and warm weather and, at the same time, lay emphasis on the color and tailoring of such clothing. They build a dwelling for habitation and give great importance to its beauty.
Even in choosing a tablecloth and dishes for serving food, and in the arrangement of the food and the table, they follow aesthetic principles. Human beings delight in having an attractive facial appearance, a pleasant-stounding name, beautiful garments to wear, and a nice handwriting. They expect their town and its streets to be beautiful. They would like to see magnificent landscapes. In general, they are interested in extending a halo of beauty to all comers of their life.
Aesthetics is not a meaningful idea to other animals. For an animal, the ugliness or beauty of the manger isn’t significant problem. Rather, the content of the mange is important. To an animal a beautiful pack saddle, a nice spectacle, a well-designed building and the like do not mean anything.
4. WorshipAnd
Sanctification
Worshipping and praying are the most elemental andreoccuring
manifestations of a man's soul and, thus a principal dimension of his life. A study of the remains of human civilization reveals that worship and prayer have been coeval with the appearance of man on earth.
The formo
worship and the type or deity have, however, been changing. The form has ranged from collective rhythmical movements coupled with different invocations and incantations to the most sublime respects, courtesies and the most developed praises. The deity too has changed from stone and wood to the eternal self-existence that is beyond tame and place.
It was not the prophets who initiated and created worship. They merely taught people the types of ritual for worship and prevented them from worshipping other than the One God.
According to some religious precepts and in the view of such theologians as Max Müller, human beings have from the beginning worshipped the real God. Idolatry,Sabaism
and moon-worshipping are later deviations.
In fact, human beings did not start with the worship of idols, men or other creatures to gradually approach monotheism: is civilization evolved. The sense of worship which is referred to as the 'religious feeling' is existent in all human beings. This view is upheld by Erich Fromm where he says:
“Man might worship living things, plants, golden idols, stones, the unseen God, a divine man or a devilish character. He might worship as well his predecessors, his nation, class or party to which he belongs and money or pleasure. He might consciouslydifferen
tiate
between his religious and irreligious beliefs. He might, on the contrary, think himself to be faithless. It is no problem whether he be faithful or not. The problem is to which kind of religion he resorts”
.
Iqbal quotes the following opinion from William James: “The impulse pray is a necessary consequence of the fact that whilst the innermost of the empirical selves of a man is a self of the social sort, it yet can find its only adequate socius (its great companion) in an ideal world. Most men, either continually or occasionally, carry a reference to it in their breasts. The humblest outcast on this earth can feel himself to be real and valid by means of this higher recognition.”
James generalizing such a feeling to all human beings says: “I say for most of us, because it is probable that men differ a good deal in the degree in which they are haunted by this sense of an ideal spectator. It is a much more essential part of the consciousness of some men than of others. Those who have the most of it are possibly the most religious men. But I am sure that even those who say they are altogether without it deceive themselves, and really have it in some degree.”
The attribution of fabulous characteristics to heroes, or to learned or religious men which indicates man's yearning to sanctify a certain being springs from his sense of sanctification.
This is also true with modern people's exaggerated praises for national or party leaders, tenets and doctrines, flags and homelands as well as with the enthusiasm with which they devote themselves to all these things. The feeling of worship is, in effect, an intrinsic emotion towards a total perfection which is beyond defects and obscenities. The worshipping of any creatures is, thus, a deviation from such a pure feeling.
Worshipping human beings crave a flight from their restricted self towards the Union with a reality with no deficiencies, limitations and death. As Albert Einstein puts it, (as he worships this reality) the individual feels the nothingness of human desires and aims and the sublimity andmarvellous
order which reveal themselves both in nature and in the world of thought.
This is further explained by Iqbal who believes, worship is a vital common deed by whichmea
ns the small island of our character discovers its location within a greater whole.
Praying and worship manifest the existence of a 'possibility' and a 'desire' in man: the possibility of stepping to a place beyond material affairs and the desire to approach a higher and more extensive horizon. Such a desire is characteristic of all human beings; this is why worship and praying form another spiritual dimension of the soul of human beings.
5. The Multiple AbilitiesOf
The Human Being
Power or force is defined as a factor which results in an effect of some kind. Since all creatures might be regarded as sources of one or more effects or properties, any one of them, regardless of its being an inanimate object, plant or animal, possesses power or force. Now, should power be blended with intelligence and understanding, it would be called 'potency' or 'capability'.
Another distinction between animals (including humanbemgs
) and plants and inanimate objects is that animals and human beings unlike plants and inanimate objects employ some of their powers under the influence of desires or fears and following their wills. A magnet, for instance, has the power to attract iron towards itself, in a sort of natural determination. It is neither conscious of its own action, nor towards itself. This is also true of fire when it burns, of plants when they grow and of trees when they blossom and give fruit.
But an animal which walks is different. It is aware of its walking and it wants to walk and if it did not want to walk it is not that it could be forced to do so. This is why it is said, an animal which moves does so with a determination. In other words, some of the powers are controlled by the determination of animals: That is, if an animal wants to use that power, it does, and if it does not want to do so, it does not.
Human beings are no exception to this. But there is a delicate distinction between their determination and those of other animals. In the latter, it is an instinctive one and the animal is powerless against it. As soon as an animal is internally aroused to perform a certain action, it does it without showing any resistance, preference or contemplation. It has no power to determine or think about a preference in desires or commands which are potentially directed towards it. Rather, it can show no far-sightedness which is demanded here.
Human beings, on the contrary, are capable of withstanding and opposing their inner longings. This they can do by means of their will power which is, in tum, under the command of their wisdom and intellect wisdom recognizes and decides and will power performs.
It is clear now that there exists in humanbeings
certain capabilities which other animals lack. There are specific spiritual desires and forces of attraction in them, which are non-existent in other living things. These provide them with the potential of extending the sphere of their activities beyond the limit of the material world to which other animals are confined, and direct it to the sublime empyrean.
Furthermore, the existence of the intellect and will power in human beingsw.o.
enables them to resist against their desires, free themselves from their forceful influence and to rule them. Human beings can make desires obedient to their intellect, allocate a certain unchangeable portion to each and thus arrive at 'spiritual' freedom which is the most valuable of all kinds of liberties.
The intellect, the greatest characteristic ofhumanbeings
, is the reason for the assignment of obligations to them. At the same time, it is the source of their ability to choose. It isinfact
, the power which converts them to really free beings with freedom of choice.
Desires and wishes are a link between human beings and an external center which attracts them. The more they submit to such desires, the weaker and more impotent and infirm of purpose they become. Contrarily, intellect and will powerare
internal forces which build up man's true character. When human beings depend on these two, they become capable of mustering their potentialities, eradicating external influences and making themselves free to be an 'independent island'. They, thus, turn out to be the owner' of themselves, owner of a perfect character.
The ownership of one's own self (i.e.
self-control) and the release from the spell of willful desires constitute the fundamental aim of Islamic training. The ultimate goal of such training is spiritual freedom.
6. KnowledgeOf
Self
In Islam, the individual is expected to be capable of knowing his or her own 'self as well as recognizing his or her status, as it actually is, in the world of creation. This is why the Holy Qur’an urges this idea on many occasions. It explains the aim of such knowledge and recognition in man's attainment of the eminent position for which he is competent.
The Holy Qur’an is a book for the development of human beings. It is not a theoretical philosophy restricted to controversy about theories and points of view.
It proposes each and every idea for its practical application. It requires the individual to discover his or her real self. This self is not that which one's I.D. card reveals (name, father's name, birth date, nationality, marriage, number of children andsoforth
). What Islam causes each individual to reveal is that which is considered to be the 'divine spirit'. Now, with a perfect knowledge of such a 'self human
beings feel a kind of dignity and elevation, reject humilities, recognize their holiness and discern the meaning and value of social and ethical sanctities.
The Holy Qur’an speaks of the 'chosen man' who is undoubtedly the most authoritative creature on earth due to the responsibility which is incumbent on him. It does not consider man to have been created by the incidental accumulation of atoms. If we picture the earth and its creatures as a village, man will stand in the head's position. Now, we should see whether he is a chosen head or is the one imposed on the villagers by ruffians.
Material philosophies account for man's authority as a mere product of his coercion and power. They claim that man has gained his force and power by chance. Thinking this way makes 'having a mission' or responsibility meaningless. What mission? What responsibility? From whom? For whom?
The Qur’an, however, regards man asa chosen
being who earns his authority on the basis of his competency and from the most legitimate source of existence-the Divine Being. He does not obtain it merely by force and from the patterns of 'struggle for survival'. This is why he is supplied with a mission and he is responsible before God. Believing in this brings about in people psychological and educational effects; while believing that man is the product of some aimless coincidences has other kinds of effects.
Knowledge of self means that human beings know that they are not solely earth-bound, that they are a ray of the Divine Spirit, that they can take precedence over the angels in wisdom and that they are free, independent and responsible to others and to the prosperity and betterment of the world.
هُوَ أَنْشَأَكُمْ مِنَ الْأَرْضِ وَاسْتَعْمَرَكُمْ
He has raised you up out of the earth and hath asked you to flourish it. (11:61).
Human beings should bear in mind that they are the trustee of God and that they have not been granted superiority in vain so as to establish autocracy, to seize everything for themselves and to remain irresponsible.
7. DevelopmentOf
Talents
Islamic teachings indicate that the divine school of Islam pays great attention to all of man's dimensions: physical, material and spiritual; mental and emotional; social and individual. It does not disregard any of them; rather, it concentrates its special attention on the training of each in its relevant context and on the basis of certain principles. The following is a brief discussion of such training.
A) Physical Training
Self- indulgence orepicurianism
and sensuality are severely condemned in Islam. Conversely, physical training in terms of careful maintenance of one's own health is considered to be a necessity. Islam declares unlawful any deed which may be harmful to the body. It may even invalidate such a religious precept as fasting when it is detrimental to human health.
On the whole, any kind of noxious addiction is forbidden in Islam; while many customs and traditions have been expounded for the sake of preserving the good health of the body. Some people may not be able to differentiate between physical training which is a matter of physical health and feeding the ego and sensual desires which is a matter of physical health is a moral concern.
They may thus suppose that Islam is against the physical training to preserve good health due to its opposition to the feeding of the ego and sensual desires, and conclude that negligence in the protection of health and the rejection of things that are harmful to physical welfare is considered moral in Islam.
This is a great and, at the same time, dangerous misunderstanding; for there is a glaring difference between the two. Feeding the ego and nourishing sensual desires are condemned in Islam because of the fact that they are against the training of the soul, and the body and that they produce physical, spiritual and psychological ills, which come about as a result of over indulgence.
B) Spiritual Training
The training of the intellect and development of the thinking function which brings about an independence of thought, together with the challenge against whatever impairs this independency, such as imitation of predecessors, theso called
distinguished men and ethical manners of the majority are highly regarded in Islamic thought. In fact, the search for self-possession, self-control and spiritual liberty from the absolute authority of desires constitute the basis for a great many of Islamic prayers and teachings.
Also, the development of a sense of searching for the truth, seeking of knowledge, seeking of ethical sentiments, development of a sense of aesthetics and development of a sense of worship all in their own way are deep concerns of Islam.
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Author: Ayatullah Murtadha Mutahhari
