Forgetting questions like: “Who am I?”, “Who was I?”, “Where am I?”, “Where am I going?”, “How should I be?”, “What should I do?”, “What is my goal?”, “What did I want?”, “What should I want?” and many other similar questions, is a sign of a certain kind of “self-forgetfulness”. This very neglect and oblivion lead humans towards “sin,” “arrogance,” “pride,” “rebellion,” “corruption,” and “worldliness.”
But what is this “self” that is so important, and whose neglect is so destructive? Besides the “natural self,” which relates to our physical body, organs, and limbs, and the “social self,” which defines our position in society, in relation to people and our personal and social life, there is also a “human self” that shows our place as a “human being” in the totality of existence.
Understanding this “self” is not only necessary but also beneficial. Shaping this “self” is more difficult but also leads to greater happiness. Many people know their natural and social selves, but when it comes to the “higher self,” they are either unaware or avoid thinking about it and making efforts regarding it. They are not willing to think about where they stand in the “system of creation.”
When we say we must know the “self,” it also involves understanding the “talents” and “growth opportunities” we have. The divine gifts and blessings that surround us fall within this realm. Understanding “the dignity of humanity” and “the existential value” is also part of this domain. Anyone who doesn’t recognize their talents and gifts will remain deprived of the “treasure of existence,” and anyone who doesn’t know their worth will sell themselves cheaply. Moreover, anyone who forgets their “divine aspect” and “vicegerency of God” will succumb to lowliness, sin, and disgrace. The first condition for benefiting from a transaction is to recognize the value of one’s goods and assets, so they don’t sell it for a low price or make a loss in the trade. The religious leaders have equated your “existence’s price” with “paradise,” and their perspective is expert.
Imam Jawad (peace be upon him), whose birth we celebrate, says in this regard:
“Your existence is worth paradise, and you have no price other than paradise. Be aware that do not sell yourself except for paradise.”
This means that if you sell yourself for anything less than paradise, you have made a loss. Whatever you trade yourself for, you have priced yourself at that value. When the divine friends have considered the world as the “marketplace” of the saints of God, they have also pointed out the precious value of human existence, so that the naïve and inexperienced do not go to the marketplace without knowing the price and do not allow their “divine essence” to be sold for the paltry price of the world. When you can make yourself eternal, why settle for the worldly? And if you can transcend even angels, why lower yourself below animals? If you cannot make use of your existential assets and keep spending them day by day without benefiting, eventually, all your capital will be spent, and you will return empty-handed from the marketplace. If you have not forgotten your “self” and recognize the “value of existence,” you will not sell yourself at a low price!
(Excerpt from the book “A Step on the Path” by Hujjat al-Islam Jawad Modhadi)