Introspection–The Basis of Tazkiya

There is a saying of Umar Faruq, “Introspect yourself before you are subjected to introspection.” (Sunan al-Tirmidhi, Hadith No. 2459) Introspection is the basis of tazkiya. It does not come about through a training camp. No formal course can serve this purpose, nor will any repetition of certain words be of any help. The only way to tazkiya is through introspection, that is, self-appraisal or reforming oneself, and by giving deep thought to how tazkiya is to be attained.

Man is the only creature who has the capacity for conceptual thought. Indeed, man is defined as an animal capable of conceptual thought. You can shape wood, and you can mould iron, but man himself is not so malleable. Man is his own engineer or maker. If man is unwilling to submit to the influence of others, there is no one who can shape his personality. This is why introspection plays a role in man’s personality development, or his tazkiya.

The role of a teacher is solely to provide a strong incentive for engaging in tazkiya. He should develop the thinking in a person that if he does not engage in self-purification and reform himself, he will be forever ruined; he has to undertake tazkiya himself and whatever he has to do should be done today without waiting for tomorrow.

Man tends to find justification for all of his faults; he always finds some words to prove that he is in the right. It is necessary for one who wants to purify himself to root out this mentality once and for all. But this can be done only by the individual concerned, and not by anyone else.