PARADISE FOR POSITIVE PERSONALITIES
Paradise is only for the individual who develops a positive personality by abandoning a life of unawareness and leading a conscious life in this world of test.
According to the Quran, Paradise is for one who purifies his soul in this present world and reaches the world hereafter with a refined, positive personality. (20:76) It has been called purification of the self (tazkiyah) in the Quran. Through such purification, an individual develops a spiritual and intellectual personality in this world. Only a person who has developed such a spiritual personality in this world of test will be held deserving of entry into Paradise in the world Hereafter. It means abandoning a life of unawareness and leading a life ruled by one’s consciousness. When he faces any hurdles, he must not resort to expediency. When desires arise within him, he must crush them, and when he is overtaken by arrogance, he should be able to overcome his overweening pride.
Purification of the self is a continuous process that goes on day in and day out. According to a tradition, when a person does not allow this process of purification to continue within oneself the heart becomes covered with rust, just like iron when it comes in contact with water. A question was asked to the prophet as to the way to purify one’s personality. The Prophet replied, ‘Remembering death often and studying the Quran.’ (Al-Qudhai’s Musnad al-Shihab, Hadith No. 1178)
This tradition of the Prophet tells us of psychological reality. In the context of the society he lives in, man repeatedly has to undergo such experiences as produce negative feelings within him, such as anger, hatred, violence, revenge, etc. Therefore, a man ought to bury these negative feelings instantly, for if he fails to do so, they will become a permanent part of the human mind, and a time will come when it will be almost impossible to eliminate them.
There are two significant parts of the human mind, the conscious and the unconscious. It is quite natural for negative feelings to, first of all, enter the conscious part of the mind. If such feelings are not immediately removed from the mind, they gradually reach the unconscious part of the mind, from where it becomes difficult to eradicate them. Therefore, man should always remain vigilant about this. At all times, he should keep converting his negativity into positivity. He must de-condition his conditioned mind to purify and keep it free from pollution. The only way of purification, or de-conditioning, is to repeatedly remind himself of death and reflect on the purpose of life in the light of the Quran.
The present world has been created to prepare individuals who have developed intellectually positive personalities. Such personalities are developed through mind-based spirituality, through reflection, and introspection. It is such purified personalities who will be deserving of entry into Paradise. Without this, one can never gain access to the eternal heavenly abode.
