In Islam, every Muslim must know Allah SWT the Creator. However, before we know Allah SWT, it is better to know ourselves first. By knowing ourselves, then we will be easier to know Allah SWT.
1. Self-introspection
As a Muslim, we are obligated to do self-introspection. We must understand what we have done all this time. The Prophet said,
وَإِنَّمَا يَخِفُّ الحِسَابُ يَوْمَ القِيَامَةِ عَلَى مَنْ حَاسَبَ نَفْسَهُ فِي الدُّنْيَا
“Indeed, the reckoning on the doomsday will be light only for people who always reckon themselves when they live in the world.” [Hadith Tirmidzi]
2. Know zahir self
Human self basically consists of 2 parts, which are zahir self and batin self. In zahir self, we can witness the greatness of Allah SWT. We can see our own physical form as the first introduction to ourselves. Allah said in Surah Al-Insan verse 2,
إِنَّا خَلَقْنَا الْإِنْسَانَ مِنْ نُطْفَةٍ أَمْشَاجٍ نَبْتَلِيهِ فَجَعَلْنَاهُ سَمِيعًا بَصِيرًا
“Indeed, We have created human from a drop of mixed semen that We want to test him (with orders and prohibitions), therefore We made him hear and see.”
Allah created us from a drop of semen until we became a human as it is today. We can see, hear, talk, and move because of the permission and pleasure that are given by Allah SWT.
3. Know batin self
Batin self is a spirit that is in ourselves. Before knowing Allah, in the Sufism knowledge, it is explained that we must be able to know ourselves. One of the ways to know ourselves is to look inside our heart. Allah said,
وَفِى اَنْفُسِكُمْ اَفَلاَ تُبْصِرُوْنَ
“And in yourself, do you not notice it?” (Adh-Dhariyat: 21)
The Prophet also confirmed about something in the human batin that must be seen well so that we can know ourselves. The Prophet said that Allah said,
بَنَيْتُ فِى جَوْفِ اِبْنِ آدَمَ قَصْرًا وَفِى الْقَصْرِ صَدْرً وَفِى الصَّدْرِ قَلْبًا وَفِى الْقَلْبِ فُؤَادً وَفِى الْفُؤَادِ شَغْافًا وَفِى الشَّغَافِ لَبًّا وَفِى لَبِّ سِرًّا وَفِى السِّرِّ أَنَا (الحديث القدسى)
“I make it in the cavity of the son of Adam a palace and in that palace, there is a chest and in the chest, there is a heart (qalbu) and in the heart (qalbu), there is the eye of the heart (fuad) and in that eye of the heart (fuad), there is the cover of the eye of the heart (saghaf) and behind that cover of the eye of the heart (saghaf), there is a nur/light (labban), and in the nur/light (labban), there is a secret (sirr) and in the secret (sirr), there is I, said Allah.” (Hadith Qudsi)
Heart or qalbu that is meant is an invisible thing that has a goodness and badness trait in it and it depends on our faith. The Prophet said,
…اَلاَوَاِنَّ فِى الْجَسَدِ مُدْغَةً اِذَاصَلُحَتْ صَلَحَ الْجَسَدُ كُلُّهُ وَاِذَافَسَدَتْ فَسَدَ الْجَسَدُ كُلُّهُ آلآوَهِيَ الْقَلْبُ
“Remember that in the body, there is a clot of blood, if he has been good, then the body is good. And if he is broken, then the body is broken. And if he is broken then the body perishes, that is what the heart says.”
4. Remember the purpose of the creation
Another way to know yourself is to remember that the purpose of human was created is to believe in Allah SWT. We were created as khalifa on the earth who have a purpose of life to worship only to Allah SWT.
وَإِذْ قَالَ رَبُّكَ لِلْمَلاَئِكَةِ إِنِّي جَاعِلُُ فِي الأَرْضِ خَلِيفَةً قَالُوا أَتَجْعَلُ فِيهَا مَن يُفْسِدُ فِيهَا وَيَسْفِكُ الدِّمَآءَ وَنَحْنُ نُسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدِكَ وَنُقَدِّسُ لَكَ قَالَ إِنِّي أَعْلَمُ مَا لاَ تَعْلَمُونَ {30} وَعَلَّمَ ءَادَمَ الأَسْمَآءَ كُلَّهَا ثُمَّ عَرَضَهُمْ عَلَى الْمَلاَئِكَةِ فَقَالَ أَنبِئُونِي بِأَسْمَآءِ هَؤُلآءِ إِن كُنتُم صَادِقِينَ {31} قَالُوا سُبْحَانَكَ لاَ عِلْمَ لَنَآ إِلاَّ مَا عَلَّمْتَنَا إِنَّكَ أَنتَ الْعَلِيمُ الْحَكِيمُ {32} قَالَ يَآءَادَمُ أَنبِئْهُم بِأَسْمَآئِهِمْ فَلَمَّآ أَنبَأَهُمْ بِأَسْمَآئِهِمْ قَالَ أَلَمْ أَقُل لَّكُمْ إِنِّي أَعْلَمُ غَيْبَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ وَأَعْلَمُ مَا تُبْدُونَ وَمَا كُنتُمْ تَكْتُمُونَ {33}
Remember when your God said to the angels: “Indeed, I want to make a khalifa in the world.” They said: “Do you want to make on the earth who will cause damage to them and shed blood, in fact, we always do tasbih by praising You and purifying You?” Allah said: “Indeed, I know what You do not know.” He taught Adam all of the names, then He showed them to the angels, then said: “Mention Me the names of those objects, if you are the right ‘people’.” They said: “The Holy are You, nothing that We know other than what You have taught to us. Indeed, You are the Omniscient as well as the Wise.” Allah said, “O Adam, tell them the names of these objects!” Then, after telling them the names of those objects, Allah said: “Did I not say to you, that indeed, I know the secret of the sky and earth and know what you have born and hid?” (Al-Baqarah/2: 30-33)
Those are the 4 ways to know yourself before knowing Allah and its verses. That is all for this brief article. Hopefully it is useful and increases our faith to Allah SWT. Aamiin.