TawHeed = " laa ilaaha illa-llaah " = literally: "no god except God"...and if we expand that: "[there is] no 'object of worship' except God"...or more commonly translated: "there is nothing worthy of worship except Allah".
The prophet saas said you worship what you think of most
So to truly embody TawHeed we need to always and only think about God swt. That essentially means not obsessively thinking about others. But more importantly not obsessively thinking about yourself! Your 'self' is also known as your 'ego'.
So what exactly is the ego?
Psychology defines it as having 3 main components:
1) The view you have of yourself (Self image)
2)How much value you place on yourself (Self esteem or self-worth)
3) What you wish you were really like (Ideal self)
So let us look at ways to remove each of these 3 veils from God swt:
1)unveiling the veil of self image:
this needs to be as realistic as possible (are you a cat looking in the mirror and seeing your reflection as a lion?). Alternatively, it needs to be unimportant to you. So much so that you have no image of yourself in your minds eye. However, this is difficult and takes practise. most people naturally tend to 'label' or see themselves as a certain type of person (e.g. a geek,a Latino, a scholar, etc). It is also why titles are such dangerous things as they remind us of this image we must see ourselves as. However these false images are all illusions that others create for us or that we create for ourself. These illusions may serve to empower you... but ultimately they also limit you. E.g. You may believe you can't kiss your own children because that is not "manly" as the way you see yourself. Or that you can't wash the dishes because that is not the "mans" role. Etc. Do not have ano fixed self image. Be like water. Colourless and shapeless and yet able to take on any colour and shape.
2) unveiling the veil of self worth:
do not value yourself above anything else. Even if you do many good deeds. Do not value yourself. This leads to pride and self righteousness. All good you do is from God. So value Him and know that the value of this world in His eyes is less than the weight of a fly's wing or less than the value of a rotting, dead donkey on the side of the road.
3) unveiling the veil of the ideal self:
do you wish to be a rock star? Or a footballer? Or a prophet? Or a saint? Etc. Or do you simply wish to be like whatever God likes and is pleased with? This was the aim of His prophets and messengers and righteous slaves.
Yes these human beings are the best examples for us and it may seem harmless to wish to BE one of them. But Ask yourself. Did any of the prophets a.s. wish to be prophets or the messiah, etc? Or did they acknowledge and embraced the fact that they are but slaves of God...grateful slaves...bestowed with favours by the wisdom and mercy of God.
So if you want to be like the prophet saas for the intention of drawing nearer to God swt, focus on trying to do as the prophets a.s. did and said and taught...just as a student would learn from their teacher. A good student is not the one who aims to be like the teacher because they admire his status and position....a good student is the one who implements their teacher's teachings and lessons in their own selves...and thus the student truly becomes like the teacher.
Also let us not forget to do as the prophets a.s. did and continually Ask Him to guide us to be what He is pleased with.
The prophet saas said you worship what you think of most
So to truly embody TawHeed we need to always and only think about God swt. That essentially means not obsessively thinking about others. But more importantly not obsessively thinking about yourself! Your 'self' is also known as your 'ego'.
So what exactly is the ego?
Psychology defines it as having 3 main components:
1) The view you have of yourself (Self image)
2)How much value you place on yourself (Self esteem or self-worth)
3) What you wish you were really like (Ideal self)
So let us look at ways to remove each of these 3 veils from God swt:
1)unveiling the veil of self image:
this needs to be as realistic as possible (are you a cat looking in the mirror and seeing your reflection as a lion?). Alternatively, it needs to be unimportant to you. So much so that you have no image of yourself in your minds eye. However, this is difficult and takes practise. most people naturally tend to 'label' or see themselves as a certain type of person (e.g. a geek,a Latino, a scholar, etc). It is also why titles are such dangerous things as they remind us of this image we must see ourselves as. However these false images are all illusions that others create for us or that we create for ourself. These illusions may serve to empower you... but ultimately they also limit you. E.g. You may believe you can't kiss your own children because that is not "manly" as the way you see yourself. Or that you can't wash the dishes because that is not the "mans" role. Etc. Do not have ano fixed self image. Be like water. Colourless and shapeless and yet able to take on any colour and shape.
2) unveiling the veil of self worth:
do not value yourself above anything else. Even if you do many good deeds. Do not value yourself. This leads to pride and self righteousness. All good you do is from God. So value Him and know that the value of this world in His eyes is less than the weight of a fly's wing or less than the value of a rotting, dead donkey on the side of the road.
3) unveiling the veil of the ideal self:
do you wish to be a rock star? Or a footballer? Or a prophet? Or a saint? Etc. Or do you simply wish to be like whatever God likes and is pleased with? This was the aim of His prophets and messengers and righteous slaves.
Yes these human beings are the best examples for us and it may seem harmless to wish to BE one of them. But Ask yourself. Did any of the prophets a.s. wish to be prophets or the messiah, etc? Or did they acknowledge and embraced the fact that they are but slaves of God...grateful slaves...bestowed with favours by the wisdom and mercy of God.
So if you want to be like the prophet saas for the intention of drawing nearer to God swt, focus on trying to do as the prophets a.s. did and said and taught...just as a student would learn from their teacher. A good student is not the one who aims to be like the teacher because they admire his status and position....a good student is the one who implements their teacher's teachings and lessons in their own selves...and thus the student truly becomes like the teacher.
Also let us not forget to do as the prophets a.s. did and continually Ask Him to guide us to be what He is pleased with.
O God I ask for Your love
And the love of those You love
And love of the poor
And love of the actions that bring me closer to Your love
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