Examining the Course of Human Development and the Need for an Expert in Human Development
Entering any field or stage of life requires a set of information that can help us better know and tread our path. Along with this information, having an expert who can explain and clarify the rules of movement for us is very helpful. Given the importance of the path we have ahead of us to achieve the purpose of our creation, the need for an expert in human development is strongly felt.
In this article, we will first take a look at our course of development from its starting point to its ultimate end, then review our needs on this path and the most important actions that need to be taken.
Our life consists of three stages: before the world, the world, and after the world. The diagram of creation from the starting point (origin) to the final point (resurrection) is divided into two parts. In philosophy and mysticism, this diagram and its dual parts are referred to as the Circle of Existence and the Arc of Descent and the Arc of Ascent.
At the starting point of the Arc of Descent, there is Allah, the Absolute Existence. The first and highest manifestation of God is called the Spirit, which we know by names such as pen (Qalam), intellect, light of Prophet Muhammad and his Household (PBUT), and most perfect example.[1] This highest manifestation is the result of God’s breathing into the human of His Spirit.[2] After the creation of the most perfect example, the Spirit of God was also breathed into all other humans, and then the realms of Jabarut, Malakut, and Nasut were created.
The Spirit is the most similar and closest entity to God and the most perfect being after Him. The Spirit is a truth higher than and superior to angels and the angelic realm. Because of the Divine Spirit being breathed into us, our spirit has no difference from God except that He is the Creator and we are the created beings and His servants.[3] In fact, the only difference between Allah and human beings is that Allah owns the essence, and He is the Absolute Existence and Self-sufficient, while humans are the deputy and manifestation of Allah without an essence.
In our spiritual journey, we pass through the two Arcs of Descent and Ascent. As we mentioned, we all carry a pure truth called the Divine Breath. In the Arc of Descent, the Divine Breath within our existence passes through the worlds of Jabarut and Malakut and descends to Nasut or the material world. In the world, after the conception of the embryo and a bit of growth, this entity and Divine Spirit enters the fetus and all human fetuses are given a soul with which they are born into the world. This birth is the beginning of the second stage of our life, which is the world. After the world and passing through the time between birth to wafat, by treading the Arc of Ascent, which includes death and resurrection, we return to our original abode, i.e., to God.[4]
The principle of Resurrection[5] and return makes logical sense when there has been a departure. For example, if a group of people travel from Paris to London, we can ask them when they will return to Paris. A departure has occurred, so there will be a return. However, asking when they will return to New York is incorrect. Therefore, based on the principle of resurrection, we will not “go” to our Deity and Beloved. Rather, we will return to Him. Our story as humans is the story of someone who has previously lived with God, enjoyed the pleasure of it, but is now temporarily bound by the limits of the material world. As long as Allah exists, we exist too, and no death separates us from the realm of existence.
As mentioned in previous articles, there are six types of birth in the Arc of Ascent and our path of return to our original status, with a healthy birth being the only accepted birth. In order to safely tread the path of return and have a healthy birth, we must fulfill our duties in the material world. To do this, we need principles, information, laws, and guides, with the need for an expert in human development perhaps being the most essential, since an expert knows not only the principles and laws but also the best path to reach the ultimate goal.
Seven Categories of Specialized Information Required in the Course of Human Development
According to the diagram of creation, we have a brief stop at one stage of our life i.e., the world, and then we must return to our original and eternal home, i.e. to God. When entering the world, each of us is given a body. This body, like our soul, has many complexities knowing which requires information. The complexity of our creation and the specialized nature of our journey from this world towards eternity make the presence of an expert in human development necessary, and we cannot overlook this fact.
Returning and having a healthy birth to our true home and knowing right from wrong require seven categories of specialized information. This information is exclusively available to God, as only He knows human beings and their entire worldly life to eternity. Unfortunately, many of us do not know God as an Expert Creator to whom all the necessary information about us and the world is available. Instead, we consider God only as a sacred existence seated beyond the heavens on a grand throne! Most of the time, instead of God, we consult individuals who have no expertise in human development. We rely on sciences that have no certainty or truth, being accepted as a theory today but possibly contradicted tomorrow.
The teachings of God are our only formula for happiness, and except for God and His representatives -prophets and Infallible Imams (PBUT)- no individual possesses specialized information about humans. God has provided us with this information through two sources: The Quran and Household of Prophet Muhammad (PBUT). In fact, the Quran is God’s Constitution, and the Household of Prophet Muhammad(PBUT) are the interpreters and executors of the Quran.
In this article, we do not intend to delve into the details of the seven categories of specialized information, but we simply list them. These specialized categories of information are as follows:
– Knowing the stages before this world
– Knowing the human body
– Knowing the human soul
– Knowing the relationship between the human body and soul
– Knowing the stages of the material world
– Knowing the relationship between the material world and the body and soul
– Knowing the stages after this world
The Relationship the Principle of the Primacy of Expertise and the Need for an Expert in Human Development
There is a fitri (innate) and rational principle in humanology called “The Principle of the Primacy of Expertise.” According to this principle, in dealing with any phenomenon or system, we consult the creator of that system or his authorized expert in the four phases of definition, development, implementation, and repair. If we pay attention to our lives, we can see that we all adhere to this principle based on our fitrah. For instance, to repair our glasses or camera, we visit a specialized glasses or camera repair center, or to treat heart diseases, we visit a cardiologist. It would be funny if, for example, we ask a gardener to sew our clothes or ask a neurologist to relieve our toothache. We do not need to be educated to understand this principle. All it takes is to use our common sense to realize that specialized matters should be delegated to those who are experts in that particular field.
We humans, as the greatest phenomenon of existence, have a Creator, and in order to know ourselves and specialized matters related to our creation as well as adopt the best lifestyle, we need our expert in human development. To do this, we must consult our Creator or His authorized experts, i.e., prophets and the Household of Prophet Muhammad (PBUT), since they are the only people who know the seven categories of specialized information needed.
We humans, despite all the advancements we have made in various fields of knowledge, do not even have expertise in one of these seven categories. Experience has shown that human sciences are unstable, and many scientific theories have been proven today and refuted tomorrow. Therefore, we cannot rely on such sciences and tread our definite path with these incomplete sciences.
The trial on the Day of Judgment is also based on this rational principle. On that day, we will be questioned about the individuals we have consulted for getting information about the various stages of life and accepted as our role models. It is obvious that only the One who has created the human body, soul, and the material world, and has established the relationship between the body and soul, and their relationship with the world, is worthy of expressing opinions on these important matters.
On the Day of Judgment, we are divided into two groups based on adherence or non-adherence to the Principle of the Primacy Expertise as well as our chosen role models. One group includes those who have believed in this principle and acquired their necessary specialized knowledge from God and the Infallibles (PBUT). The second group consists of those who have consulted non-experts about their specialized matters.
When we accept the infallible experts as our main role models and adopt their lifestyle, it is like being on a safe ship amidst the ocean waves. Despite all the turmoil, we ultimately reach the shore. However, if our role model is not the infallible experts introduced by God, we are like someone without a ship, stranded on a piece of driftwood in the midst of turbulent waves, unable to reach the shore of salvation. Therefore, the need for an expert in human development is so important that if it is not met, it negatively affects our future and eternity.
The Necessity of Adjusting Our Relationship with Our Beloved in the Course of Development
According to the Principle of the Primacy of Expertise, to access the seven categories of specialized information, we must consult God and His authorized experts, who are prophets and the Household of Prophet Muhammad (PBUT). The appointment and introduction of these experts are so important that, in one of His verses, God says that all Prophet Muhammad’s efforts in his mission will be wasted without introducing a successor.[6] The expert and infallible role models must be introduced after the Prophet so that they can guide people with their expertise. Since the Quran, as the Constitution and Prophet Muhammad’s miracle, only expresses the general orders of God, these orders must be explained by experts to be guiding.
By delving into the concept of the Principle of the Primacy of Expertise and the need for an expert in human development, we understood the philosophy of prophethood and imamate (leadership). By examining the philosophy of prophethood, we can also come to the discussion of love and affection. But how?!
Prophets were sent to save us from choosing false and fake loves and guide us towards choosing the best beloved. One of the results of following the infallible expert as our role model is that our lovely relationship with God is adjusted; we become God’s beloved and can hope for the forgiveness of our sinful past.[7] God’s love for us and our hope for forgiveness are related to God’s name of “Most Beneficent” (Rahman). Beneficence is one of the attributes of God that plays a prominent role in various stages of our lives. For example, in the Arc of Descent and before saying anything about our creation, God starts His words by mentioning this name.[8]
God’s Beneficence is also the fuel for our movement in the Arc of Ascent and return to God. Because in order to reach our original status safely, we must become similar to God; the level of our similarity and closeness to Allah depends on the number of attributes we absorb from God, and without absorbing the name ‘beneficent,’ no other name can be absorbed. For this reason, we consider the name ‘beneficent’ as a driving force in our course of development. Therefore, more closeness to and faith in God should make us kinder to other people.
Based on what we stated, perhaps we can summarize the goals of the prophets’ mission in one sentence: The prophets came to adjust our relationship with our True Beloved. To regulate this relationship and in order to safely return to our original status, we need principles, specialized information, and infallible experts.
[1]. Mathal A’la
[2]. “and I breathed into him of My spirit.” (Quran, 38:72)
[3]. “There is no difference between Thee and them, save that they are Thy servants and Thy creation,”
Imam Mahdi (PBUH), Supplication for the month of Rajab
[4]. “To God we belong, and to Him we will return.” (Quran, 2:156)
[5]. Ma’ad
[6]. “O Messenger! Deliver what has been revealed to you from your Lord; and if you do it not, then you have not delivered His message…” (Quran, 5:67)
[7]. “Say, [O Prophet,] ‘If you [sincerely] love Allah, then follow me; Allah will love you and forgive your sins. For Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.’” (Quran 3:31)
[8]. “The Most Beneficent, taught the Quran, created humanity,” (Quran, 55:1-3)
