Three Levels of Development

development, for example, ego, pride, envy, anger and revenge. In short, they are the ones who, having analyzed themselves completely, have been able to discover God and accept Him totally and unconditionally. This they have done by the grace of God. Purification (tazkiya) is compulsory for all men and women. This entails their resisting and overcoming the influences of their environment which we describe as conditioning. In consonance with one’s feelings and desires people develop certain habits. Consciously or unconsciously under the influence of their interests, they become conditioned in such habits. All these things create obstacles to their leading a spiritual life. To overcome these obstacles, an individual has to become his own guide. He must identify his mistakes, and apply to himself the process of rigorous de-conditioning. This is a prerequisite for purification. Without this, no one can be genuinely purified. No one can get entry into Paradise, without self-purification. Those who have been successful in engaging in these processes, discover the truth. They have been mentioned in the Quran as “soul at peace” (89:27). They are the ones who fell in line with the creation plan of God and who developed in themselves the desired personality according to His creation plan. These are the ones who will be rewarded by God and will gain entry into Paradise.