DR. KIRMANI’S CORNER
This section is developed through the weekly reflections of Dr. Sayed Shabbir Kirmani, our respected resident scholar. Each week, Dr. Kirmani will share his thoughts on faith, current affairs, and community matters, offering valuable insights on how Islamic teachings relate to both global and local events.
In the Name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful
Growth in the Quran: The Sacred Architecture of Spiritual Ascent
The Quran presents growth not as mere accumulation, but as Tazkiyah—the deliberate purification and elevation of the soul. Allah declares in Surah Ash-Shams, “He succeeds who purifies it, and he fails who corrupts it” (91:9-10), establishing that true prosperity is measured by spiritual expansion, not worldly inflation.
The Living Metaphor: The Good Tree
In Surah Ibrahim, Allah compares faith to “a good tree, whose root is firmly fixed and its branches high in the sky” (14:24). Allamah Tabatabai explains in Tafsir al-Mizan that this represents the believer whose growth is organic and perpetual. The firm root symbolizes deep Iman (conviction), while the ascending branches represent righteous deeds reaching toward the Divine. Just as a tree’s visible impact depends on unseen roots, a believer’s external influence flows from internal reality. Weak roots of Tawhid yield withering branches of action.
The Quran further employs agricultural imagery in Surah Al-Waqiah: “Have you considered what you sow? Is it you who makes it grow, or are We the grower?” (56:63-64). This rhetorical question, Tabatabai notes, cultivates humility—we plant seeds of faith and action, but their flourishing depends entirely on Allah’s nurturing grace. Growth is a divine-human partnership where human effort meets divine enablement.
The Prophetic Paradigm: Growth Through Humility
The story of Prophet Musa and Khidr in Surah Al-Kahf exemplifies the growth mindset. Despite being a prophet of great stature, Musa humbly requests, “May I follow you so that you teach me?” (18:66). This epitomizes authentic spiritual development: recognizing that higher horizons of knowledge always exist, requiring the humility to remain a perpetual student.
Similarly, Prophet Yusuf’s journey from betrayal to prison to leadership demonstrates growth through adversity. His ultimate forgiveness of his brothers—“No blame will there be upon you today” (12:92)—reveals that spiritual maturity transcends personal pain.
Wisdom from the Ahlul Bayt
The Ahlul Bayt reinforce that growth is a daily obligation. Imam Musa al-Kazim warns: “He whose two days are equal is a loser”—stagnation is regression. In Nahjul Balagha, Imam Ali provides the methodology: “Whoever wants to be a leader should educate himself before educating others” (Sermon 73). He identifies Jihad al-Nafs (struggle against one’s own self) as the supreme conquest, shifting focus from external performance to internal refinement.
Contemporary Practice: The Art of Muhasabah
To actualize Quranic growth today, adopt Muhasabah (self-accounting). Each night, reflect: Did my branches (actions) align with my roots (values)? Prune one habit hindering your Tazkiyah. Nourish yourself with one act of spiritual feeding for tomorrow. True growth isn’t becoming “more” in worldly eyes, but becoming “pure” in divine sight—a transformation from ego-driven expansion to soul-centered ascension.
May we have the ability to receive the Divine Mercy and extend it to others!
With Duas,
Dr. Kirmani