Nature has been involved through spirit into matter, and evolves through different stages. Man is the result of the involution of spirit and the evolution of matter; the final effect of this cause is "self-realization", which means that the Knower arrives at that stage of perfection where He can know Himself...

'Thou art a mortal being,

And thou art the Eternal One;

Know thyself, through light of wisdom,

Except Thee there exists none.'

The human being is inherently capable of self-knowledge; but to know oneself means not only to know that one is John, Jacob, or Henry, or short, tail, or of normal height, or to know that one is good, bad, and so forth, but also

to know the mystery of one's existence, theoretically as well as practically:
to know what one is within oneself,
from whence and for what purpose one was born on earth;
whether one will live here forever, or if one's stay is short;
of what one is composed, and which attributes one possesses;
whether one belongs to angels, contemplating the beauties of God's nature, or if one belongs to the animals, who know nothing other than to eat, drink, and be merry; or whether one belongs to the devils.

It requires perfection in humanity to attain self-knowledge. To know that I am God, or we are gods, or to know that everything is a part of God, is not sufficient. Perfect realization can only be gained by passing through all the stages between man, the manifestation, and God, the only Being; knowing and realizing ourselves from the lowest to the highest point of existence, and so accomplishing the heavenly journey.

Vol. 5, A Sufi Message Of Spiritual Liberty

Self-knowledge

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Vol. 5, A Sufi Message Of Spiritual Liberty

Self-knowledge