Chapter Twelve: Foundations of Anthropology

Among the foundational elements of anthropology, the following critical aspects can be highlighted: talent identification and decision-making regarding one’s manifest talents and capacities; recognition of divine, primordial, genetic, and foundational prerequisites; assessment of willpower and the degree of its strength and resilience; evaluation of tolerance, resilience, and patience (equanimity); the flourishing of each bodily sense and the assessment of its intensity and weakness; and the capacity for precise comprehension, learning, intelligence, and active intellectual quotient.

Awareness and dedication to these matters, coupled with the necessary metrics for identifying talents and leveraging active intelligences, endow an individual with discernment, capacity assessment, the ability to navigate and orient themselves, and the accumulation of strength and capability for a healthy, natural life, bodily freedom, and possession of a roadmap and pathway to operationalize their unique divine mandate and distinctive abilities. A lack of awareness and insight into these aforementioned elements slows human progress, leading to weakness, stagnation, and ordinariness.

Talent assessment in psychometrics is conducted using tools such as intelligence and personality tests. Genetic and environmental factors play a role in shaping inclinations and behaviors. Willpower and self-regulation can be instrumental in either manifesting or restraining these inclinations and in transforming talent into effective performance.

Talent Recognition

In psychology and educational sciences, talent recognition is regarded as a process for identifying innate and acquired abilities. Awareness of talents facilitates personal growth and success, while neglect thereof can hinder flourishing. In their existential journey, individuals can, by focusing on more significant components, facilitate and accelerate their personal development and growth, which is inherently relative. Disregard for these critical elements leads to decline, sluggishness, lethargy, and stagnation in one’s earthly existence and natural lifespan. When these bodily components are clarified and activated, human growth gains quality and momentum, whereas neglecting them—elements that should be the purpose of life—renders an individual ordinary. One of the key areas for development is the discovery of talent.

Types of Talent

Talent encompasses innate endowments, internal capacities, parental influences, environmental factors, and societal conditions. Recognizing talent enables individuals to understand in which domains they naturally excel, which should be prioritized as life goals and lived fully to create a beautiful and fulfilling existence. Conversely, individuals should identify areas where they are slow, average, or ordinary, refraining from expending their worldly time and resources on these, as they should not define their life’s essence, lest they become dissatisfied and unfulfilled.

Talents can be innate (genetic) or acquired (environmental). Theories of multiple intelligences and successful intelligence emphasize the combined role of genetic and environmental factors. The concept of manifest talent aligns with dynamic growth theories.

Humans possess two categories of talent: proximate and distant, each accompanied by incentives or obstacles, and each bearing its own blessings, trials, and consequences. One must first identify proximate and distant talents, along with their motivating and destructive factors, incentives, obstacles, and trials. An individual who fails to recognize and nurture their natural and innate talent through willpower, purity, awareness, and passion will stagnate, becoming mired in various tensions, transforming a potential genius—or even one with proximate talent for divine realization—into a wasted individual.

Talent is of the nature of manifestation, possessing proximity and distance, interiority and exteriority, with its end, like its beginning, being actualization. Humans possess manifest talent, not potential talent. Potential talent is a mental abstraction arising from ignorance of talent’s outcome and lacks external realization. Manifest talent is a form of actualization, not potentiality, and is subject to degrees of intensity and weakness, thereby creating multiple mental abstractions. For instance, a person first has the talent to become a heart, then may progress to become a beloved or lover.

Unique Capacities

Every human possesses a unique, singular talent distinct from all others, meaning each individual is a relatively unique constellation of capacities and characteristics. Recognizing how an individual functions and enabling them to learn their specific role through mentor-guided approaches, and applying their unique function with trust in the Divine, facilitates, accelerates, and enhances their ability, in accordance with their developmental stage, to operationalize and realize their divine and providential mandate—the purpose of their distinct existence, inner identity, and personal philosophy. This renders them resilient, capable of broad and robust performance, truth-affirming, and endowed with physical, psychological, and spiritual health, making them a source of pride. Their life becomes imbued with joy, tranquility, and profound meaning.

Positive psychology and creativity theories emphasize the uniqueness of each individual’s abilities. Excessive imitative education can stifle creativity.

The Value of Unique and Creative Talents

Talent recognition is a pathway to facilitating the eruption of inner findings and the flourishing of creative and innovative capacities. The value of a human lies in their unique talents and the innovations and creativity that arise from within. One must first identify their prominent and influential traits and commit earnestly to accurate knowledge, sound thinking, empowerment of will, and virtuous action.

An individual’s endowments are either innate, expressed through creation and constituting their true identity, or acquired, narrating others’ endowments and conferring a dependent, inauthentic, and false identity. External inputs and acquired knowledge, gained through education and upbringing, can dominate the mind and heart, rendering a person’s content imitative, external, and dependent on others. In contrast, divine knowledge, revelation, inspiration, and other spiritual and heartfelt imports, as well as any invention, discovery, or innovation, are rooted in innate endowments. An individual’s value lies in these self-expressive endowments, independent of others.

Imitative education has a limited scope, and perpetual reliance on it is detrimental, alienating individuals from their identity, essence, and nature. Excessive focus on acquired matters nullifies and blinds one’s capacity for invention, discovery, and creativity, leaving them unable to discern who they are, thus losing their identity.

It must be noted that knowledge and awareness are a form of unveiling. The knower, in achieving mental awareness, does not place the known within themselves or their mind. The relationship between the knower, the known, and knowledge is not structured as a unity or merger between the knower and the external known, nor is there an object for such unity. Rather, mental knowledge and awareness are a tainted determination within the knower. If this determination aligns with the external reality and truth, it constitutes knowledge, and the knowing subject is united with this determination. The determination of knowledge reveals the degree and identity of the known, and the unity of the knower with their knowledge of the known is realized within this determination—a determination whose connection to the external is integral to the identity of knowledge. Mental knowledge without this connection ceases to be knowledge. Knowledge is present for the knowing subject, who creates the manifestation of knowledge within themselves rather than acquiring it. Mental knowledge is not the emergence of something external within the knowing subject or their mind. Knowledge lacks form, and the mind perceives meaning, but because this meaning possesses form outside the mind, the misconception arises that mental meaning has a mental form.

Knowledge possesses degrees of intensity and weakness, ranging from the rudimentary to the sublime. It has infinite determinations and, depending on the rigor and strength of its foundations, willpower, and devotion, it varies in strength, weakness, proximity, and distance, reaching the level of unity and merger. It can be mental knowledge or experiential knowledge with tangible effects. One can attain such supra-mental capacity to perceive phenomena directly, without the mediation of mentally constructed knowledge, arriving at the presence of tangible manifestation. In this case, the knowing subject can achieve tangible manifestation, particularly through acquired, conveyed, and divine awareness—the highest form of awareness—rather than mental knowledge, which is of the nature of meaning.

In this world, the knowing subject lacks access to many of their awarenesses, but in other realms, this is not the case, and they will be in communion with all their acquired and inherent knowledge, drawing sustenance from it. The nature of awareness and its consequences are discussed in the book Awareness and the Divine Human.

Talent Discovery

Talent discovery entails uncovering what an individual naturally is in a free environment, unburdened by suppression or oppression, rather than what they or others unreasonably and inappropriately expect of them. To recognize talent, one must meticulously and rigorously attend to dominant and prevailing traits without neglect.

The inner essence and soul of each individual shape their body and senses, with varying degrees of intensity and weakness in relation to each sense. One person may excel in olfactory perception, while another excels in visual perception. While divine oversight is uniform across manifestations, each individual’s mastery over their apparent and inner body and senses is not uniform, differing both within their own senses and in comparison to others. Each animal, similarly, possesses a distinctive and authoritative trait in one quality. This is because, in the journey from materiality to refinement and abstraction, or vice versa, from abstraction to materiality, the inner essence and soul of each individual connect to or transform into the body from a specific point. Upon death, the inner essence and soul depart from a unique point in each individual, not uniformly, but in a manner as distinct as their brain function, intelligence, or fingerprint. After death, the individual’s essence carries with it whatever it can from the body, rather than being entirely detached from it. Since each individual connects to their inner essence through a specific bodily point and sense, that sense, by virtue of this connection, possesses greater capability and power, constituting their point of strength, virtue, and dominant trait.

The Path and Natural Talent

The path and natural talent of each individual are qualitative and substantive, with knowledge as their content, and there is no end to their transformability. An individual’s natural talent and journey are characterized by two qualities: knowledge and awareness, and power and resilience, which enable unique transformation. This transformability ensures that the journey does not reach an impasse, and no ultimate destination is designated for it. A path with the capacity for transformation into the infinite divine words cannot have a terminus; it is an endless path that grants the individual eternal life with their Lord, who is both the owner of the path and ever-present with them. The individual is never alone nor ceases to exist. This implies that in this endless journey, one must seize the moment, value the present, and make the most of it. The boundlessness of the path underpins the philosophy of cherishing the moment and living in the present.

The path to felicity lies in aligning with the divine truth, discovering its mandates, and operationalizing them with love, satisfaction, and free will. One who is on the straight path of truth is upright wherever they are, seeking no ultimate goal and cherishing the moment. It is profoundly significant that both this world and the hereafter are but a single moment. If this moment is spent in love for the Divine, it takes on an infinite dimension; otherwise, it is squandered, resulting in deviation from the straight path of truth. The key is for the servant to be on the path of truth, and it matters not where on this path they stand, for they are with the Divine in communion with all phenomena collectively. The universe is managed collectively, and no one can pursue their guidance individually and in isolation. The movement of phenomena is collective, with all phenomena intertwined and functioning collectively with the Divine. Each phenomenon moves with existence and all its phenomena, and no one can seek guidance on a unique path of truth in isolation. If other phenomena deviate from the straight path, the individual, influenced by them, will also encounter disruptions, errors, and deviations. This influence may stem from predecessors, from thoughts that inspire or deter action, or from the effects of past individuals’ deeds.

The theory of collective and communal action posits that the servant is a manifestation of the Divine, and the Divine is the agent of the servant’s manifestation and expression. In the true agent, there is no separation from the act, and in the exercise of authority, the servant is the manifestation of the Divine act, and the Divine act is subject to the servant’s power. The act of the servant and the Divine, or their subjection to the will and power of both, is not in a “ruler-ruled,” “essential-accidental,” or “longitudinal-transversal” relationship, but is free from separation, mixture, otherness, or unity, being collectively and intricately interwoven. The relationship between the Divine and the servant’s act in the context of the servant’s obligations is such that the servant is nothing but a manifestation of the Divine act, as is their essence, and all are manifestations and expressions of the Divine act. All actions of phenomena are a facet of the Divine’s knowledge, authority, and other names and attributes, subject to the servant’s knowledge, power, desire, will, aim, and purpose, without entailing separation, duality, determinism, or delegation, for there is only one essence that operates in every manifestation.

It is not the case that the servant lacks knowledge and authority, or that the Divine is distant from the servant’s act. It is the Divine who, in the foundation of His most perfect active system, has placed human action under His bestowed knowledge and discretion, establishing obligation, reward, merit, and consequence, without attributing the act entirely to the servant. Every act has numerous causal and direct factors, and an individual’s action depends on many factors, with the individual ultimately and directly becoming the agent of its manifestation. From an ordinary and apparent perspective, the act is attributed to the direct agent, though the ultimate agent has been accompanied by prior factors enabling them to become the agent of the act. Ancestry, parents, food, environment, time, means, individual and collective traits, society, people, tribe, nation, race, and genetics, up to the sublime principles and the Divine, all play a fully interwoven, integrated, and collective role in the realization of even a single small act.

It must be said that the nature and talent of every entity move autonomously and systemically, with satisfaction and contentment, in an unstoppable manner inherent to each manifestation, though the manifestation lacks an independent essence. Manifestation does not arise in stillness; the Divine’s life, consciousness, and movement bring it into being, and manifestation emerges with this life, consciousness, movement, and the warmth resulting from this journey and the ensuing love. Movement is an essential and inseparable attribute of conscious life, extending in all directions. Stillness has no place in any manifestation, though manifestation possesses stability, which itself arises from and is sustained by movement. The Divine, in movement with manifestation, does not engage in interaction or transaction, as manifestation lacks an independent essence to perform an autonomous act. However, in a manifest and collective manner, it is effective in every movement, and all manifestations move and function together. The movement of manifestation arises from within it, and manifestations can generate movement through mutual attraction and absorption. Movement, like the Divine, possesses personal identity and unity, not a generic or categorical unity.

Movement neither culminates in stillness nor leads to contradiction or conflict, though it may result in opposition or incompatibility. Thus, knowledge and power can guide volitional movements toward a path and direction. The movement and journey of each manifestation follow a circuit determined by the strength, measure, and grace it has received and the power arising therefrom. Power is the active volitional capacity to perform or abstain from something, guided by knowledge and devotion. Thus, awareness and will are two critical components of power.

The circuit of knowledge and devotion directs the capacity for attraction, absorption, and active realization, granting it a path and movement. The greater one’s power and capacity, the stronger their manifestation, the broader the horizon of their growth, and the higher their dignity. It is crucial that the possessor of power performs the best, most necessary, beneficial, and virtuous act, not merely a good or beneficial one. Sin and corruption involve obstructing, impeding, or diverting the natural and free path of any phenomenon in the collective and relative earthly system. Since this system is collective, the consequences of sin—especially major sins like oppression—affect everyone, and no one can remain indifferent to it. Minor sins, realized in a collective system, render it endless, particularly since nothing is lost, destroyed, annulled, voided, perishable, or finite, but is transformed to the zenith or nadir, and a phenomenon can traverse all realms. Society, too, is sanctified by a policy of focusing on performing the best act, not just any good act.

Power requires legitimacy to ensure that the movement arising from it is natural. Volitional power, along with other conditions, is the basis for religious obligation, as discussed in the book Management and Divine Policy.

In any case, the path of human talent is infinite, aligned with innate dispositions, divine judgment, the individual’s and their ancestors’ actions, and their ordained measure, accepting a fitting state in every moment without the slightest disruption. The consequence of the natural path of phenomena lacking a destination is that every human can enjoy love in the present by adopting the correct path and divine mandate, leaving the outcomes of actions to the Divine, a matter pertaining to the future and divine providence. The Divine performs His work with love, managing destinies, measurements, and accounts. The owner of the path is on the path, never abandoning any phenomenon in any opportunity or predicament, not even for a moment, and the Divine cares for His servant in the best manner in every state. The servant must find and adhere to the divine path and mandate, and the destination is this very path—a path where the owner is present, both as the journey and the destination in relative terms, with every moment being an encounter. The moment must be cherished, not the past that is gone nor the future that is beyond the servant’s control, and no phenomenon can have the final word.

In the Divine’s collective accounting system, no one is questioned beyond what they have been given. The Divine inquires of each according to what He has bestowed. All phenomena are manifestations of the Divine’s uniqueness and are precious to Him, and each is questioned according to what they have been given. Beyond what is given and the fulfillment of the mandates the Divine requires, there is no felicity.

Each manifestation has a unique journey and a fresh divine grace, which shapes the degree, capacity, determination, difference, and distinction of manifestations and their nature. The ever-renewed nature of manifestation and its freshness reflect the perfection and beauty of the system, both in its entirety and in all its details. Thus, the destructions in this world are a consequence of its freshness, establishing balance and equilibrium. The current earthly realm of lesser beings and humans possesses minimal perfection and salvation, abundant evils, and a disconnection from their divine and providential nature and talent. Yet, this system, when considered alongside the distant future of the earthly realm, the period of return, the hereafter, other realms, and especially the creation of the divine beloved, is altogether perfect and beautiful. The earthly realm of future humans and the period of return constitutes a system of maximal perfection and the fullest flourishing of talent. Evil arises in manifestation and at the level of creation, and the Divine, who is pure goodness, is not the source of evil. Evil emerges at the earthly level of creation and in divine measure. Given the vastness of the realms, the evils of the earthly realm are minimal in comparison, akin to a mole on a beautiful face that enhances its beauty.

Optimal Time for Talent Identification

The optimal time for recognizing talent is childhood, when a child is free from sensual desires, concerns about employment, income, or social status, unencumbered by instincts or assaulted by diverse whims, and unburdened by the worries of sustenance. First, it must be determined whether the child has the potential to be among the beloved or the lovers and whether they can be a genius. Developmental psychology confirms that the early years of childhood are critical for identifying and nurturing talents, as the brain exhibits high plasticity during this period.

Children are capable of formal education from the age of three. It is preferable for preschool to begin at three, with some children ready for education as early as two. Unfortunately, even a child with the best predispositions may have their self-discovery halted due to pervasive impurities and uncontrolled obstacles. Self-care for a child at this age involves expressing what they hear and see, what they can perceive, and what insights they gain, rather than being fed rote knowledge. Each individual opens and develops in their own way: one through prayer and mandated worship, another through need, financial charity, and aiding God’s creation, another through drawing near to the Divine and His dependents, and some through a combination of these. Through such a lifestyle and conduct, a person can attain divine recognition, discerning what aligns with and draws them closer to the Divine, manifesting divine countenance and tranquility, and what is incompatible, distancing them from the Divine and causing stress and pressure.

A human possesses a physical, material body that can be preserved and elevated to the realm of abstraction, meaning the material body has the capacity to transform into abstraction and utilize all the effects and possibilities of abstraction, particularly spiritual life and knowledge of truths, methodically and through its unique scientific path.

If talent recognition and the methods of talent discovery are not scientific and non-commercial, and if an individual lacks optimal awareness of their talents, their choices will not align with their free nature, leading to frustration, dissatisfaction, and entanglement in various deviations.

Every individual must recognize their capacities and talents and their scope to nurture them correctly, transforming them into capabilities and successful, felicitous, and divinely acceptable manifestations.

Personal Flourishing and Talent Discovery

Foundations of Personal Flourishing

Personal flourishing and individual growth commence with personality assessment, self-knowledge, self-awareness, and talent identification. These elements enable the prediction of an individual’s academic and professional performance, as well as compatibility in spousal selection. Consequently, talent identification and the recognition of one’s capacities are fundamental components of personal flourishing.

Talent is a composite of divine predispositions, genetic factors, and upbringing, which constructs a natural, recurring, and discernible pattern of thought, emotion, and behavior for an individual. Attending to these patterns facilitates and accelerates personal flourishing, success, contentment, and satisfaction.

The inner essence and heart of each individual are molded upon specific inclinations, endowed with innate and divinely bestowed interests that reside in their subconscious. These pre-existing inclinations are termed “predispositions.” Predispositions are tendencies that generate specific attractions within an individual but do not possess complete causality in their realization. Should an individual endeavor to overcome obstacles, these predispositions and talents can be actualized. Conversely, through free will and personal decisions, an individual may prevent their actualization.

Predispositions give rise to motivations and inclinations within the subconscious, fostering an affinity for certain matters or individuals. These interests, if stable and not transient, imposed, or external, but rather originating from within and focused upon, can serve as a conduit for engaging with phenomena aligned with one’s nature, a gateway for the emergence of inner capacities, and a means to receive energies from akin phenomena. The hallmark of these pre-existing predispositions is that, in pursuing and benefiting from them, the individual feels as though they are moving in harmony with their nature—a nature their subconscious craves. The attainment of these interests brings joy, satisfaction, and tranquility, with no sense of struggle, hardship, or internal conflict during the journey.

One must recognize their inner desires, honor their interests and aspirations, value their hopes, and hold their goals in high esteem. By identifying divinely bestowed talents, one should seek their flourishing. True love and sincerity toward oneself lie in recognizing one’s ultimate desire and pursuing and living that desire, which constitutes one’s natural self and authentic identity.

If an individual fails to attain their ultimate desires, and aspirations remain unfulfilled for any reason, the weight and stress of these unattainable desires shorten one’s lifespan. The discovery and flourishing of talents enhance the quality of life, embodying the pursuit of becoming one’s best self and fostering the creation, preservation, and enhancement of mental well-being in an environment of freedom, autonomy, and personal satisfaction.

The failure to discover talents equates to a lack of meaning in life, disinterest, lack of enjoyment, squandering of precious opportunities and time in the material realm, irresponsibility, and entanglement in weak emotions and crises. While constructive crises and unique circumstances may peel away layers to reveal hidden capacities, this does not imply the negation of an individual’s freedom, autonomy, or satisfaction. Personal development should, as far as possible, occur in a free and voluntary environment, driven by the individual’s interest and pleasure, with each person pursuing work they love. Coerced or obligatory tasks yield no growth or development.

Talent Assessment

To assess talents, one must examine their knowledge, attitudes, motivations, experiences, behaviors, skills, competencies, goals, analyses, memories, mental and emotional insights, and consistent choices—particularly in selecting books—in a secluded environment through introspection and self-reflection. One should consider what tasks they have performed effortlessly and without expectation of reward over time, during practice, effort, and learning, and under varying conditions; in which areas they have demonstrated proficiency; and in which they have lacked capacity or competence. Not every talent translates into a corresponding ability, and while talent is directly correlated with interest, not every interest necessarily indicates talent. Skills in an area of interest may be developed peripherally or recreationally, but not as the core of one’s life, supplanting true talent.

To identify talent, one must discover their ultimate, authentic desire—the one to which all other desires and aspirations converge. This is a desire for which the individual harbors profound love and devotion, willingly investing all their resources without condition and with complete satisfaction.

An individual should reflect on what they have consistently desired over the years and where they have aspired to arrive. Clarifying desires and identifying the ultimate desire is a challenging task. To approach this ultimate desire, one should list their enduring and permanent aspirations, hopes, dreams, and desires, distinguishing them from short-term or temporary ones. Then, prioritize the most significant desires over those of lesser importance, setting aside the unimportant, and reduce all desires to a single, core desire, delving into the depth and root of all desires to arrive at this singular aspiration. To achieve this desire, one must focus solely on it, speak of it positively and powerfully, think of it with authority, and exclude extraneous considerations to prevent negation from overriding this affirmative boundary.

To recognize one’s foundational talent and essence, one must discern which divine attributes (asma) predominate within them: attributes of beauty (jamali), majesty (jalali), or perfection (kamali). One should identify which attributes they connect with most intimately and find pleasing, and which they feel averse or indifferent toward, lacking a sense of closeness or affinity. Ultimately, one must determine which attributes govern their inner essence, which behaviors and actions they consistently find agreeable and have successfully pursued, which foods align with their taste and preferences, and which do not. This process aids in identifying their dominant traits.

Childhood Fears and Negative Suggestions

Selecting and discerning authentic desires and aspirations aligned with one’s inner essence and background is often buried beneath deep layers, requiring time and skill to uncover through inner exploration.

Attention must be paid to authoritarianism, domination, control, suppression, surveillance, judgment, and the infusion of various anxieties and fears, such as fear of disgrace or destruction, fear of threats and intimidation, fear of orphanhood or loss of support, fear of death and the system of posthumous reward and punishment, and fear of exposure of past wrongdoings. Particular emphasis should be placed on childhood fears, such as fear of darkness, discrimination, patriarchal oppression, tyranny of ill-wishers, and various phobias, all of which hinder creativity and new experiences.

Childhood phobias are exaggerated, intense, unrealistic, and irrational fears that lead a child to avoid specific, fear-inducing situations. Childhood fears are a significant factor in obstructing talent identification, self-discovery, and recognition of inner capacities, fostering tendencies toward hypocrisy, pretense, and concealment of the true self, resulting in stress and pressure. A child burdened by these fears cannot express their authentic self, which may lead to diminished academic performance and impaired social interactions.

A child’s subconscious, highly receptive to suggestion, may internalize fear-inducing messages from distorted, overly ritualistic religious authorities or negative upbringing, which imprint upon the child’s inner essence. If a child accepts that they are unworthy of a particular position—be it divine paradise or a pure spiritual path—they will never pursue it.

During childhood, the mind unconsciously reacts to repeatedly negative words, and in similar situations, these discouraging and disheartening messages resurface, prompting decisions that undermine personality and talent based on negative input.

Identifying talents is particularly challenging for individuals caught in the throes of desires or suppressed by dominant forces, as distinguishing genuine, authentic desires from false, imposed ones is complex and obscure for such individuals.

Fear can contribute to certain cardiac and neurological incidents and, in some cases, resultant deaths. Fear stems from inner attributes and the self. It can be moderated and managed through consistent exercise and the use of cold and very hot water, depending on the body’s tolerance.

Fear can also be a factor in obesity and weight gain.

Flow and the Joy of Work

An individual must discern which activities they genuinely love, where the work itself holds intrinsic value, and from which they derive pleasure and satisfaction without instrumental motives or expectation of external rewards. They should identify experiences of flow, immersion, complete focus, and full physical, mental, and inner engagement with the task, as well as their values—what brings them satisfaction, a sense of security, and inner peace, and what feels discordant, distressing, or imposed, learned only with difficulty.

Does the individual have the capacity for every preference, or are some preferences beyond their ability, indicating priorities that must be discovered rather than imposed? Furthermore, they should ascertain the extent of their intellectual or technical aptitude: which knowledge they acquire quickly, easily, and in a short time; which skills they have learned through perseverance and difficulty; which tasks they quickly forget upon abandoning; and which have a lasting, stable impact. What are their long-term positive and negative capabilities, and what are the deep competencies and psychological attributes they possess?

Particular attention should be given to childhood interests and activities—games, drawings, stories, and legends they created, friends they had, and aspirations and desires from that period, which hold special significance.

Such insights are gained through a deep study of an individual’s lifestyle at any age, determining whether their unique lifestyle has been satisfying and forward-looking or whether they have lived with bitterness and hardship, unable to utilize their capacities or achieve their chosen goals, aspirations, and dreams. Has the individual invested all or only part of their effort and time in realizing a particular capability?

Given the complexity of human nature, if someone has expended all their effort in mastering a subject, such as succeeding in the conventional education system or even attaining professorship in higher education, this does not necessarily indicate they possessed talent for it. Even if successful, following a path others have trodden or achieving a socially desirable status through learned aspirations may come at the cost of squandering their broader human capacities, true talents, and creativity. By fixating on a single, coerced task or social position, or pursuing comfort that stifles talent and weakens drive, they create self-imposed barriers to personal development, values, aspirations, and the realization of suitable structures or careers they could have pursued.

Among the sources for understanding an individual’s truth and inner layers are their speech and writings, which reflect their psyche and inner essence and provide a pathway to effective communication with them.

The inner structure of each individual has the potential for external manifestation. Accordingly, external actions are expressions of the inner structure and its symbols, and it is this inner identity and truth that take the form of deeds, words, and behaviors. By examining one’s consistent actions, one can discern their true identity and essence.

Recognition of Divine Attributes and Root Identity

Every phenomenon, including humanity and its inner essence, is a manifestation of divine attributes and names. Until these attributes and names are understood through the knowledge of divine names and attributes, their manifestations and determinations—such as the human essence and its disposition as beloved, lover, or ordinary—remain unrecognized.

Further elaboration on the beloved is forthcoming. The true and inherent beloved, referred to in Surah Al-Fatiha as “those upon whom You have bestowed favor” (an‘amta ‘alayhim), are those to whom God has granted absolute favor, even personal unity and realization of their truth, without any title, acquired effort, or study, purely as a divine gift. The phrase “You have bestowed favor upon them” signifies this. The seekers of guidance, namely the lovers, follow their path and are considered among the guided, as mentioned in Surah Al-Fatiha with the verse “Guide us” (ihdina). Their guidance is contingent upon following those favored, and they reap provisions based on their obedient efforts. The verse “And that a person shall have only what they strive for” (Qur’an 53:39) pertains to these lovers.

In contrast to the beloved are the accursed, whose followers are the misguided, introduced as “those who have gone astray” (ad-dallin). Among the accursed, those of the coffin (tabut) are dominated by evil. Predominant and pervasive evil in the material realm is a relative and collective predisposition. The accursed of the coffin and the infernal record (sijjin), through their worldly will and actions, shape their infernal destiny, with no determinism imposed upon them. This underscores the significance of the material realm and the profound impact of worldly actions and their record across all realms, with their consequences distributed accordingly. Worldly deeds are performed collectively and communally. The realm of obligation is solely this world.

By recognizing the categories of God’s servants, one can locate oneself and determine their group: whether among the favored and beloved, the accursed and enemies of God’s beloved, the guided on the paths or the straight path and friends of God’s beloved, or the misguided and followers of the accursed. Given the infinite transformability of every path, the way remains open for both the guided and the misguided. With the slightest laxity, neglect, or oversight, one who is guided may slip and plummet toward the misguided, descending so far that no uplifting force can reach them.

The beloved are either true or proximate. The true beloved are wholly beloved, harboring no desires, expectations, or demands, and at the moment of conception, they are fully realized, arrived, and connected. They live with pure love and bear afflictions, unlike the proximate beloved, who possess traces of the beloved but are lovers, requiring effort under a mentor’s guidance to realize their beloved qualities.

The proximate beloved are divided into two main groups: beloved lovers and lovers of the beloved. Beloved lovers are those in whom beloved qualities predominate, while lovers of the beloved are primarily characterized by lover qualities. The latter seek only a fleeting glance or vision, content with that alone, withdrawing in the face of afflictions and unwilling to endure harm or pursue absolute truth, as they lack the capacity to bear the corresponding pains and injuries.

Distinguishing lover from beloved qualities becomes more complex when it is understood that every individual with a lover or ordinary structure has an inherent beloved aspect, which can be uncovered and refined through trials, ascetic discipline under a mentor, and readiness to bear afflictions. Even in the beloved, there is a trace of lover qualities. This ensures no disparity in God’s creation, upholding justice: “You will not see any discrepancy in the creation of the Most Merciful. So return your vision; do you see any flaw?” (Qur’an 67:3).

Judgments about individuals cannot be made lightly, and attention must be paid to their inner layers, which may endow them with exceptional qualities. Every phenomenon contains infinite layers that manifest and recede. For instance, Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him) is a lover prophet whose monotheism is beloved, while Prophet Adam (peace be upon him) is among the beloved but possesses lover qualities, being without father or mother and not born of a seed, rendering him simple and credulous, easily led astray by Satan.

One criterion for distinguishing lover and beloved qualities is the effort expended to acquire them. Lover qualities are attained through effort and toil, while beloved qualities are bestowed. Some knowledge is a divine gift, acquired without toil, while other knowledge is limited and dependent on laborious study, memorization, and practice. The quality of being a lover or beloved is unrelated to disbelief or faith; even a heretic may be granted beloved knowledge and guide others within that scope.

It is crucial for each individual to recognize the type of quality inherent within them and follow the natural or specific path bestowed upon them. Developing a measurable test to assess lover and beloved qualities, akin to talent identification tests, is of great importance. This recognition should begin in childhood to ensure the child is nurtured on their unique path, avoiding misdirection and the squandering of their life, opportunities, and talents.

Discovering one’s natural path and understanding its nature and foundation serves as a launchpad. In the turbulent and chaotic material realm, it is essential to avoid wandering in incompatible and unsuitable byways.

The Path to Divine Recognition: The Way of Knowing the Lord

Introduction to the Recognition of the Lord

The most wholesome and direct path to attaining proximity to the Exalted Truth lies in the recognition of the individual’s unique Lord, achieved through a direct alignment of the conscious self with the innate, primordial subconscious. By discerning the Name of the Lord (Rabb), one can attain authenticity, true selfhood, and natural fulfillment. The journey toward authenticity, satisfaction, and success for each individual is realized through the discovery of their specific Lord and the recognition of their distinctive talents.

The Practice of Invoking the Lord’s Name

Initially, one may adopt the simple invocation of the Name of the Lord, reciting “O Lord, O Lord, O Lord” (Ya Rabb, Ya Rabb, Ya Rabb). Subsequently, the individual’s appropriate and divinely ordained Name is combined with the Name of the Lord and invoked. Through such intimacy and invocation, the Name of the Lord becomes a constant companion, never abandoning the individual, serving as an eternal refuge in this world and the hereafter. Gradually, the individual reaches a state where a single utterance of “O Lord” can summon all divine Names, attaining the station of detailed divine Names in a state of wordless communion. In this state, all phenomena recognize the individual, and the individual recognizes all phenomena. Here, multiplicity is unified through love, enabling the individual to become a guiding pole for other phenomena due to their expansive love and openness. This method of spiritual wayfaring and invocation is the path of God’s beloved ones. The beloved’s approach brings the invoker into intimacy with the Name suited to them, placing them in the presence of that Name and allowing them to benefit from its proximity and companionship.

Self-Knowledge and the Path to God

The path of self-knowledge and recognition of one’s essence leads to the discovery of one’s origin and manifestor, namely the divine Names and Attributes associated with the individual. There is no way to reach God (Allah) except through the recognition of the Lord, as each individual is a manifestation and embodiment of their Lord, and proximity to the Lord is proximity to the Exalted Truth.

In the secondary manifestation and the station of unity (wahidiyyah), God reveals Himself through the Name of the Lord for the sake of His grace and creation. The Name of the Lord is the manifestation of unity for all phenomena. In the station of unity, through an abstract vision, each Name is seen as identical to another, and the Exalted Truth, with the diverse visages of the divine Names, reveals and conceals Himself repeatedly, engaging in a divine interplay with the servant, granting them divine lordship. Each visage is none other than the Exalted Truth, the visage of all phenomena, enduring and stable, with every visage deriving its permanence from that divine visage.

Divine Manifestation and Emanation

Divine manifestation occurs either in the station of the Essence (ahadiyyah dhatiyyah, the most sacred and exalted emanation) or in the station of Attributes (wahidiyyah asma’iyyah, the sacred emanation). The Exalted Truth actualizes and individuates each manifestation according to the degree of His descent and manifestation, granting it, in a permissive sense, capacity and potential. Each manifestation is defined and individuated by the degree of the Exalted Truth’s descent, not by its inherent capacity. This secondary manifestation, based on divine descent, is termed the sacred emanation (fayd muqaddas). The most sacred emanation (fayd aqdas) establishes the degree, while the sacred emanation actualizes the perfections and realities of that degree.

The individuation and distinctiveness of each manifestation belong to the manifestation itself, with every phenomenon being inherently distinct from another. Each manifestation is unique. Moreover, every phenomenon is the expression of its fixed archetype (ayn thabit) in a contingent manner, actualizing its inherent requisites. Nothing exists outside divine manifestation, nor is anything other than the contingent expression of its fixed archetype, except for the essential beloved ones, who are necessary to the Essence and non-contingent.

In this context, one must not confuse the manifestations of the manifestor with the degrees of manifested grace and creation. Humanity is the manifested manifestation of the Exalted Truth. The realms of divine grace are realized through the human being. The first manifestation of the Exalted Truth is the human spirit within the structure of expansive grace, with subsequent manifestations being the descent of humanity.

The Singular Path to God

The paths to reaching the Exalted Truth are not manifold or diverse; there is but one path, the Straight Path (sirat mustaqim). However, what unifies this path is its essence, which is the truth of knowing the Lord. The way to recognizing and attaining God (Allah) is singular, namely the path of knowing the Lord. Yet, the Lord is not singular, as each individual has a unique and specific Lord, and it is the Lord of each phenomenon that guides all phenomena to God, the Blessed and Exalted.

Every individual has a God, the Lord of the Worlds, and a specific, personal Lord who is their “Rabb.” There is no page in the Noble Qur’an that does not mention the Name of the Lord. The Name of the Lord draws each phenomenon toward its unique perfection through love. This drawing is the pull of love itself. Every phenomenon follows its Lord by its own inclination. The Lord is the nurturer who is ever-present with His nurtured one, never abandoning them for a moment, holding their hand perpetually.

Discovering the Name of the Lord

To recognize the Name of the Lord, one must examine their actions and innate attributes, discerning the Lord’s specific pull through the persistent inclinations toward certain divine Names, which generate efforts aligned with the individual’s divine requisites. Talent discovery is akin to Lord-recognition. Attention to divine Names and their connection to one’s interests or enduring lifestyle can be effective in identifying talents. Studying the Jawshan Kabir supplication, recited during the Nights of Power and containing one thousand Names of God, and focusing on Names that resonate with the individual’s desires and lifestyle, provides a model for talent identification.

To discern an individual’s talents, one must identify their natural and acquired, manifest and hidden attributes. For instance, is the individual inherently courageous or timid, generous or stingy, ordinary, comfort-seeking or resilient, noble, free-spirited, and chivalrous, or cunning, deceitful, and opportunistic? Are they rigid and tribalistic, or open and expansive? Do they naturally adhere to modesty or ethics, or do they do so due to social norms, legal constraints, or religious recommendations? The critical factor is the individual’s innate attributes, which exist freely, independent of law, religion, or custom. Through these, one can recognize the Name of the Lord, search for their characteristics within the divine Names, and find the Name that aligns with their essence. By discovering their divine station, the individual avoids confusion, aimlessness, and engagement in activities misaligned with their creational identity, thus preventing deviation. Otherwise, individuals pursue endeavors harmful to them, leading to unnatural failures, despair, and dissatisfaction despite all opportunities, rendering life bitter and unfulfilling.

Tracing One’s Roots

Every individual has a root and origin that must be recognized, referred to here as their foundational and essential identity. To understand one’s true and fundamental identity, one must study and investigate their parents and ancestors or undergo genetic testing to uncover their prominent or negative traits and states. This allows one to determine the extent to which they inherit these traits and states. Discovering one’s ancestral roots brings the individual closer to their natural identity, enabling them to discern whether they may belong to the ranks of geniuses, beloved ones, or devotees, or whether they stem from ordinary and typical roots.

Psychological and Inner Attributes

To recognize the Name of the Lord and one’s true self, one must first identify their psychological and inner attributes, such as resilience, aggression, passivity, stinginess, ill-temper, or good-naturedness. Next, these qualities and truths must be correlated with divine Names to approach the Name that aligns with one’s temperament and attributes. For example, does the individual align with “The Expander” (Basit) or “The Compeller” (Jabbar), “The Subtle” (Latif) or “The Decisive” (Qati‘)? Furthermore, one must consider whether these inner attributes are general or specific. For instance, if “The Expander” suits them, is it so expansive as to align with The Expander within The Merciful (Rahman), or is it within The Provider (Razzaq)? If aligned with “The Decisive,” is it within “The Compeller” or “The Subduer” (Qami‘)? That is, is their expansiveness or decisiveness minor, moderate, or exalted? The same applies to contraction and majesty.

Orders Governing Humanity

Individuals, by their natural creation and disposition, are governed by three orders: the order of bodily temperament, the prior and posterior requisites of creational attributes and the Lord, and the divine secret and life. The latter order pertains to the connection between the former two and the divine command. The divine command and lordly life possess an orderly and valid motion, but the prior two motions may become unnatural, disordered, unhealthy, or weak, resulting in a misalignment between the individual’s conscious self and their natural, innate subconscious. This disharmony or weakness may stem from the Name of the Lord and the divine command or be unrelated, arising from the temperament or requisites themselves. In discovering the Name of the Lord and adhering to its invocation, attention is given to this characteristic.

One must consider attributes such as faith or disbelief, devotion or heedlessness, poverty or wealth, courage or fear, sociability or incompatibility, and whether an individual has solely pursued God to be among the beloved, or not. Recognizing these roots reveals the individual’s talents, the strength of their will, and the extent of their sensibility and intelligence.

Consequences of Knowing the Lord’s Name

One who recognizes their Lord’s Name and fosters intimacy with it gains two insights: first, the actions and matters essential to their life that they must undertake; second, the matters they must avoid and strenuously distance themselves from, as engaging with them is harmful and dangerous. For example, white clothing may align with one’s inner inclinations and taste, bringing joy, while for another, it may be tiresome and dull. One individual must focus solely on religious knowledge and pursuits, as worldly trade and endeavors yield no benefit or joy, while another must engage in commerce, wealth accumulation, and worldly prosperity.

An individual who aligns their actions with their Lord’s Name finds joy in their occupation and embraces its challenges. Such a person would never abandon their work, even if it yields modest income, as it resonates with them and feels fitting. Conversely, someone whose inner disposition does not find joy in knowledge, despite its sweetness, cannot endure the rigors of study or research. Such an individual should not be coerced into academic pursuits. Recognizing what is suitable and unsuitable allows one to discern the path of growth and avoid its pitfalls.

One who fosters intimacy with the Lord’s Name and makes it their hidden, inner invocation finds their life orchestrated by their Lord, who guides them comprehensively toward righteousness, endowing them with divine and lordly strength. The relationship with the Lord’s Name becomes one of lover and beloved.

Emulating the Lord’s Name

The station of emulating the Lord’s Name is profoundly demanding and requires a prolonged process, demanding patience, endurance, and the bearing of tribulations. Yet, despite its challenges, this path is the most expedient and proximate, as in this beloved approach, the Lord Himself becomes the guide and companion of the invoker, leading them to their destined station while remaining by their side. In contrast, in the devotee’s approach, the Lord operates at the level of action, addressing the invoker’s immediate needs, desires, and obstacles according to their capacity, with the invoker’s focus on themselves and their wants rather than on their Lord and His signs and decrees.

The endeavor to discover the Lord’s Name enables one to uncover their essence and foundational roots, understanding how their interests, talents, and abilities translate into efficacy and to what extent their capacity for monotheism and divine guardianship allows them to stand firm in truth and righteousness. One must engage in solitude, delving into the hidden layers and depths of their being to discern their ultimate essence. They must identify which divine Names govern them and what constitutes their core and central essence. This core is the Lord’s Name, the ultimate truth to which all aspects of the individual converge, the truth for which one must dedicate their life. The Lord’s Name is an external reality with which the individual’s attributes and characteristics harmonize. One must find this creational mark and grasp the essence of their interests and tastes to reach their ultimate point. Spiritual wayfaring without recognizing the Lord’s Name lacks meaning and leads to aimlessness and identity loss.

Each human being possesses a distinct truth and secret unique from others. For instance, the secret of a figure like Khidr lies in his authoritative, divine intervention in the world, such as piercing a ship, while the secret of another, like Luqman, lies not in such actions but in piercing hearts with sharp, incisive, and eloquent words, revealing his secret through speech, as Khidr’s secret is manifest in his actions. One may possess a radiant hand or life-giving breath, while another holds the comprehensive and conclusive station.

One who invokes their Lord’s Name sustains spiritual nourishment, relying less on physical sustenance and deriving greater strength and power from their Lord. Such an individual experiences less hunger, fewer whims, and a heart that rarely complains, with reasonable expectations. They seldom tire, feel burdened, or become entangled, and any difficulties they encounter are not overly taxing, with great tasks appearing small. Thus, invoking the Lord’s Name entails no contraction, and the invoker remains in a state of expansion. Through this invocation, the invoker gains breadth, achieving an expansive scope where contraction no longer resides in their inner or outer being, and expansion becomes ingrained.

Neglecting the discovery of the Lord’s Name and failing to invoke it breeds turbidity, arrogance, pride, lethargy, instability, obsession, and bewilderment, rendering the individual more susceptible to psychological and inner afflictions.

The Method of Prayer, Need, and Affection

Discovering the Lord’s Name and one’s true desires and selfhood rests on three fundamental principles: prayer, need, and affection (naz). This distinctive method of spiritual wayfaring equips the individual with the ability to harness divine and phenomenal powers, enabling them to win the hearts of God and phenomena, including their own inner self, and to satisfy God.

Prayer signifies servitude, need entails aiding God’s creation, and affection involves drawing affection from the Exalted Truth by embracing hardships and tribulations, maintaining positive outlooks on afflictions, enduring the harms of creation, and being content with them. This method expands the heart for empathy and harmony with most phenomena, fostering expansiveness and serving as a path to divine proximity and God’s satisfaction. The heart realizes that no phenomenon or manifestation constricts its living space, as every manifestation offers boundless space for infinite life.

To master the art of pleasing God, one must first adopt a divine disposition, seeking God from God alone and not attaching the heart to anything other than God. Emulating God means pursuing truth and standing firm in it. One who stands steadfastly in truth upholds the dignity of creation. Emulating and resembling the Exalted Truth means aligning with the Truth and acting divinely with God.

Every matter related to the realm of meaning and metaphysics rests on these three spiritual pillars: prayer, need (the capacity for giving and sacrifice), and affection. One who engages in worship must, in proportion, address their own needs and those of the world’s phenomena. Feeding a helpless animal and nurturing it, providing sustenance for desert ants, insects like cockroaches or worms, or tending to flowers, trees, shrubs, cleaning roads, tidying gardens, washing restrooms, securing a loose nail, cleaning a dirty table, repairing a damaged road, or caring for a sick person and meeting their needs cultivates inner strength.

Prayer, worship, and invocation focus on attending to the Exalted Truth and establishing a connection with God, while need and provision honor phenomena and address their needs in their divine aspect. However, drawing affection is a hidden, esoteric matter, surpassing all in the hierarchy of spiritual knowledge. Drawing affection is the pinnacle of monotheism and unity. Helping a phenomenon constitutes “need,” while caressing it is drawing affection. Sometimes, a phenomenon is honored, but it lacks affection; others may break honor and respect with disrespect, and the ability to draw affection from them in such states is profoundly significant. Drawing affection from an adversary through divine grace is immensely weighty, surpassing sacrifice and reaching the realm of love.

Prayer and Obligatory Worship

One condition of invocation is maintaining obligatory worship toward the Exalted Truth. Obligatory worship entails perpetual servitude to God through the consistent execution of His decrees. Servitude to God means inclining toward Him, standing in His presence, and accepting His decrees directly, without intermediaries. Thus, servitude and worship are the natural and wholesome progression along the orbit of divine dispositions and natures, a movement immune to excess, deficiency, transgression, or affliction, oriented toward the Lordly countenance. If this progression is natural, each individual resides in their own domain, guarding their abode with love, based on their natural and inherent freedom, finding themselves as lovers, not as compelled agents or contented obligated beings. Such an individual does not encroach upon others, and their love and affection are not merely creational but stem from their natural progression and divine disposition, neither imposing obligation nor claiming entitlement.

Obligatory worship signifies servitude to the Exalted Truth. Servitude means placing oneself in divine bondage and steadfastly maintaining this bond. Servitude is surrender to God. Worship and prayer mean the servant is solely the servant of the Truth, and servitude is exclusively for the Blessed and Exalted Truth, performed solely through divine strength and aid. Worship must be for God alone, and at the very least, divine assistance must be sought in this worship. That is, God is served through divine strength, and the intrusion of anything external, particularly egoism or selfhood—whether through multiplying the object of worship or through seeking aid elsewhere, which causes practical polytheism—nullifies servitude and worship, rendering it unacceptable in God’s court.

Servitude and faith require sincerity. Thus, servitude and worship mean aligning with the natural progression of existence and its phenomena. The servitude of phenomena is their natural and gentle progression, phenomena whose enumeration lies in God’s hands. The servitude and divinity of the Exalted Truth are narrated in the following verses, noting that the enumeration of phenomena is initially broad and general (ihsa), then refined and precise (‘add):

“Indeed, all those in the heavens and the earth come to the Most Merciful as servants. He has enumerated them and counted them precisely, and all of them will come to Him on the Day of Resurrection individually.” (Qur’an, Maryam: 94–95)

The final segment of this verse evokes a profoundly affectionate atmosphere: “And all of them will come to Him on the Day of Resurrection individually.” God meets each phenomenon privately on the Day of Resurrection, always knowing their number and engaging with each one individually. Within the essence of every particle, God resides, and every particle has a place in the heart of the Exalted Truth. God loses no one along the way, recognizing all individually and uniquely, nurturing the infinite phenomena of existence despite their boundlessness. The servant’s identity stems from the love of the Exalted Truth, traversing their natural progression with love. All phenomena, from the smallest particle to the vastest expanse, are servants of the Exalted Truth.

The servant must engage in prayer, which, as stated, refers to the obligatory worship of God present in every religion, not merely the specific act known as prayer, which varies across denominations, though Shi‘i prayer is the most exalted form of worship. Prayer, worship, and discipline polish the heart, freeing it from harshness and coarseness, which is the essence of prayer.

Without prayer, an individual cannot attain proximity or intimacy with the unseen realm and its supernatural powers. All religions, nations, and mystical traditions incorporate some form of prayer. No one can legitimately access the unseen realm’s powers or influence nature and supernatural realms without prayer (obligatory worship) and adherence to God’s decrees, as God is the source of all power and ability.

Only those who have resolved practical issues such as active arrogance and ingratitude, are free from cognitive errors, and are untainted by theoretical or practical polytheism—especially those who have resolved their issues with God, finding God within their soul, sincerely proclaiming, “Indeed, I am your Lord” (Qur’an, Taha: 12)—can enter worship. Until one finds “God” in their heart, they cannot serve Him, the God who declares in their heart, “Indeed, I am your Lord.” One who resolves their issues with God also discovers their path to sincerity. Finding God and the Lord’s Name requires a heart attained through solitude, lawful sustenance, and a nurturing guide.

Need and Financial Generosity

An individual progressing toward personal development and expansiveness reaches a point where they yearn to provide sustenance, work, and income to many, doing so respectfully, honorably, and with sincerity. Worship, which cultivates the inner self, must be comprehensive to avoid becoming caricatured, achieving healthy and proper growth and perfection. Thus, it entails a tax, and its cost must be paid. Otherwise, the stingy and retentive inner self, which contracts wealth, becomes inflated, and worship becomes harmful to it.

One who gives and shares benefits from this generosity and pruning, experiencing joy and fulfillment before their wealth or object of generosity reaches another. This generosity or sacrifice first pours love, affection, and fulfillment into the individual’s inner self, a fulfillment that may not arise from personal consumption or retention of the object of generosity.

In the Noble Qur’an, prayer is recommended alongside zakat or other obligatory financial contributions and levies. The system of atonements, charities, gifts, feeding, hospitality, and sacrifices falls within this scope. Worship alone is neither effective nor transformative; prayer requires need, provision, and aid to God’s creation. Worship, without expending a portion of one’s wealth and possessions for kin and the needy, does not reach perfection or foster growth and elevation. Spending wealth purifies the inner self, endowing worship with purity, sincerity, and simplicity, preventing the individual from becoming burdensome or inflexible.

Worship without financial generosity hardens the inner self, stripping away flexibility toward God’s servants, the ability to yield, and the spirit of forgiveness and leniency toward their potential shortcomings or errors, driving the individual toward harshness and rigidity. Worship gains luster through financial generosity. Generosity is pleasurable; noble individuals derive joy and vitality from others’ consumption without taxing their digestive system with processing solids or expelling waste.

The worship of stingy and miserly individuals leads nowhere, only compounding their hardness. Stinginess and retention stagnate and decay the inner self, rendering it rigid, static, and rotten, such that worship upon it intensifies its rigidity and hardness. For a miserly individual, worship is like boiling water in a small vessel, ultimately leading to dryness and constipation, yielding no nourishment.

Lack of generosity and stagnation even affects the properties and effects of trees’ fruits. An unpruned tree’s flowers lack vibrant color, its fruit lacks pleasant taste, and it exudes no purity or vitality. Thus, consuming syrups, infusions, or teas from flowers of pruned trees and shrubs is beneficial, while consuming those from unpruned ones, where the system of generosity and shedding is absent, causes ailment.

For instance, a butcher must daily provide some meat to the poor to avoid the afflictions and trials of their profession and must bring the best meat to their family. Attaining the heart, wisdom, and knowledge requires a balanced and equitable practice, and prayer and invocation without financial generosity and need not only lack effect but, in one-sided wayfaring without a giving hand, increase harshness, difficulty, and contraction.

Reaching the heart requires financial expenditure, as the Exalted Truth, knowledge, and the treasure of recognition are not granted freely to devotees. Among the most effective catalysts for perfection and elevation to the heart’s station is the power of forgiveness, sacrifice, and possessing a giving, generous, and charitable hand, as it is said, “The giving hand never wants.” This proverb holds in spiritual stations and wayfaring. One who exercises compassionate, loving forgiveness and financial sacrifice never falters in their spiritual affairs, finding support and patronage.

The giving hand brings blessing to life and prosperity to spirituality. Stinginess and miserliness cause the loss of blessing and goodness, ushering in misfortune and contraction. Just as food is formed from diverse ingredients, worship, when combined with varied forms of financial generosity and provision, gains diverse transformative impacts. For example, one who invokes “O Allah” or “Glory be to Allah” for wayfaring, reciting it five times daily, must perform proportionate good deeds and aid to God’s creation in their actions.

Financial generosity toward all living phenomena—humans, animals, plants, and inanimate objects—is intended and, with reasonable diversity, imbues inner powers with variety and gradation. Feeding non-intrusive ants within one’s domain, gifting a crate of fruit to a neighbor, giving a sack of rice to a known pauper, donating a full cut of meat to a respectable, impoverished family, watering plants to keep them alive, and countless other examples deposit diverse powers into the individual’s inner account without any loss. Notably, a plant, like worldly beings, is bound to the earth, and an unwarranted jolt without permission may frighten, wither, or dry it. Need and provision can take the form of words, empathy, and sympathy, offering counsel from an expert, or actions like caressing a child’s head, giving an affectionate kiss, holding a hand lovingly, or providing financial and monetary aid. Thus, “need” means taking responsibility for addressing the needs of those who enter one’s life as guests, without indifference.

Need is also realized through giving gifts, performing charitable acts, and showing kindness. Sometimes, offering travel souvenirs, gifts, or even kindness, such as giving a single chocolate or a slice of apple and receiving and consuming it respectfully and lovingly, extends one’s life. It may be that a semantic or even angelic factor, born from preserving the dignity and proper use of this gift, becomes the individual’s guardian. One who does not duly accept divine kindness and goodness falls behind in life and faces deficiencies. One must be grateful for divine blessings and kindnesses, lest ingratitude and disrespect toward others’ gifts bring premature aging, early death, and a shortened lifespan.

Kindness, even if motivated solely by noble action, chivalry, or human ethics in supporting the weak, rather than divine intention, increases lifespan, grants bestowed health, and brings blessing to life. In positive psychology, altruistic behaviors like generosity and kindness are linked to mental health and life satisfaction, aligning with cultural and religious values.

Drawing Affection from God and His Creation

Following prayer and need, the ability to draw affection from phenomena, show compassion for God’s creation, endure their harms, annoyances, and disturbances, and avoid resentment toward creatures is the third foundational principle for a wholesome life. One must purchase the affection of the beloved at any cost, lest the heart lose its luster and halt its ascent, progression, and growth.

Worship and financial generosity must be performed with affection and compassion, accompanied by a loving disposition toward God’s servants. Drawing affection from God’s creation surpasses prayer and need in importance, as it perfects both. One must purchase the affection of God and His servants at any cost, lest the heart lose its luster and halt its ascent, progression, and growth. Only one who possesses a heart and the capacity to draw affection from the Exalted Truth and His creation can connect to the unseen realm’s sources of power. One who prays, provides need, and acts humbly with God’s servants, free from tyranny, oppression, or injustice, has their power account validated. One who oppresses any of God’s servants or harbors resentment that prevents drawing their affection cannot access the heavenly realm or the network of cosmic attraction and love, and their power account is neither established nor validated for withdrawal to enhance their earthly power.

Moreover, if God intends to bestow goodness on someone, He can deliver it through any phenomenon, individual, or means. This implies that one cannot be indifferent to any phenomenon or individual, as indifference equates to deprivation of goodness that God may intend to deliver through that phenomenon.

True possessors of power invariably draw affection from the Exalted Truth and phenomena, caressing them and engaging with them with complete love and affection. They purchase the affection, charm, allure, and coquetry of the Lord, manifested as creational tribulations or love and affection. Through drawing affection, compassion, caressing a stone, placing a grain of wheat or rice in an ant’s mouth, watering a flower, or feeding kin and acquaintances compassionately, one attains a refined inner self, blossoming, vibrant, pure, radiant, and light. Power, whether material or spiritual, without inner gentleness, turns to oppression and transgression. To achieve inner gentleness, one must possess the capacity to draw affection, engaging with all with kindness, compassion, and mercy.

Only one who is expansive and has attained love can draw affection, maintain healthy contentment, and endure tribulations and harms. It is the lover who can embrace the affection of the Exalted Truth (His tribulations), warmly engage with God’s creation, and draw affection from soil, stone, ants, plants, trees, flowers, and thorns, treating their clothing and belongings kindly, thereby attaining inner power. One who draws affection from phenomena honors their shoes, removing and wearing them respectfully, with permission, and considers the earth in their steps.

Drawing affection from related and environmental phenomena, from the exalted to the lowly, through the Creator’s grace and for their Lord, without expectation or display, takes diverse forms and requires knowing the etiquette of engaging with phenomena. For example, one may sit on a chair by throwing themselves onto it, but in the system of drawing affection, one first acknowledges the chair, greets it, and sits with permission. A worker may toss a pickaxe, whereas they could honor it and draw its affection. Nothing should be thrown, as it is disrespectful. A ring must be worn and removed respectfully and placed appropriately. For instance, the Shams talisman, shaped like a star, ladder, and Solomon’s seal, appears on agate on specific days. A true Shams talisman can only be worn for fewer than ten days a year, lest it cause issues.

Attending to these subtle and delicate points is the highest stage of perfection. One must shower phenomena with respect, goodness, and love. Providing need addresses phenomena’s necessities, but drawing affection, where the phenomenon has no need, is performed for proximity, knowledge, and love.

Each phenomenon has its own etiquette of interaction and form of engagement. Placing something on a book is disrespectful to it, as is placing something on bread on a table. One who can draw affection from phenomena places everything in its proper place, free from oppression, transgression, injustice, or unfairness, viewing all phenomena as intelligent, aware, pure, and sanctified. The affection of God and His creation, all nurtured by the Exalted Truth, must be drawn. Feeding a sick servant with a spoon, pairing someone’s shoes, standing for another, or holding another’s hand are all acts of love toward the Exalted Truth.

Purchasing the affection of those deserving it brings proximity, and for God’s sake, overlooking the wrongs of the wicked, even showing kindness in place of their misdeeds, and loving all and worshipping the universe are encapsulated in the term “affection.” One can draw affection from all forest animals, seas, oceans, and their phenomena, contemplate the struggles of people, and draw affection from the deceased, orphans, minors, and the sick.

One who does not honor phenomena cannot draw their affection. The ability to draw affection follows the ability to honor them. To draw affection, one must honor objects—the pebbles in deserts, sands wandering in the wind, the sea and its aquatic phenomena, desert animals, patients in hospitals feeling lonely and estranged, and prisoners confined in cells. Remembering them and their inner pain is a form of drawing affection from God’s creation. Drawing affection means attending to a servant, even with a mental acknowledgment or a phone call to check on them, understanding the pain of poverty and weakness of the destitute, being mindful of others, striving to resolve their issues, harboring no grudge against any phenomenon, maintaining purity, fostering clarity, and possessing knowledge toward all phenomena, even toward inimical adversaries with malice, hatred, and enmity. In this context, the concept of religious dissociation (tabarra) arises from devotion (tawalla) and divine, guardianship-based love, as reflected in the curses mentioned in sources.

Particularly, the ability to draw affection from one’s spouse and children is crucial. One must see the love a spouse invests in preparing food and purchase their affection by eating it eagerly, savoring the meal crafted with love and purity.

Overall, spirituality and all matters of perfection and lordship are about expansiveness. In contrast, contraction, narrowness, and restriction are the foundations of deprivation, misguidance, and error. Narrow-mindedness, rigidity, dogmatism, and tribalism breed ill manners, harshness, hardness, resentment, alienation, hatred, and hypersensitivity.

One who engages in prayer, need, and affection sheds creational attributes, with purity, love, and knowledge renewed within them. However, drawing affection must not involve injustice to any phenomenon, including one’s own limbs. Refusing to extend one’s leg out of reverence for the Exalted Truth wrongs and corrupts the leg; it should be extended for God, as an act of drawing affection in its divine aspect. Ascetic practices involving injustice or oppression to the self are problematic for this reason. One must maintain the highest quality of sleep and nourishment while drawing affection toward divine creation. An individual constructs their personality and identity through the quality of the work they undertake.

Affection as a Natural and Experiential Teaching

Drawing affection is a profound teaching of nature and an experiential matter; nature visibly demonstrates to anyone capable of drawing affection that their affection will be reciprocated. The intelligent, communal system of nature reacts to the wave and frequency of affection, resonating with and returning similar energies to the individual. Purchasing affection in religious law is expressed through terms like “humility” (khudu‘), “reverence” (khushu‘), “surrender” (taslim), “patience” (sabr), and “contentment” (rida).

Measuring Active Capacities

In talent discovery, the extent, strength, and scope of an active capability or the capacity of a latent potential are measured to determine the degree of each talent. Most talents are average, and individuals with bestowed genius or predispositions for divine knowledge are exceedingly rare, as are those with extreme dullness or slow-wittedness.

Today, talent discovery and interest identification are conducted scientifically, with formal tests like genetic assessments. If these reveal deep and stable talents over three consecutive years, or at least one year in some tests, they are valuable and noteworthy. Otherwise, commercial talent assessments conducted in one or a few sessions are merely for profit and ineffective in uncovering true talents.

In talent discovery, an individual’s innovative and original contributions, products of their own mental effort, are distinguished from their memorization, imitation, and learning capacity. Their generative and transformative changes are monitored separately from their transmissive, memory-based changes. One may merely write, memorize, or record in learning, while another can edit, create new situations and judgments, and transform content from the same education. One is a passive, observant individual, while another is an influential, active, judging, and critical one. Such an individual exceeds the norm and has found the true meaning of life and their divine mission.

Artistic, scientific, technical, athletic, entrepreneurial, managerial, social, and human talents (such as communication, collaboration, and social interaction skills) and linguistic talents (such as translation and writing) are among the types of talents. Talents can be identified at any age, with the optimal age being three to five years, when a child’s foundational structure takes root integrally and interdependently. After age five, this structure manages the individual, serving as a life map that guides them toward flourishing in a specific direction.

Climatology and Its Influence on Talent Identification and Human Development

Climatology and Environmental Influence on Talent

The ecological region and climate of an individual’s habitat significantly contribute to shaping their talents and distinctive characteristics. Humans are profoundly influenced by the climatic and atmospheric conditions of their environment, enabling an inductive assessment of their talents based on the meteorological attributes of their place of residence and upbringing. Environmental psychology and cultural geography studies corroborate that climate and habitat can impact behavioral and psychological traits, though these effects are relative and multifactorial. Certain diseases have been empirically linked to specific climatic conditions.

The human brain is affected by subterranean and environmental resources, with its cognitive faculties shaped by the fertility or aridity of the land. Fertile terrains foster clarity, acuity, and intellectual sharpness, whereas barren or desolate lands may engender cognitive sluggishness or impurity. The abundance of precious mineral deposits, akin to potent substances like saffron, can precipitate mood disorders among inhabitants. For instance, mutton from Qom, where sheep consume saline-rich forage, is fattening, lipid-heavy, and deleterious, whereas mutton from Tehran, derived from sheep grazing on its water and pastures, is free from such saline effects and their consequent harms.

Definition and Scope of Climatology

Derived from the Greek term denoting curvature, inclination, or deviation, “climate” technically refers to the tilt or divergence of a terrestrial region relative to the sun. Each region is distinguished by its long-term atmospheric conditions, prevailing weather patterns, and unique environmental characteristics, setting it apart temporally and spatially from other zones. These distinct geographical and climatic conditions, coupled with varying environmental circumstances, foster stable natural ecosystems and populations with specific physical constitutions and traits, adapted to the dominant conditions of the region over extended periods. Influenced by environmental dynamics, atmospheric behaviors, and spatial-physical systems, these phenomena form an interconnected system amenable to study, termed “climate.” The science that examines these regional atmospheric interactions is known as climatology. The study of talents within specific climates is designated as climatic talent identification or climatological talent assessment.

By understanding the climatic elements of a region, one can predict the talents, physical, psychosomatic, and metaphysical attributes of its inhabitants—enduring traits that exhibit a significant correlation with the body’s adaptation to environmental conditions, climatic synthesis, and responses. Thus, talents can be regionally categorized based on long-term atmospheric pressure patterns, air movement processes, soil types, temperature, soil moisture levels, geological features (lithosphere), natural resources, and their interplay with the hydrosphere. The primary objective of climatology is to identify the talents and capacities of climates to enhance human well-being. By discerning the talents inherent to a climate, the abilities of its people are concurrently unveiled.

Climatic Influence on Personality

The impact of climate on personality is neither racial, nor solely educational, nor derived exclusively from diet and nutrition. The foodstuffs and dietary practices of a given climate are inherently suited to that region. Consuming foods specific to one climate in a different climatic zone weakens the body, enfeebles the psyche, diminishes vitality, shortens lifespan, and undermines personal resilience, impeding spiritual transcendence. Such consumption can also disrupt female physiological cycles and hormonal balance.

Certain products, particularly fruits unique to specific regions and not cultivable elsewhere, may cause illness or disorders when consumed by inhabitants of other regions. Conversely, fruits that are globally prevalent and cultivable across various regions are more compatible with human physiology. The climate and ecological zone can render an individual’s disposition rigid and constricted, soft and frail, or robust and magnanimous. Residing in valleys, arid deserts, or infertile regions fosters a constricted, narrow-minded, and miserly character. In contrast, inhabitants of fertile, productive regions tend to be open-hearted, generous, and hospitable. Living in perpetually temperate, cloudy, rainy, or humid coastal environments imparts softness but also weakness, rarely producing eminent scholars or robust figures. Hot and arid environments, such as southern Iran, nurture great intellectuals, irrespective of prior talents or predispositions. Conversely, environments like the Arabian Peninsula may engender arrogance, self-satisfaction, and tribalism. Certain diseases are also climatically correlated.

Development and Enhancement of Talent

The process of talent flourishing can be advanced through education and practical skills, particularly by cultivating adaptability, flexibility, and the ability to abandon habits incongruent with one’s true self. Reforming dietary habits, engaging in physical exercise, and fostering bodily freedom significantly contribute to preserving, nurturing, and elevating talent development. A mentor-guided approach, supported by a conducive, motivational environment and opportunities for talent expression, is highly effective.

Proper implementation of milk distribution in schools, with children consuming it on-site, enhances talent development by refining cognitive faculties. A balanced diet, incorporating fresh, unprocessed foods free from chemical additives or preservatives, coupled with access to clean air, promotes cognitive and intellectual growth. Frozen or refrigerated foods lose freshness and nutritional value, diminishing their efficacy.

Appropriate encouragement and the creation of positive, exhilarating opportunities are additional methods to nurture innate talents. Individuals who fail to cultivate their learning potential, whose education is rote and memorization-based, or who lack the capacity for analysis, synthesis, or transformation of educational content, are deemed minimally talented or average, lacking critical thinking or creativity. Creativity and the ability to effect change in a subject’s content are hallmarks of talent in that domain. Learning and education are contingent upon talent identification.

Exceptional individuals, such as divine saints or prophets, possess an innate cognitive and spiritual vitality that renders conventional education largely ineffective or superfluous, as their active intellects leave little room for external instruction. Contemporary educational systems may even be detrimental to such rare individuals. The adage “seek knowledge from cradle to grave” does not imply perpetual pursuit of formal education. Education must be proportionate; insufficient education results in incomplete learning, while excessive education stifles creativity and innovation, hindering growth. Knowledge acquisition transcends formal education, encompassing self-sustaining intellectual transformation, intuitive wisdom, and divinely bestowed insight, leading to natural self-realization, as discussed in the book Consciousness and the Divine Human.

Excessive study, akin to overeating, induces lethargy and debilitation, proving harmful. Education must be balanced, as the absence of mentors or instruction is equally detrimental for ordinary individuals. Ultimately, education should align individuals with divine inspirations and teachings.

Compulsory and Imposed Education

An educational system not rooted in talent identification is barren, if not harmful, as genuine talents wither under the pressure of mandatory curricula, losing the quality, passion, and joy of learning. Education devoid of talent recognition yields neither positive outcomes nor satisfaction.

Learning Aptitude

Individuals’ learning aptitudes can be classified into four broad categories:

1. Those with weak aptitude, for whom learning is arduous and exhausting, requiring nurturing to flourish.
2. Those proficient in memorization but lacking generative capacity, relying on rote learning rather than true understanding.
3. Those with strong learning ability, creativity, and critical thinking, capable of creating value.
4. Those endowed with divinely bestowed wisdom and revelatory knowledge, requiring minimal long-term instruction or mentorship.

Each group necessitates a tailored educational approach, and homogenizing them within a uniform system is counterproductive. A scholar whose works merely reiterate predecessors’ writings or whose lectures lack innovation, regardless of their reputation, belongs at best to the second category. Their outputs engender apathy and disengagement. Educational, instructional, or promotional materials should never be sourced from such individuals, nor should they assume teaching or professorial roles.

When evaluating a book, one must first ascertain the author’s aptitude and determine their category. Genuine differences exist among individuals, and talent identification reveals these distinctions. Effective teacher and mentor training hinges on selecting individuals from the fourth or, at minimum, third category, who are innovative and capable of delivering education seamlessly.

An educational system must incorporate talent identification and forecast individuals’ future professional and vocational paths; otherwise, it results in blind education, squandering human potential and lifespans. In the material realm, work and effort in a suitable profession are essential, but such endeavors must align with an individual’s natural disposition.

Academic Talent Assessment

Personal development and successful learning are achievable through academic talent assessment. This process begins by identifying the disciplines or fields in which an individual demonstrates superior comprehension and intellectual capacity, and those in which they are slower to grasp. It evaluates where they exhibit transformative and analytical prowess, and where their learning is limited to memorization, with minimal engagement with a subject’s depth. Additionally, it considers which fields resonate with an individual’s interests, eliciting positive emotions and fulfillment, and which provoke negative, draining, or chaotic responses. For instance, one may excel in mathematics while another struggles; one may thrive in humanities, another in experimental sciences, or yet another in vocational or artistic pursuits. Individuals who do not engage in fields aligned with their strengths risk mediocrity or failure in ill-suited endeavors, leading to dissatisfaction and hopelessness. Thus, honest awareness of one’s abilities and interests is imperative.

Just as professional driving requires mechanical knowledge to prevent breakdowns or accidents, individuals require self-awareness, talent identification, and recognition of their physical, psychological, and spiritual strengths to lead a healthy, purposeful life in the material realm, ensuring their eternal well-being.

Talent discovery, encompassing willpower, sensory perception, psychological and spiritual strengths, and levels of patience, endurance, and adaptability, prevents acquiescence to external pressures, such as unsuitable compulsory education. Educational systems should incorporate student capacity assessments, identifying predispositions toward virtue or vice, specific talents, and tendencies toward delinquency or crime, distinguishing between criminal talent, illness, and negative inclinations. Students unsuited for academic pursuits should be guided toward appropriate paths, rather than being stigmatized or excluded from education altogether. Similarly, inclinations toward negative behaviors should not be misconstrued as inherent malevolence.

Inheritance from Parents

A critical aspect of talent identification is recognizing an individual’s genetic inheritance from their parents. Assessing a student’s genetic talents is as essential as determining their blood type. Genetics and environment both play roles in talent and intelligence, with the early years of life being critical for cognitive and emotional development. For example, intelligence quotient is said to be inherited primarily from the mother. Genetic talent assessment can provide vital information about an individual, which should be integrated into their national identification profile to highlight similarities amidst differences. Talent discovery clarifies an individual’s spiritual predispositions and divine capacities, enabling their ranking based on intrinsic qualities. This allows for measuring each person’s capacity across various domains, facilitating a modern jurisprudence that avoids imposing unbearable burdens, issuing inappropriate rulings, or assigning responsibilities misaligned with an individual’s abilities. Such an approach ensures informed and equitable interactions with each person.

Autonomous Self-Discovery

Individuals, particularly children, should be guided toward self-discovery to make informed, autonomous decisions about their manifest traits, free from coerced academic paths. Parental preferences or lucrative careers should not dictate a child’s future; rather, their unique talents and inclinations should determine their life’s trajectory, enabling a fulfilling, joyful, and hopeful existence in the material realm, where they can realize their best selves.

Intelligence agencies employ advanced tools, such as inducing neurological shocks, diminished consciousness, or unconsciousness, to probe individuals’ subconscious inclinations and extract confessions coercively. This parallels children’s drawings, which conceal unspoken thoughts in their backgrounds. Encouraging a child to explain their drawings over time can gradually reveal their subconscious, uncovering hidden talents in a flexible, non-invasive manner. Talent, willpower, patience, sensory acuity, intelligence, and lineage can be scientifically evaluated to guide informed academic, professional, and relational choices.

As noted in the book Divine Management and Policy, a child’s peak receptivity to maternal influence occurs up to age five, during which their sensory, intellectual, and other faculties activate and are shaped by maternal nurturing. Though brief, these first five years cast a lifelong shadow, serving as a roadmap for the child’s future. All maternal traits, including physical beauty and temperament, are transmitted to the child during breastfeeding. The child’s disposition takes root during this period. Motherhood is an arduous, pivotal responsibility, as the mother lays the foundation for the child’s character. In these years, the child is passively receptive, with the mother actively shaping their development. Over time, the child becomes a mirror of the mother, directly reflecting her virtues and flaws.

Particularly in the first five years, a child possesses a potent subconscious reflectivity, absorbing the subtlest behaviors, movements, and even the home’s colors and forms, reacting passively to them. This subconscious capacity far surpasses the conscious agency of a mature adult, whose decisions are shaped by will. A child’s psychological reflectivity is involuntary, lacking deliberate control or transformative capacity, a hallmark of the subconscious human psyche. Any parental deviation, however slight, imprints on the child’s subconscious, causing short- or long-term distortions. Per the law of subconscious reflection, a mother’s faith is the paramount factor in a child’s felicity. A virtuous mother, endowed with empathy, intellect, and ethical integrity, fosters a child’s health and happiness, while a mother with moral or psychological deficiencies risks leading her child to ruin. Thus, a healthy society depends on healthy families, which are forged by virtuous mothers.