The source of every disobedience, indifference and passion is self-satisfaction.
The source of every obedience, vigilance and virtue is dissatisfaction with one's self.
It is better for you to keep company with an ignorant man dissatisfied with himself
than to keep company with a learned man satisfied with himself.
For what knowledge is there in a self-satisfied scholar?
And what ignorance is there in an unlearned man dissatisfied with himself?
Shaykh Ibn Ataullah Iskandari
Ibn Ataullah explains the harms of indulging in the state of self-satisfaction. Being satisfied with oneself, believing one is fine and good and great leads one to lose objectivity about self. We stop looking at ourselves critically, we start believing that everything we do is right, we do no wrong... sliding down the path of delusions. Inevitably we then start doing things the way we want to and become indifferent and apathetic toward what is right.
But what is worse is that it holds us back from learning. Learning about ourselves, or self-awareness is the the starting point for all change and growth. If in our state of smug self-satisfaction we stop looking at our self, how will we know if what we do is right or wrong?
There is an element of arrogance in self-satisfaction.
Like the Quranic verse says that they were deaf, dumb and blind to themselves... but they really believed they were fine, they were self-satisfied, they believed what they were doing was right... and since they were satisfied there was no need to learn anything.
When we shut ourselves from examining our own thoughts, feelings and actions we start living in a delusional world of make believe. This indifference or apathy toward new information is harmful for us, it creates a false sense of well being.
Finally, it is better to hang out with a dissatisfied fool than a satisfied scholar. What a deep, pithy statement. A satisfied scholar is shut down to new learning, he believes he knows all there is to know, that there is nothing new he needs to learn. That is scary! This arrogance of a self-satisfied scholar who believes he knows everything is dangerous, for he will not be open to taking in and examining any new information that might change the direction of a decision. He may think he is the expert in his field, but the moment when we stops learning he has dug a hole for himself. He is dead. He is a fool who is self-absorbed and content with the little knowledge he possesses, believing that there is no more to learn.
A person dissatisfied with his own condition will have the spark, the motivation, the will to make the effort to learn and try new things to improve himself. He is open to learning... and that is his strength. He is living... changing, growing, moving, creating.
Our social, cultural & familial tendency is to be self-satisfied, we think what we do and how we do it is right... that is why we are a dictatorial & autocratic society. We are closed-minded bigots. We don't accept or respect anyone who does not think or act like us. We reject new information even before we examine it. New information or ways of doing things scares us. We have become tunnel-visioned... deaf, dumb and blind!!!
And the arrogance sets in. Let's drag God into this mess, use Him to justify every wrong we commit. After all, in my arrogance I know that God thinks like me. He is harsh, punitive, dictatorial and one-dimensional. Project your narrowness onto God, and you are safe.
A remedy for this negative condition is to allow yourself to grow, expand, learn something new, learn to look at the same old stuff with new eyes, a new perspective, a new angle. Learn to experience how others feel or think, step in their shoes for a while. Take in new information. Listen to the sounds around you, hear the music in every sound.
Every day He creates a new creation... experience it.
Trust me, you will never be bored, you will never tire, you will never feel alone or lonely. Instead you will be ALIVE, rejuvenated, energized and full of joy.
You might even learn to fly.
©2011
