The Pioneers Taxonomy: A Blueprint for Civilisational Success
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Introduction:
In the midst of modernity, we have a proclivity to hyper-fixate upon gestures of material gain. This has three drastic repercussions:
Gratitude is never attained due to a comparative scope of ‘wealth’ (i.e £100,000 is great but not as great as the neighbour who has twice as much).
A deeply embedded subconscious denial of metaphysical reality.
A naive refusal of an ‘afterwordly’ plane of accountability and progression.
The solution to this is a paradigmatic shift away from the superficial (and rather insatiable) obsession with material, towards a higher teleological purpose of Divine Proximity. Whilst this may seem theoretically sound, it is pertinent to qualify this claim through a practical framework through which the agent of volition may attain such theocentric ‘closeness’. This article hopes to meet that requirement.
There are five metrics through which the moral agent can work towards ‘success’ and ‘becoming’. These are universal metrics which transcend a substratum of human experience and therefore derive from the Human Condition itself.
In coining this categorisation, I have labelled it as The Pioneers Taxonomy, as it seems to correlate with all facets of human growth. As an experiment to substantiate this theory, I would urge the reader to apply this taxonomy to the achievements of a renowned individual whom they admire.
As such, human progress can be measured from a micro-paradigm through one’s development in these five metrics. By formulating short-term and long-term goals for these five factors, one can achieve three things:
Begin creating a bona fide difference in one’s understanding of success.
Recalibrate one’s mindset and daily activities beyond tediously repetitive tasks.
Realise a wider teleological encompassment: Divine Connection.
1 - The Intellectual:
The first factor is the Intellectual. A fundamental question that strikes at the heart of the human journey is: what differentiates a human from other creatures in the Animal Kingdom? The essential response is our ability to think and express those thoughts into substantial mechanisms of action.
From Plato’s notion of Logistikon to Imam Al Ghazali’s tripartite Taqsim of the Nafs, all scholars of wisdom and experience of human nature stress the pertinence of enhancing the Intellect. The Aql acts as the breeding ground through which we can harness our thoughts and transport them to reality. The Aql signifies a halfway house, where thoughts are suspended before they are manifested in actions (which fall under the Realm of Culpability).
There are a vast plethora of ways in which one can enhance one’s intellect. Below are five:
Read 20 minutes a day (this can be any topic but must be consistent and with the wider purpose of consuming literature)
Listen to podcasts and seminars (this can be on the way to work or during a gym session)
Engage in thoughtful discussions (spark profound conversations with your peers: if they are not receptive, find people who are)
Write down your opinions on a particular intellectual area (politics/history/science)
Teach (this could be anything in which you have a specialism to anyone interested- if you do not have a specialism, develop one).
The enhancement of the intellect is a lifelong pursuit, and as such one never attains complete intellectual contentment.
2 - The Spirit:
The second metric, which acts as the second pole of human existence (and another key differentiator between other creatures in the Animal Kingdom), is the Spirit. What are we doing to enhance our spiritual relationship with the Divine Creator? In a society devoid of Spiritual Hierarchy and submission to a Higher Power, some suffice themselves with mere liturgical, ritualistic acts of worship, whilst being devoid of a true connection with such rites (such as the Salah). The notion that one can find serenity in the Prayer by merely committing oneself to robotic actions, without understanding the meanings of the words, the manner in which to elocute them, and attempting to find a true connection, is absurd.
Beyond the ritualistic acts of worship, there are two further ways in which one can enhance spiritual solace.
1 - Muhasaba:
In the Islamic tradition, the notion of Muhasaba, or self-accountability, is a lost concept that was once very prevalent. It is best manifested through daily journaling. As such, every night before one goes to sleep, one should write down four things:
Checklist for the next day (promises made, errands to run etc..).
Knowledge learnt that day.
Observations made (from watching birds flying in the sky to an intriguing conversation).
Sins committed (only you know your true Self- face it).
2 - Muraqaba:
Muraqaba, or Vigilance of the Divine, is another lost concept. The best way to achieve this is through daily meditation. Every night prior to sleeping, one should sit in the dark for 5 minutes and remind oneself of death and the Realm of Accountability.
3 - Physical:
The third metric of human development is enhancing one’s physical prowess. Imam Abdal Wahab Al Sha’rani famously emphasises the paramount nature of a Muslim man knowing how to defend himself, where a failure in this metric corresponds with a holistic deficiency in one’s religious perfection. This classically refers to the lost science of Futuwwah, or chivalry, which traditionally was taught universally in the Islamic world to teach men what it means to be men. There is a dire need for a revival of this science with the extremities found in the modern age: with the surge of red pill masculinity, and conversely, a pseudo liberal agenda to purge masculinity totally.
Physical enhancement also relates to the role of vicegerency for which mankind descended to the Earth in the first instance. One must create a regimented diet and fitness plan to act in accordance with the Divine Command. Ironically and unfortunately, the proponents of Islamic spirituality and scholarship are often riddled with obesity and other health conditions. In reality, the Prophetic path advocates for physical strength (which simultaneously manifests in the other aspects of one’s development).
The best ways to enhance one’s physical prowess are through regularly visiting the gym and becoming proficient in at least one martial art.
4 - Financial:
The fourth metric of human development is becoming financially successful. One of the most fundamental fallacies of the modern age is that everything revolves around finance and material gain, and the only way to succeed in that domain is through sacrificing the vast majority of one’s life.
In reality, material gain devoid of a higher purpose is akin to frivolity. However, financial profiteering is advocated for in the Prophetic path, as demonstrated through three examples which act as a striking precedent.
Abu Bakr Al Siddiq:
By modern standards, the Caliph Abu Bakr was a millionaire. He used his financial success and his business prowess towards a higher teleological drive: theological proximity.
Abdul Rahman Ibn Awf:
The same can be said for the great companion Abdul Rahman Ibn Awf, who by modern standards was a billionaire. During the migration to Madinah, he was an individual who left all of his assets and belongings in Makkah, rescinding his rights to them through the act of Migration. Yet, upon arriving in Madinah, he approached the marketplace and returned to his former financial glory. Wealth and poverty both emanate from one’s mindset.
Imam Abu Hanifa:
Similarly, Imam Abu Hanifa, one of the greatest jurisprudential erudites to exist, was also a millionaire and was particularly astute in his financial affairs. This answers a fundamental fallacy which plagues Muslim communities in modernity: poverty=piety. This flawed equation bars the doors to spiritual ascension and prophetic scholarship, as people are duped into thinking that such a path is mutually incompatible with worldly success.
This teaches us the lesson that we do not need to be consumed in the 9-5 to become financially successful. In an age of capitalism and global commerce, it has never been easier to launch a product or business and find the requisite clientele. The only setback is often our own mindset and drive.
5 - Cultural:
The final metric that defines a Pioneer is cultural enhancement. This means diversifying one’s life experiences: from trying different foods, visiting other countries, to dressing well; the element which completes a Pioneer is their cultural awareness.
This article hopes to shed some light on ways in which we can diversify the way we live our lives based upon a theological telos and prioritise accordingly. The ultimate goal behind this is to attain Divine Proximity and to create a network of Pioneers who can bolster true change and communal reconciliation.
At the IICA, we have designed a 2-year gateway to enhance these five metrics through a deep insight into the Islamic tradition. For further information, please refer to our website: Islamic Institute of Current Affairs
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