Becoming Human, Becoming Servant by Fahruddin Faiz

Why Read This

Faiz offers a middle path to resolve the modern paradox: how to be both khalifah (God's vicegerent) and servant, integrating worldly and spiritual life without choosing one over the other.

This book emerged from the Ngaji Filsafat (Islamic Philosophy Study Sessions) held since 2013 at Jenderal Sudirman Mosque in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Faiz takes us on an exploration of fundamental themes: how to live as both human and servant of God. The goal is integrating both roles together.

Amid modern civilization full of false dichotomies, world versus hereafter, material versus spiritual, sharia versus divine knowledge, Islam offers an elegant synthesis. We often get trapped in black-and-white thinking. Yet Islam teaches integration of both poles into a single coherent life.

Faiz combines references from Western philosophy, Sufism, and the Quran to answer existential questions: how to live a balanced life between worldly responsibilities as khalifah (God's vicegerent on earth) and spiritual consciousness as a servant? How can marriage, humor, play, and time management also become part of the spiritual path?

This book is relevant for anyone feeling trapped in empty spiritual routines, diligent in worship but with an absent heart, who feels religion conflicts with worldly happiness. Faiz offers a refreshing perspective: every human fitrah (natural disposition) is a gift designed for our happiness, if realized according to divine guidance.

Key Points

Two Responsibilities: Khalifah and Servant - Human presence on earth carries two simultaneous trusts: being khalifah (Allah's representative) and being servant ('abd). Quran 28
emphasizes: "Seek the hereafter with what Allah has given you, but do not forget your share of the world."
Four Levels of Humanity: Basyar, Ins, Insan, Nas - The Quran mentions humans with four terms reflecting four levels: physical, civilized, rational-moral, and social. All four levels must be managed in balance to become a complete human being.
Humor and Play Are Fitrah - Humans are homo ludens (playing beings) and homo ridens (laughing beings). Nietzsche said: "In every real man, a child is hidden that wants to play." Humor and play do not contradict spiritual seriousness.
Marriage Is a Spiritual Path - Rumi taught that marriage itself is a spiritual path, where facing the reality of married life becomes the discipline of self-purification. Nietzsche added: "It is not a lack of love but a lack of friendship that makes unhappy marriages."
Prayer Transforms the One Who Prays - Kierkegaard taught: "Prayer does not change God, but it changes him who prays." Prayer transforms our consciousness about our weakness and dependence on Allah.
Practical Atheism Is a Hidden Danger - Claiming to believe in God but living as if God doesn't exist. Even in worship like prayer, the mind wanders and the heart is unfocused. The solution is to bring consciousness of Allah into every action.
Integration of Sharia and Divine Knowledge - Shaykh Abdul Qadir al-Jilani taught the tree metaphor: sharia is the tree, tariqa the branches, ma'rifa the leaves, haqiqa the fruit. All are compiled by Allah in the Quran.
Temporalizing: Being in Time - Heidegger taught that humans must "temporalize", exist in time by deciding for themselves. Make your own decisions and hold your own life orientation, standing firm as time drifts on.

Two Responsibilities: Khalifah and Servant

The Quran emphasizes in Surah Al-Qashash [28]:77: "And seek the hereafter with what Allah has given you, but do not forget your share of the world, and do good as Allah has done good to you."

This verse summarizes a fundamental principle: human presence on earth carries two simultaneous responsibilities. First, being human (khalifah), Allah's representative on earth who manages and cultivates the world. Second, being servant ('abd), a creature who submits and worships Allah. Both are trusts that must be fulfilled together.

Fulfilling human fitrah is essentially part of the duty of servanthood. In other words, fulfilling the duty of servanthood is essentially part of human fitrah. Becoming a true human means becoming a human conscious of the essence of their servanthood. Becoming a true servant means being aware of one's position and role as human.

The Prophet Muhammad himself criticized companions who emphasized only spiritual life and neglected their worldly humanity. He said: "I pray at night but also sleep, I fast but also break fast, and I marry women. Whoever hates my sunnah is not on my path."

Muhammad Iqbal called extreme spiritualists people who close their eyes to concrete reality and eliminate individual vitality to manage life. Humans should not allow themselves to be absorbed into the Divine and become nothing. Rather, humans should absorb the Divine into themselves, then emerge and create.

The Difficult Middle Path to Practice

This is an extremely difficult middle path to practice. We easily fall into one extreme: too busy with the world until we forget the hereafter, or too focused on the hereafter until we neglect worldly responsibilities. Islam rejects both extremes.

This concept aligns with the via media principle in philosophy, avoiding extremes and seeking balance. Also similar to the Yin-Yang concept in Eastern philosophy: two poles that complement each other. The difference is, Islam provides concrete guidance on how to integrate both in daily life.

The implication: don't feel guilty when pursuing worldly success as long as it's done in halal ways and with right intention. On the other hand, don't feel most pious when leaving worldly affairs to focus only on worship. Both attitudes are equally mistaken.

"Fulfilling human fitrah is essentially part of the duty of servanthood. In other words, fulfilling the duty of servanthood is essentially part of human fitrah."

Fitrah: Four Levels of Humanity

The Quran mentions humans with four different terms, each reflecting a unique level of humanity: basyar (physical), ins (tame/civilized), insan (rational-moral), and nas (social). All four levels must be managed well to become a complete human.

Basyar is the physical level, the human body created from earth. Satan protested to Allah because he only saw this level. He saw humans only as earth creatures inferior to himself, created from fire.

Ins is the level of tameness, civilized, willing to be regulated, obedient to rules. When we lose this level, we're called "uncivilized." Smart people without adab (proper conduct) are still uncivilized.

Insan is the rational-moral level, the aspect that makes humans capable of taklif (receiving obligations), elevated to khalifah, and will be held accountable. This level distinguishes humans from other creatures.

Nas is the collective level, humans as social beings living in community. Humans cannot live alone, always need others.

Five Essences of Humanity

Besides four levels, humans also have five essences: creature (created), honored (mukarram), obligated (mukallaf), free to choose (mukhayyar), and accountable (majzi).

Faiz explains that humans are Allah's masterpiece, the best creation (ahsanu taqwim). Allah honored us with reason, five senses, intuition, imagination. As a consequence, we're given tasks (vertical as servant and horizontal as khalifah), given freedom to choose, but will also be held accountable for our choices.

This fitrah concept is very rich and comprehensive. It acknowledges human complexity. The Gnostic view reduces the human to spirit trapped in body; the materialist view reduces it to body without spiritual dimension. The fitrah concept holds that humans are an integration of four levels, all important.

Most profound is the concept of mukhayyar (free to choose). We're given freedom, but that freedom brings responsibility. Every choice has consequences (majzi). This is what makes life meaningful.

"Being human is given, but keeping our humanity is a choice. Being human is destiny, but maintaining our humanity is a choice."

Humor and Play: Often Forgotten Fitrah

Humans are homo ludens (playing beings) and homo ridens (laughing beings). The desire to play and laugh is fitrah that must be fulfilled in the right way.

Humor has three components that must exist to succeed: wit (intelligence), mirth (cheerfulness), and laughter. Humor functions to bring joy, catharsis (cleansing from stuffiness), self-defense mechanism, and awareness of criticism and introspection.

Play has five characteristics: serious in non-seriousness, free and voluntary, involves intellect and imagination, pleasurable effect, and enjoyable process.

Serious in Non-Seriousness

Shakespeare taught: "All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players." Life is a theater stage with seven acts. We're all players who must be serious in acting.

Nietzsche said: "In every real man, a child is hidden that wants to play." Behind a true man is hidden a child who wants to play. People who are always serious lose their fitrah. He also taught: "You higher men, learn to laugh."

In Islam, laughter is permitted and even encouraged so the heart doesn't die. Only, the dosage of laughter must be appropriate. Too little laughter makes the heart stiff, too much laughter makes the heart hard and insensitive.

This is one of the most refreshing teachings in this book. We often think religion must be serious, rigid, without humor. Yet, Prophet Muhammad was known to smile easily (bassam) and occasionally joked with companions.

The concept of "serious in non-seriousness" is a beautiful paradox. Life is like a soccer game: actually just chasing a ball, but must be played with full spirit. When we know that life is a theater stage, we won't be too serious with the role we play. But we must still be serious in playing it well.

"Keep me away from the wisdom which does not cry, the philosophy which does not laugh, and the greatness which does not bow before children.", Kahlil Gibran

Marriage: Spiritual Path and Training to Face Reality

Marriage is a spiritual path that trains us to face reality and become true humans. It goes far beyond a social contract or the fulfillment of biological desire.

The law of marriage is contextual: can be obligatory, recommended, discouraged, or forbidden, depending on one's condition. Marriage fulfills four purposes simultaneously: biological, psychological, social, and religious.

Five Phases of Marriage Development

Marriage has five developmental phases that need to be understood:

Passion, the first few weeks or months when everything feels perfect.

Realization, starting to be busy separately, usually years 1-2 when reality begins to appear.

Rebellion, a phase prone to conflict, years 2-9 when egos clash and expectations aren't met.

Cooperation, mutual understanding, years 10-20 when already learning to compromise and work together.

Reunion, after children become independent, year 20+ when returning to enjoy togetherness.

Friendship Lasts Longer Than Romantic Love

Jalaluddin Rumi taught that marriage is a spiritual path. By accepting the reality of married life, we become true humans. Fulfilling a wife's rights, that's where a husband's true spiritual path lies. That's our spiritual ladder, our self-purification.

Nietzsche emphasized that marriage based on friendship is stronger than romantic love. "The best friend will probably acquire the best wife, because a good marriage is founded on the talent for friendship." Romantic love is temporary. What endures is friendship.

Kahlil Gibran taught in The Prophet: "Let there be spaces in your togetherness, where the winds of heaven dance between you. Love one another, but make not a bond of love." Like temple pillars standing in rows but not too close, couples must have their own space.

This perspective is very profound. Most books about marriage focus on practical tips or relationship psychology. Faiz brings us to a higher level: marriage as a spiritual path.

Rumi provides the spiritual dimension: marriage itself is the spiritual path. Facing household challenges, fulfilling spouse's rights, being patient in conflict, all are spiritual exercises no less elevated than staying silent in the mosque.

"It is not a lack of love but a lack of friendship that makes unhappy marriages.", Friedrich Nietzsche

Prayer: Wireless Connection with Allah

Prayer is the most powerful wireless connection in the world. No signal needed, no battery needed. Can be done anytime, ask for anything. This is humanity's greatest privilege.

Prayer has three variables that must exist: statement of faith (acknowledging Allah is All-Powerful), statement of weakness (acknowledging we are weak and need Him), and wasilah for muhasabah (means of self-introspection).

Humans need prayer because of four existential weaknesses: helpless, full of uncertainty, limited, and many impossibilities. We are fragile and dependent creatures.

Prayer Transforms the One Who Prays

Kierkegaard taught: "Prayer does not change God, but it changes him who prays." Prayer changes the one who prays. What shifts is our consciousness about our weakness and dependence on Him.

Gandhi added: "Prayer is not asking, it is a longing of the soul." The essence of prayer is the soul's longing for nearness to God. "It is better in prayer to have heart without words than words without heart." Praying with the heart, even wordlessly, holds more weight than reciting words while the heart is absent.

Dienert warned: "Many people pray as if God were a big aspirin pill, they come only when they hurt." Don't make Allah like aspirin, only sought when sick, forgotten when healthy.

Logic of Divine Law: Prayer Plus Effort

The logic of sunnatullah (divine law) teaches: Capital from Allah, effort from us, results back to Allah. Prayer complements effort, walking alongside our concrete striving.

Praying without effort is hypocrisy. Striving without prayer is arrogance. Prayer plus effort is the right path.

This is a difficult balance to practice. We easily fall into one extreme: relying too much on prayer until lazy to strive, or relying too much on effort until forgetting to pray.

The perspective on prayer is very philosophical and profound. Most people understand prayer as transactional, we ask, Allah gives. Yet, prayer is more than that. Prayer is transformational, transforming the one who prays.

"Prayer is the world's greatest wireless connection.", Fahruddin Faiz

Time: Linear, Circular, or Existential?

Time is a mystery difficult to define. There are three paradigms about time: linear (Newton), circular (cyclical), and objective-subjective (Augustine). Heidegger added the concept of existential time: humans must "temporalize", exist in time by deciding for themselves.

Augustine said honestly: "If no one asks me, I know. But if someone asks, and I want to give an explanation, I no longer know." Time is so familiar yet so difficult to explain.

The Myth of Kronos: Time Births and Devours

The myth of Kronos teaches: time births us, but can also devour us if we're defeated by time. We must be productive and fill time meaningfully.

Meaningful time, calendars, holidays, weekends, all are human constructions, myths we created. Don't get trapped in self-made myths. Weekends become questions that make people without money or partners feel inferior. Yet, weekends are only social constructs.

Einstein's relativity teaches: time is subjective. One minute with someone we love feels like one second. One second on a hot stove feels like one hour.

Temporalizing: Being in Time

Heidegger taught the concept of "temporalizing", being in time. Make your own decisions, have your own life orientation, and stop following others by default. Many people whose lives are chosen by parents from birth to death. They never exist as themselves.

Sayyidina Ali gave liberating wisdom: "My work is recreation. My recreation is work." He said this because he enjoyed his work. People who need much rest are actually people who don't enjoy their work.

This is the condition that occurs when someone enjoys their life. They don't need weekends because every day is recreation. When work and passion unite, life becomes a beautiful flow.

"My work is recreation. My recreation is work.", Sayyidina Ali

Practical Atheism: When God Is Marginalized

Practical atheism is a condition where we claim to believe in God, but in daily life we live as if God doesn't exist. This is more dangerous than theoretical atheism because it's hidden in our routines.

Practical atheism occurs when we only remember God when there are problems, when what we deify are our ambitions, desires, ego, and wants. Even in worship like prayer, we don't bring Allah present, thoughts wander, heart unfocused.

Faiz invites us to reflect: what percentage of our life truly involves God? If we're honest, perhaps only a small portion. Even when praying, from takbir to salam, we don't feel Allah's presence. Thoughts wander to earlier conversations, television sounds, or laptops not yet charged.

Disease That Erodes Without Awareness

This is a hard slap for those of us who feel already religious. We pray five times, fast Ramadan, read the Quran. But do we truly bring God present in our lives? Or do we just perform rituals without spirit?

Practical atheism is a disease that erodes spiritual life without our awareness. We claim to believe in tawhid (monotheism), but in daily life we worship ambitions, wealth, status, and others' validation. We only remember God when we need help.

Most painful is when even our worship is empty of His presence. Prayer that should be mi'raj, meeting with Allah, becomes merely body movements without heart consciousness. At that point it has degenerated into spiritual theater.

The solution is to bring consciousness of Allah into every second of life. Before drinking, ask whether Allah is pleased? Before speaking, ask whether this pleases Him? Before deciding, ask whether this aligns with His will? Consciousness of Allah in every second of life, that's the antithesis of practical atheism.

"Be careful positioning God. Because if not careful, over time He can become increasingly marginalized. He seems increasingly unimportant."

Outer and Inner Worship: Sharia and Divine Knowledge

Worship has two inseparable dimensions: sharia (outer worship) and ma'rifa (inner worship). Both must go hand in hand. Outer worship without inner will be empty, merely ritual without meaning. Conversely, inner without outer also has no value.

Shaykh Abdul Qadir al-Jilani taught the tree metaphor: sharia is the tree, tariqa the branches, ma'rifa the leaves, haqiqa the fruit. All are compiled by Allah in the Quran. The meeting between sharia and ma'rifa births haqiqa, true understanding of truth.

Four Levels of Sufism

Sufism (Ta-Shad-Wawu-Fa) has four levels:

Tobat (Ta), cleansing oneself from past mistakes.

Shafa (Shad), purity and tranquility.

Walayah (Wawu), loving and being loved by Allah.

Fana (Fa), annihilation of ego, focus only on Allah.

Inner Worship in Daily Life

Inner Prayer: Besides the five daily prayers, there's prayer of the heart performed all the time, a way of life that always considers Allah's will. The principle is "iyyaka na'budu wa iyyaka nasta'in", You alone we worship and You alone we ask for help.

Inner Zakat: Conquering ego and attachment to the world. Don't feel we're helping people by giving zakat, as if we have power to help. Giving zakat is because Allah commands it, not because we're great.

Inner Fasting: Ability to control oneself all the time, facing the world with orientation only to Allah.

Be Careful When Already Feeling Good

Shaykh Abdul Qadir al-Jilani warned: "Be careful when we've become good people. Because often there are infiltrators in the form of bad traits we don't realize. Anger destroys faith like vinegar destroys honey. Envy burns goodness like fire burns wood. Backbiting is worse than adultery. Showing off is hidden shirk (polytheism)."

This is a spiritual paradox. When we feel already pious, that's where the door of arrogance opens. Anger, envy, backbiting, showing off, all can destroy the goodness we've built.

Hadith Qudsi provides beautiful balance: "O Muhammad, give glad tidings to sinners because I am Most Forgiving, and warn the righteous because I am Most Changing." Sinners shouldn't despair, Allah is Most Forgiving. Those who feel already right shouldn't be too sure, Allah is Most Changing.

The tree metaphor is very beautiful: sharia is the tree, haqiqa is the fruit. If we only focus on the tree (sharia), we'll never enjoy its fruit (haqiqa). But if we directly seek fruit without planting the tree, we also won't get anything. This is a gradual path that must be traveled with patience and consistency.

"Sharia is the tree, tariqa the branches, ma'rifa the leaves, haqiqa the fruit. And all are compiled by Allah in the Quran.", Shaykh Abdul Qadir al-Jilani

FAQ

Q: What's the difference between becoming human and becoming servant? A: Becoming human is carrying out the role as khalifah on earth, managing, cultivating, creating. Becoming servant is submitting and worshiping Allah. Both arrive as trusts that must be fulfilled together, beyond the realm of personal choice.

Q: Does Islam forbid laughter and play? A: No. Islam acknowledges humans as homo ludens (playing beings) and homo ridens (laughing beings). Humor and play are fitrah that are permitted and even encouraged, as long as in appropriate doses.

Q: How can marriage become a spiritual path? A: Rumi taught that by accepting the reality of married life, we become true humans. Facing challenges, fulfilling spouse's rights, being patient in conflict, all are spiritual exercises no less elevated than staying silent in the mosque.

Q: What is practical atheism? A: A condition where we claim to believe in God but live as if God doesn't exist. Even in worship like prayer, thoughts wander and heart is unfocused. This is more dangerous than theoretical atheism because it's hidden in routines.

Q: What's the difference between sharia and ma'rifa? A: Sharia is outer worship (formal rituals like prayer, fasting, zakat). Ma'rifa is inner worship (spiritual consciousness, bringing Allah present in every action). Both must go hand in hand to give birth to haqiqa (ultimate truth).

Q: Can prayer change Allah's will? A: Kierkegaard taught: "Prayer does not change God, but it changes him who prays." Prayer changes the one who prays by deepening our consciousness about our weakness and dependence on Him.

Q: How to bring consciousness of Allah into daily life? A: Before every action, ask: is Allah pleased? Does this please Him? Does this align with His will? Start from small things like drinking water, speaking, to deciding big matters.

Q: What's the greatest danger in spiritual life? A: Feeling already pious and good. Shaykh Abdul Qadir al-Jilani warned that's where the door of arrogance opens. Anger, envy, backbiting, showing off can destroy all the goodness we've built.

Critical Assessment

Strengths

1. Integration of Western Philosophy, Sufism, and Quran

Faiz is highly skilled at integrating references from various traditions. Nietzsche, Kierkegaard, Heidegger, Rumi, al-Ghazali, Shaykh Abdul Qadir al-Jilani, all quoted proportionally and relevantly. This shows breadth of reading and depth of author's understanding.

2. Topics Highly Relevant to Modern Life

Practical atheism, sharia-ma'rifa integration, marriage as spiritual path, all are issues highly relevant to modern Muslim life often trapped in false dichotomies between religion and worldly life.

3. Easily Understandable Language

Despite discussing complex philosophical themes, Faiz uses simple and easily understood language. Metaphors like "prayer is wireless connection" or "sharia is a tree" make abstract concepts concrete.

Limitations

1. Lacks Practical Guidance

This book is rich in philosophical concepts but lacks step-by-step practical guidance. For instance, how concretely to bring consciousness of Allah into every action? How to practice inner prayer?

2. Some Topics Discussed Too Briefly

Some topics are very interesting but discussed too briefly. For example, inner worship (inner prayer, inner zakat, inner fasting) could be deepened with concrete examples from the Prophet's life or the salaf (early generations).

3. Unclear Target Audience

This book is like a collection of transcribed lecture materials. As a result, discussion sometimes jumps around without clear flow. For readers new to Sufism, it might be difficult to follow.

Conclusion

This book is very suitable for Indonesian Muslims (or international readers interested in Islamic philosophy) who:

Feel trapped in empty spiritual routines
Want to understand how to integrate worldly and spiritual life
Are interested in Islamic philosophy and Sufism but need a more accessible approach
Seek fresh perspectives on marriage, humor, time, and prayer

The greatest strength of this book is Faiz's ability to integrate various philosophical traditions to answer modern existential questions. Its weakness is the lack of practical guidance and more systematic structure.

Rating 4.5/5 for very deep content quality, relevance to modern life, and the author's ability to make philosophical concepts easily understood. Loses 0.5 points for lack of practical guidance and more systematic structure.

Becoming Human, Becoming Servant