Hazrat Hayat (MA Eng 1604 FLL/S13)

3 Semester IIUI English Department

Checked by Sir Sheeraz
rd

Review of Essay /Self-Reliance/ Written By

Emerson

Self-reliance was first published in 1841 and then in 1847 as a

revised edition. Self- reliance includes materials from journal
entries of Emerson. The essay has three major divisions: the
importance of self-reliance (paragraphs 1-17), self-reliance and
individual (Paragraph 18-32) and self-reliance and society
(paragraph 32-50).
I read a number of reviews on the essay given by different
critics. Everyone agrees with what Emerson has said. But I will
give my review according to Islam bieng our religion. I will
compare the essay to what Islam says. To know the deep
meaning of the essay we should study first the article of
Seyyed Hossain Nasr i.e /Islam and Modern Western Thought/
and second, we should study the novel /Hayy Ibn e Yaqzan/
written by a Muslim writer Ibne Tufail in 12 century.
According to Seyyed Hossain Nasrs article,
the ultimate source of knowledge in Islam is Revelation. On the
other hand according to the Modern Western Thought the
ultimate source of knowledge is human intellect and reason.
The concept of human beings in Islam is that they are humble
servants of their Lord who submit to His commandments
unconditionally. On contrary in Modern Western Thought the
concept of human beings is that they are sovereign and fully
independent to lead their lives as they wish. Goal of life in Islam
is that a human being is required to lead his life in this world in
obedience of the Devine injunctions on the model set by Allahs
Messengers , to earn Allahs pleasure in the life hereafter.
While the goal of life according to Western Thought is
Attainment of every success and maximum worldly pleasure,
at any cost and in any manner in this world. The purpose of
education according to Islam is to develop personalities of
individuals in a way they become faithful servants of Allah.
Contradictory to this in Western Thought, purpose of education
is to rearing up a human being as a completely free and
th

independent being capable of achieving maximum worldly

success and pleasure. Now I will quote some lines from the
essay to make it clear that how it is contradictory to Islam and
how it is written according to Modern philosophy:
In the start of paragraph no: 7, Emerson says Whoso would be
a man must be a nonconformist. Again in the same paragraph
he asserts The only right is what is after my constitution, the
only wrong what is against it. This line is preceded by No law
can be sacred to me but that of my nature. In paragraph no
23 he says he dares not say I think, I am but quotes some
saints are sage. This saying was firstly uttered by Rene
Discarte, the founder of Modern philosophy. He said it in the
favour of human intellect and reason. According to him there is
nothing higher than the human reason and intellect and makes
the man the central figure on earth, while Islam says that God
is the central figure on earth, we are all subordinate to him and
man is vicegerent of Allah on this earth. So, it is clear from the
study of both, Seyyed Hossain Nasrs article and Self-reliance
that this essay is based on Modern philosophy.
We can also make it understandable by comparing it to the
novel Hayy Ibn e Yaqzan. In this novel the hero of the novel
Yaqzan living on solitary island finds God using his intellect and
reason, without any sacred text, without any prophet or
guidance. This novel was written by a Muslim writer Ibne Tufail
in the Twelfth century. It was the time when religious extremism
was gaining roots throughout the world and he was against it,
so, he wrote it and it was taught in the western universities for
centuries, so, the essay Self-reliance might be written in this
context. How it is related to this novel, let us see what Emerson
says. In paragraph No: 36-as soon as the man is at one with
God, he will not beg. He will then see prayer in all action. The
prayer of farmer kneeling in his field to weed it; says he. In
paragraph No: 38, he says A mans prayers are disease of the
will, so are their creeds a disease of intellect. The same idea is
revealed by Ibne Tufail through the hero of the novel /Hayy Ibne
Yaqzan/ when he comes to a populated city, and observes the
people praying. He says to them, Your prayers and following

the religion blindly is futile, there is no need of prayers but you

should know God innerly. Many of critics say that the Modern
thought of west is the outcome of teaching /Hayy Ibne Yaqzam/
in the western universities.
Moreover, Emerson condemns history. To some extent he is
right while saying, it tells us about the elite class and kings not
about common people. But it is also true that we make
provisions for the future in the light of past incidents. Emerson
himself has written the same essay having past experiences in
his mind.
As for as travelling is concerned, I do not agree with Emerson.
How can one say that travelling is a fools paradise. Travelling
helps us to explore new countries, to know different cultures, to
meet new people and find something new that we have never
experienced in our life. Through the travel of Colombes the
discovery of America became possible.
There are many themes in the essay which are of great
significance. It creates self-confidence which leads to
prosperous life ncessary for a developed society. Self-reliance
plays a vital role in every individuals life. But going against the
society, and religion is breaking relationship with humanity.
Society gives us primary knowledge, religion guides us to
achieve the ultimate goal of life.
So, to conclude, we may say that self-reliance has its
importance but it is limited to a certain type of society
(Western-society). It has its importance regarding worldly
matters, worldly progress, creates a society where all people
are free in their thoughts and will but, in the context of our
religion i.e Islam, it is totally contradictory to it. It is based on
modern philosophy. Modern philosophy rejects the role of
religion and encourages people to use their intellect and reason
and to keep the religion on a side considering it a personal
matter of every individual. The essay promotes the same idea,
nothing else.