How unique this point is! Until today, we have always heard that we should show etiquette to others, but Dātā Ganj Bakhsh رَحْمَۃُ اللہِ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ   states: We must show etiquette to others, but along with that, we should also show etiquette to ourselves. After all, this body of ours, our soul, everything we possess is not truly ours but belongs to Allah Almighty. The Lord of the universe states:

اِنَّ اللّٰهَ اشْتَرٰى مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِیْنَ اَنْفُسَهُمْ وَ اَمْوَالَهُمْ

Allah has indeed purchased from the believers their lives and their wealth^[1]

The renowned exegete, Mufti Aḥmad Yār Khan NaꜤīmī رَحْمَۃُ اللہِ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ , states concerning this verse: 'A believer should understand that my wealth and I have been sold to the Gracious Lord. Nothing truly belongs to me. One should utilise every limb, every moment, and every bit of wealth according to the Will of Allah Almighty, otherwise, they will be a khā’in (i.e., one who commits treachery)'.^[2]

اللہ اکبر! Dear Islamic brothers! It is clear that our lives are not truly ours, but a trust given by the Gracious Lord. Therefore, it is incumbent upon us not to betray this trust, but to show proper etiquette towards it.

Examples of Disrespect Towards Oneself

Subjecting oneself to humiliation, undervaluing oneself, engaging in actions that invite mockery, adopting an appearance that provokes laughter, getting unusual tattoos on the body, disfiguring one’s appearance – these are all examples of disrespecting oneself. Dātā Ganj Bakhsh ꜤAlī Hujwayrīرَحْمَۃُ اللہِ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ   states: Among the etiquettes towards oneself is that a person should always speak the truth (because lying is