ASK MAULANA

What is the importance of ritual?

Ritual is the outer form of worship. When imbued with the inner spirit, rituals are good, but without that, rituals are of no avail. The body of a human being is important, but without the inner spirit, the body is lifeless. By this example you can understand the significance of rituals.

Can I ever be free of negative feelings such as fear and doubt?

No. Negative feelings are not an evil. They also have their positive aspect. Negative feelings are like shocking experiences that awaken your mind; negative feelings make you able to reassess your plans and your mode of life. If you engage in introspection, negative feeling becomes a great teacher for you, provided you do not allow your negative thoughts to overcome you.

What is the difference between adjustment and compromise?

There is a great difference between the two. Adjustment is a principle of wisdom; it is the well-considered behaviour of a wise person, while a compromise is a form of expediency designed merely to secure your interests, without following any particular principle.

What is your view of the problem of suffering?

The problem of suffering is not an evil. The positive point of suffering is that it is a challenge. It gives us an incentive to work. It activates one’s mind. Suffering is a blessing in disguise. History shows that those who were born with a silver spoon in their mouths failed to achieve any great success, while those who faced hardship and disadvantages emerged as super-achievers. It is not ease, but effort; not facility but difficulty, that makes a man.

Why is it difficult for people to accept their limitations?

The reason is that people generally do not apply their mind; they run after their emotions. If you apply your reason, and think about the pros and cons, if you try to understand the result of your actions, then you will never forget that a rational approach is the best approach and that a rational approach is based on the real situation, which is a situation of limitations. Reason will never allow one to ignore one’s own limitations.

According to Islam, what is the purpose of life?

According to Islam, Paradise is the goal of every human being. And the purpose of life is to make yourself a deserving candidate for Paradise. Can we say that spirituality is a powerful tool for managing stress? Yes. It is the mind that is the source of both joy and sorrow. So when you rid yourself of your negativity by the application of your intellect, you become free of tension. Tension is the result of moral unawareness and we can have a tension-free life simply by creating true awareness regarding our situation.

How can we strike a balance between the material and the spiritual?

It is very easy. Follow the well-known principle ‘simple living, and high thinking’. This is the best formula for a spiritual life. Simple living saves you from distractions, and high thinking enables you to discover the sublime aspects of nature and life.

What must we do to develop ourselves spiritually?

In my experience, the only effective formula is to save yourself from distraction. We are all spiritual by birth. But different distractions erode our nature and our spirituality. Therefore, save yourself from distraction and maintain your true nature, so that your spirituality remains intact.

What constitutes distraction?

Giving in to temptation is distraction. So, do not allow your desires to lead you into temptation. You must instead work towards achieving your goals. In every situation, your response must be a well-considered response. Going against these norms is distraction.

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