FROM MAULANA’S DESK
Maulana Wahiduddin Khan, born in 1925, in Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh, is an Islamic spiritual scholar who is well-versed in both classical Islamic learning and modern disciplines. The mission of his life has been the establishment of worldwide peace. He has received the Padma Bhushan, the Demiurgus Peace International Award and Sayyidina Imam Al Hassan Peace award for promoting peace in Muslim societies. He has been called ’Islam’s spiritual ambassador to the world’ and is recognized as one of its most influential Muslims . His books have been translated into sixteen languages and are part of university curricula in six countries. He is the founder of the Centre for Peace and Spirituality based in New Delhi.
THE GREATEST GIFT
AN online American magazine, International Policy Digest, in its November 2019 post, labelled India as the ‘Suicide Capital of Asia’. This was in response to a WHO report which stated that India had the highest suicide rate in the South Asian region in 2016. This alarming report indicates a dismal state of mental stress and despair around us. Be it the suicide of Café Coffee Day founder, VG Siddhartha or the recent suicide of the television actor Kushal Punjabi, these increasing incidents point to an underlying issue, which needs immediate attention and redressal.
The journey of man’s life begins on a high note, but soon he finds himself amidst adversities that test his hope quotient. As these tribulations and challenges intensify, man tends to lose his positive frame of mind and gets entangled in a downward spiral of misery. In some extreme cases, this may lead to suicide. A WHO report published in 2018 confirms that ‘globally, more than 300 million people of all ages suffer from depression’.
The question to ask is: How can one remain positive amidst the ordeals of life and cope with the resulting stress? The answer is simple. We need to learn to decondition our mind and to view life as an experiential opportunity where both success and failure are transient means to enhance our development potential.
This process of learning does not mean that man will be able to avail all the opportunities to the fullest. He may avail some and forego others. A wise man is one who can learn to live with what is possible, instead of living with the stress of seeking what is not possible.
A wise man is one who can learn to live with what is possible, instead of living with the stress of seeking what is not possible.
A person who wants to put an end to his life does so assuming that his life is worthless. His myopic vision does not allow him to see the opportunities that are available around him. In fact, there have been cases where saved suicide victims ended up becoming extraordinary achievers. There was one such example where a person consumed poison and tried to kill himself because he was under great financial burden. Fortunately, the neighbours got to know and medical aid arrived just in time and saved him. The shock of almost losing his life transformed him into a completely different person. He strove with all his might and developed a refreshing enthusiasm for life. He later went on to establish a successful business enterprise.
The lesson is that if initially man meets with failure, he must not lose hope. Instead, he should look at this as an experience. Later, as opportunities open up, these very experiences will help him realize his potential. The only precondition being that he should remain positive. One who lives with the remorse of lost opportunities will miss the opportunity to avail new prospects. It is a vicious cycle.
In the nine decades of my life I have met with various moments of despair and crisis. The one thing that has held me afloat through all of this is the belief that life is precious; it is not to be squandered away. Let this understanding mark a fresh start for us to look at life as the greatest opportunity offered to us. Let us avail it to the fullest and make it truly count!
Maulana Wahiduddin Khan
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Follow Maulana at http://www.speakingtree.in (The Times of India)