It takes courage to be patient as it requires a superior mental state.

To complain about things is a fruitless exercise. If one wants to complain, one is sure to find plenty to complain about in life. The wise way is to forget the unpleasant things which are a part and parcel of life, bury grudges, and carry on seeking to fulfill one’s true purpose in life.

Although many allurements exist in this world, they are there to put man to the test. In avoidance of temptation man shows that he is a man of principles.

Peace in this world is only for one who can be content in its absence.

No seed turns into a tree by leaps and bounds. Similarly, it is not possible for a person to reach his destination without travelling for the requisite period of time.

When one is prejudiced against something, one cannot see its rationality, even if there are clear signs in support of it.

The more we give, the, more we receive. And never can we hope to receive more than we have actually given.

One sign of a principled person is his strictness with himself, and his tolerance towards others.

Try, try by all means to achieve the very best, but when you feel that you can only get the second best then accept it gracefully.

Being patient does not mean not taking any action. It means planning your strategy, assessing your resources and taking into consideration the relevant natural factors.

Criticism based on facts is constructive, but making allegations without any basis in fact is the worst kind of crime.

It is a fact that the human mind is full of desires but, at the same time, it is also true that man's mind has the capacity for logical thought. When you find that your mind is overwhelmed by desire, examine that desire in the light of reality. Assess it in terms of its potential results, and find out objectively whether it is feasible or not to fulfil it. Then, after examining it completely, if you are satisfied that its results will be beneficial, fulfil your desire.

Money or material goods are only meant to fulfil man's needs. Money is not a goal in itself. Money can fulfil the physical requirements of man, but man is more than a physical entity. Man is an intellectual being, and as such can find fulfilment in pursuing some alternative goal which is higher than that of money.

If you try to convince all the members of society of your wish to prevail, you will seldom succeed, so practise the art of doing what is possible and leaving what is impossible. This is a sign of maturity. The mature person remains even-tempered in situations which are impossible for him to change.

The character of those with double standards is not predictable. Such people talk much, but fail to back up their avowed resolutions with firmness of action. As a result, they will very soon lose the trust of their society.

Psychological studies show that situations always being propitious kills the spirit of struggle. The history of progress tells us that no individual or nation has ever made progress in favorable conditions.

Conscience is the strongest check against wrongdoing. Anyone who wants to live on this planet as an honest person or as a man of character must keep a guard upon his conscience. Nothing else can guarantee one's personal morality.

Wrong accusation is the worst possible crime.

No one puts out other people’s lamps. It is the lack of oil which puts them out.

We have to understand the scheme of things in this world and adjust ourselves accordingly

What is required from man is that when he is granted power he should not suffer from the psychology of pride and arrogance. And when man finds himself in a state of subjugation he should not fall prey to negative psychology.

The Prophet of Islam, once addressing his companions, said: “Should I not tell you what is good character?” They said, “Yes, certainly.” He replied: “You should join hands with him who cuts asunder from you. You should give to those who deprive you. You should forgive those who oppress you.”

The great secret of life is realism, and there is no form of realism greater than
accepting defeat. To do so is to acknowledge the fact that, far from being
ahead of others, one is behind them. In other words, it is to know where one
stands in life.

The wind carries away the scattered particles of sand, causing them to float all around. But when these particles of sand join together to make a mountain, no tempest is strong enough to shake them.

It is important to make preparations. Only after long years of hard struggle and perseverance is it possible for one to play this part successfully.

What inspires a man more than anything is to have a great mission before him. That is what arouses a man’s hidden potential. It makes him, in short, a peak performer.

One who is spiritually inclined resorts constantly to his inner mental life – something which no one can take away from him. Such a man possesses inner contentment, and is far above all material gain and loss.

Being spiritual means rectifying one's relationship with other human beings and it is far from meaning the renunciation of all contacts with the material world.

No doubt there are apprehensions about taking risks. But in the present world nothing can be achieved without a certain amount of daring. As the proverb says, no risk no gain.

When one is silent, one’s focus becomes oneself rather than extraneous matters. One eschews superficiality and engages with deeper realities.

For life as a whole, disparateness is actually a great blessing: the good points of one man may compensate for the shortcomings of another.

In this competitive world, those who want concessions will always find themselves in the back seat. It is only those who make every effort to earn excellent qualifications will ever come to the fore.

Sometimes by being hasty a man invites trouble, but then he always has the possibility of turning the situation to good account by adopting the ways of patience.

No one is so powerful that he can harm others without harming himself.

Evil can have no beginning but from pride nor any end but from humility.

Allowing emotion to govern one’s actions brings failure. Acting with restraint brings success.

Do not look at things from the point of view of personal desires and whims, but from the point of view of reality.

Living in worry or stopping your thinking process is not the solution. Instead of stopping your thinking process, enhance it and you will soon discover that the stress you felt was acting as an intellectual booster in your life.

It is man’s mind that differentiates him from the rest of creation, it can only be through the development of his mind that man can attain true spirituality.

When people forget about death, they forget how to live.

To bear with controversy is a sign of knowledge.

Complaining about others is often an admission of one’s own incompetence.

Those who are ready to perform menial tasks show themselves fit for great ones.

Man has to pay the price for his own faults. But after making a mistake, he tries to find someone who will pay the price for him.

In times of personal disaster do not become full of hate, pride and egoism.

Reacting to provocation brings negative results, whereas ignoring provocation leaves the way clear to embark on planned construction and consolidation.

This world runs on the principle of give and take. Here no value is placed on grievances, protests and demands. The simple rule observed by this world is receiving and giving in equal measure.

A man of principle and character is always just. This predictability of character is maintained even when he has cause for complaint; when he has been treated unjustly by others.

In this world one has to sink before one can rise; one has to resign oneself to loss before one can gain, to backwardness before one can advance; one has to be able to accept defeat before one can claim victory.

There is nothing for us to do but to fit in with the order of nature. Much as we may try, it is impossible for us to have things any other way.

A single human weakness cannot be considered in isolation. It has to be looked upon as being representative of the entire personality. If an individual proves unreliable in one matter, he is likely to evince the same unreliability in other matters.

History testifies that one who acts on impulses and emotional reactions invariably fails; and one who responds rationally, always succeeds.

Patience is no retreat. Patience gives the strength to restrain one’s emotions in delicate situations and use one’s mind to find a course of action along result-oriented lines.

Although many allurements exist in this world, they are there purely to put man to the test. They are not something desirable for man. In avoidance of temptation man shows that he is prudent and a man of principles.

What is simplicity? Simplicity is that state of living in which man has realized the purpose of his life and given it the utmost importance, while regarding everything else as secondary.

A negative personality exhibits the characteristics of weakness such as sinfulness and
hypocrisy. Such personalities are guided not by principles but by pure self-interest.

The benefit of patience and tolerance is that, even after suffering losses, the bereft one does not lose his balance. In spite of temporary defeat, he never loses the ability to think cool-mindedly and, by making a realistic assessment of his situation, plans his life anew. By forgetting what is lost, he reorganizes his work.

The greatest thing for man to target in this world is the nurturing of a noble personality. One who does so is a real human being. Such is the individual considered desirable by God.

Difference is not an evil, it is a great blessing. For, the absence of uniformity is the secret to intellectual development. It has rightly been said, “When everyone thinks alike, no one thinks very much.”

If one prays in the true spirit of prayer, then one’s prayer will surely fend away indecency and evil. But if one’s prayer is devoid of spirit, then it will be no more than a perfunctory action which has no connection with one’s real life.

Strong belief in something makes one rise above one’s worldly situation. It makes one concentrate on one’s end in life. No matter what hindrances and obstacles lie in one’s path, one shoulders on until one reaches one’s final destination.

When man avoids violence and war, although the way of war is open to him, he
chooses the noblest line of conduct – restraint.

In this world almost everyone makes mistakes. But he finds that after every mistake certain opportunities arise through which he is able to rectify matters—thus saving himself from the evil consequences of his mistakes.

It is important to investigate everything and anything one hears. Passing things on to others without investigation is a dangerous habit.

It is temperament that plays the most crucial role in the making of a nation. A character that can be depended upon through thick and thin is what in the long run builds a nation.

In the face of adversity one’s hidden capacities come to the fore and it is possible for one to reach undreamt of heights. But first and foremost there has to be the will to do so.

One may be beset by the most grievous handicaps in life, but it is always possible to rise above them. However, this can be done by one who is willing to endure some “initial pain”; and put in some “extra effort” to achieve one’s goal.

The people who ultimately succeed are those who are undaunted by disadvantageous circumstances, who waste no time in lamenting over them.

Sometimes, in the course of daily life, a feeling of helplessness comes over man, the same kind of helplessness that he experiences after the observation of the universe through a telescope. This helplessness can be overcome only if man submits to his Creator.

Belief in a God of perfection is more than just a dogma. It illuminates man’s soul and enraptures his heart. If one relishes a deli¬cious fruit, and goes into ecstasy on hearing a tuneful melody, how then can one fail to be moved by the discovery of God, who is the fountain¬head of all goodness.

Success is a matter of making decisions with a calm mind, without constant wavering and changing of the mind, acute observation, initiative, and unremitting attention to a vast number of petty details.

Strong is the one who has few needs; whose desires are limited; who does not seek fame and luxury; who finds pleasure in being humble, rather than in pretending to be big. Such a person is free of mental complexes, so nothing prevents him from taking the right decision. He is never obstructed by self-interest. He is ready to undergo any sacrifice in order to achieve his goal.

Simplicity is that state of living in which man has realized the purpose of his life and given it the utmost importance, while regarding everything else as secondary.

How ironical it is that a small discovery should make a scientist lose himself in a spontaneous outburst of feeling, while the far greater discovery that a believer makes – that of God – should create in him no such feeling. Those who really believe in God feel the joy of their discovery. So uncontrollable is their joy that they cannot help expres¬sing it to others. If there are no traces of the joy of discovery, then the discovery itself has yet to be made.

Death is a journey towards the most difficult stage of life. It signifies one’s entrance – in a state of total powerlessness, destitution and help¬lessness – to the next world. There is a limit to every hardship we bear on earth; but death will make us enter a world of unlimited hardships and difficulties.

Justice is an indirect result of peace and not the direct result, so the formula is like this: establish peace by accepting injustice for a temporary period. Peace will open the doors of opportunities and by availing the opportunities we can reach our goal, that is,justice.

When you stand in the Himalayan foothills, you will see torrents of water sent down by the ice melting on the mountaintops. On the way, the fast-flowing water repeatedly meets obstacles in the form of boulders. These hamper the flow of the water, but it does not attempt to break the stones in order to follow a straight course. On the contrary, what it does is avoid the stones and find its way around their sides, and eventually reaches the plains. This is the way of non-violence.

Just as morning is always followed by night, so does success inevitably follows failure. However, just as the earth must revolve unceasingly if morning is to follow night, so must man be unremitting in his struggle to reach his final goal.

Man bewails the calamities that strike him on earth. But if he were to realize the intensity of the coming day, he would see that all this is nothing compared to what will come to pass. Comfort and self-respect in this world make man complacent and proud. But if he were to know what was lying in store for him, he would be humble before the Lord. “Lord,” he would cry out, “worldly honour and comfort are of no consequence if they do not last through to the next, more abiding stage of life.”

The universe around us serves as a vast model. The secret of success for man is to opt for this model in his life. But with a difference. In the rest of the universe this model is established compulsively under the law of nature, while man has to establish this model in his life consciously, of his own free will.

Man considers himself free in the present world. He thinks of everything he has as his
own property. But when death comes it will dawn on him, all of a sudden, that he had
just been fooling himself: he had been given freedom as a test whereas he had thought
it was his right; he had taken what was God’s to be his own; he was responsible to
God for his actions, but he lived under the misapprehension that, whatever he did, he
would never be taken to task for it.

According to Bertrand Russell there are two forms of knowledge: knowledge of things and knowledge of truths. Only “things” can be directly observed: “truths” can only be understood by indirect observation, or, in other words, inference.

Non-violence is not just passivity. Non-violence, in actual fact, is a well-considered
policy, enabling man to live in peace, even in a violent situation. Indeed, its practice is synonymous with peaceful behaviour.

It is a fact that there is no end to the opportunities in this world. When one opportunity ceases to exist, some other opportunity always arises elsewhere. When one stage in a man’s career comes to an end, there will always be the opportunity to enter a new phase.

Death may spare a man from facing human judges, but it will immediately set him before his Maker, the greatest Divine Judge, which will be a much more terrifying experience. This is a matter of the utmost gravity. Were man to ponder upon it, he would be shaken to the very core.

Positivity prevails throughout nature. Negativity just does not exist in the natural world. This teaches us the lesson that we should give a positive response at all times, even in negative situations.

All learning is acquired in the school of hard work; all progress is achieved at the price of unflagging effort. Perseverance is a virtue which can be practised at all times, even by one who is crippled by a disease, and even by one who had failed to get a degree from a university. Hard work, in fact, is the brightest jewel in the crown of human virtues.

It is said of the Prophet of Islam that whenever he had an option between two courses of action, he always chose the easier, non-confrontational one.

The study of the Prophet’s life shows that he never initiated a military move himself. When his opponents wanted to embroil him in war, he would on all occasions apply some strategy of avoidance to avert war. He fought only when there was no other way left to him.

The most delicate aspect of man’s life is that his existence does not come to an end after death. He has to be reborn in another world. The present world is the world of action, while the world to come will be one in which he reaps his reward.

People have to be patient with one another, putting others’ needs before their own, thinking of the good of others rather than what they themselves desire. It is through the sacrifice of indi¬viduals that there can be such a thing as concerted effort.

This is a world of give and take. Here man finds only what he has given to others. In short, others will behave with you just as you behave with them.

Every moment of his life, man ought to keep praising God—God, who has made the most superb provision for him, both physical as well as spiritual.

If you want to live like a flower you will find your way to a bed of flowers. But if your existence is replete with thorns, you will find a world full of thorny shrubs.

Man has repeatedly to undergo such experiences as produce negative feelings within him, for instance, anger, hatred, violence, and revenge. Man ought to bury these feelings instantly, for, if he fails to do so, they will become a permanent presence in the human mind, and a time will come when it will be almost impossible to eliminate them.

In life, there are some tasks that a person can perform in a short while, on his own. But there are other tasks that cannot be per­formed by one person alone. The only way to perform these tasks is by adopting the method of the bees – that of combined effort.
 

The human brain is a treasure house of unlimited power. If man loses his peace of mind at a time of crisis, he is not in a position to utilize his mental capacity in a positive way. Negative thinking is an obstacle to human development, while positive thinking is like a life-giver in that it stimulates human capacities.

The movement of the earth around the sun is essential for the healthy functioning of life on earth. If the earth did not revolve around the sun, its existence would have no meaning, and life would come to an end. This example is indeed a physical demonstration that shows how man must revolve around God, just as the earth revolves around the sun.

The present world is nothing but a tiny interlude in our never-ending life span.The present world has been designed as a ‘testing ground’ for man; the Last Day as the ‘result day’ of man’s test; and the after-world as the time for man to have the eternal ‘reward’or ‘punishment’, depending upon how he fared in his ‘test’.

There is nothing wrong in diversity of opinions. In fact, this is a positive quality that has many advantages. The beauty of the garden of life is enhanced if the flower of unity is accompanied by the thorn of diversity.

Peace is a prerequisite for all kinds of human progress. With peace, we progress: without peace, we face ruin. Violence is not the solution to the problems of the world. It only aggravates matters and will never give a solution. The only solution is to live lives on the path of peace.

Quran attaches great importance to patience. Patience is set above all other Islamic virtues with the exceptional promise of reward beyond measure.

According to Islamic belief, both men and women are born as equal partners in life. In a fine-expression of gender equality, the Quran declares: “Never will I waste the work of any of you, be he male or female: You are members, one of another.” (3:195)

When one is angry he is all too prone to turn to violence. But the truth is that violence is no solution to any problem. For one who can prevent himself from succumbing to anger, there is no situation, which he will not be able to turn to good account. He will seek a peaceful solution—the only sure way to solve any problem.

Peaceful revolution is the outcome of peaceful thinking. Peaceful minds make for a peaceful world. Man was born in peace. Man must die in peace. Peace – man’s birthright – is God’s greatest blessing for human beings.

According to divine law the relationship between man and woman was set up on the principle of the division of labor, i.e. it is the responsibility of the man to carry out tasks outside the home, while the woman takes charge of tasks within the home.

According to the Quran there are two faculties in every human being which are mutually antipathetic. One is the ego, and the other is the conscience, called respectively nafs ammara and nafs lawwama. What the violent method invariably does is to awaken the ego, which necessarily results in a breakdown of social equilibrium. On the other hand,non-violent activism awakens the conscience, from which results an awakening and self-appraisal in people.

Islam is based on monotheism, its goal being to make people realize the existence of the one and only God and to strive to bring about a change in their hearts and minds in order that they may love God as is His due. And the greatest concern of man should be to fear and worship his Creator.

A flowing stream is a model for man as it irrigates the fields without expecting anything in return. Without the inculcation of these altruistic values among human beings, no meaningful life on earth is possible.

A great advantage of the non-violent method is that by following it no part of one’s time is wasted. The opportunities available in any given situation may then be exploited to the fullest extent.

A movement cannot be a jihad just because its leaders describe it as such. An action can be termed a ‘jihad’ only when it fulfils the conditions set by Islam. Any action which is carried out without fulfilling these conditions will not be a jihad but a fasad, which will amount to spreading corruption across the world. Those who engage in such a ‘jihad’ will not deserve any reward. They should expect only divine punishment.

While peace is a boon for human society, violence is a curse. Peace fosters a high level of human culture and helps it to flourish, whereas violence breeds a jungle culture. Peace elevates humanity to the level of civilized social existence, whereas violence causes a descent into barbarism. Peace brings the good elements of a society into prominence, while violence does the very opposite.

The concept of a living and powerful God is necessarily accompanied by the concept of accountability. And, the concept of accountability guarantees right thinking and right actions on the part of man. It makes man cautious by reminding him of God’s chastisement.

Land which converts earth into trees is fertile land: land which does not do this is sterile. So it is with man. Whoever is able to awaken his inner mechanism in such a way that it begins to convert raw matter into sublime matter is a true believer.

Nature provides a pointer towards the future, everlast¬ing world. One who listens to its appeal, and moulds one’s life accordingly, will be the truly successful in this life, and in the Hereafter.

Admitting one’s faults and shortcomings is rare, for it requires great courage. Without it, we cannot make social progress. Since every defeat is attributable to a gap in the line of defence, the best remedy is to accept it, for in so doing, one is well on the way to solving the problem.

The principles we are required to keep in mind while driving are the same as those we should keep in mind on our journey through life. If one wishes, one can learn from the “highway code” the principle that one should follow in the vaster arena of life.

Those who are destined to perform great deeds in life are those who do not seek any reward for what they have done; the very fact that they have done something is sufficient reward for them. The knowledge that they have played their part is enough to make them content, even more so than those who have been abundantly rewarded for their efforts.

This spirit of give and take, which is a matter of instinct in a family, can emerge in a community only through conscious effort on the part of its members. While it is emotional bonds that keep families from disintegrating, it is a rational effort which cements society, causing its members to be together despite all differences.

In matters of criticism or expression of differences, the right approach is for people to end unnecessary sensitivity to it instead of attempting to put an end to criticism and differences. This is the demand of Islam as well as of nature.

Always confine your activities to your own sphere; if you infringe on the sphere of others, you are sure to clash with them: your progress will come to an abrupt halt.

Inclinations towards peace or violence serve as indicators of the true character of the human being. If the former proves the humanity of the individual, the latter proves his animality, despite his appearing to be a human being.

The conviction that one’s goals are worthwhile, the observation of discipline with no contradiction between words and thoughts, cool thinking, even in times of crisis—all these are qualities which determine success, and obviate failure in the wider field of life.

The true believer is one who leads his life in the sphere appointed for him by God. It is those who unswervingly pursue the course set for them by their Creator, will share God’s blessings in this world as well as His eternal blessings in the Hereafter.

The nature of every human being constantly urges him or her to recognize the need for God. Without God, our lives cannot be complete. Without the help of God, we cannot succeed in life.

When a man opts for the path of violence to solve his problems, he slides down the slippery slope towards perdition. He makes it all too clear that he is suspect as a human being.

A wise man is one whose rival gets to know his plans only after he has brought them to completion.

It is not ease but effort, not facility but difficulty that makes a man.

To complain about things is a fruitless exercise. If one wants to complain, one is sure to find plenty to complain about in life. The wise way is to forget the unpleasant things which are a part and parcel of life, bury grudges, and carry on seeking to fulfill one’s true purpose in life.

All the messengers of God sent in ancient times came to teach man to worship the one God alone, so that he might accordingly reform his life in this world and share in God’s blessings in the next.

A monotheist is one who accords the supreme status to the one and only God. He asks Him alone to meet his needs. He does obeisance before Him; he trusts Him implicitly and above all others, reserving for Him the supreme status in all respects.

As soon as a person effaces himself, he becomes capable of building for the future of humanity. Such a person lays personal grievances to one side. As his own self-interest and ambitions evaporate before his eyes, he shows no reaction, as if all this were not happening to him at all.

The secret of a successful family life lies in willing to serve and cooperate. Every family member should have the desire to come to the assistance of others and be willing to live in harmony with them, without allowing differences and complaints to mar the domestic atmosphere.

What man does by fasting is engaging himself more and more in the remembrance and worship of God, and in the recitation of the Quran. Thus, fasting serves as a method to increase the efficacy of worship.

Those who are unable to bear losses patiently tend to lapse into negative thinking. In this way, their life becomes a burden to themselves and to others. On the contrary, those who have patience and courage, build a new edifice on the ruins of the past.

Inclinations towards peace or violence serve as indicators of the true character of the human being. If the former proves the humanity of the individual, the latter proves his animality, despite his appearing to be a human being.

Fasting produces moral discipline within man. By restricting the basic things he desires,the devotee is trained to lead a life of self-restraint.

Avoidance of friction is one of the most important principles of Islam. Such avoidance means refraining from retaliation on all occasions of complaint and dissension.

Violence is not the solution to the problems of the world. It only aggravates matters and will never give a solution. The only solution is to live, lies on the path of peace.

Death is not the end of a person’s life. It is only the beginning of the next stage of life. Death is that interim stage when man leaves this temporary world of today for the eternal world of tomorrow.

The present imperfect and temporary world is the world of action, while the world of the perfect, eternal Hereafter is the place for reaping the harvest of actions.

The relationship between Islam and a believer should be like that of dye and water. Islam should merge with the believer’s whole being, it should enter into his thoughts, moulding his intellect in its own fashion.

Peace is a prerequisite for all kinds of human progress. With peace, we progress: without peace, we face ruin.

True submission to God does not mean just acknowledging His existence. It involves total attachment to Him. It is an inward state with an outward form. Discovery of God is an event of incomparable impact which can never remain hidden. If God’s truth has been revealed to someone, it will always be apparent. One so favoured will desire those around him to bear witness to the fact that he has answered the call of God, set
aside the idols of worldly gain and expediency, and devoted himself entirely to God. If one claims inner faith, but does not express it, one can only be looking at faith as a convenience. Anyone who puts worldly interests before God cannot ever discover Him. Preoccupation with worldly priorities and prejudices are the very opposite of true
submission to God, and two such conflicting states can never merge in one soul.

It is not ease, but effort, not facility, but difficulty which make a man what he is.

Peaceful revolution is the outcome of peaceful thinking. Peaceful minds make for a peaceful world. Man was born in peace. Man must die in peace. Peace—man’s birthright—is God’s greatest blessing for human beings.

However, a peaceful life can be achieved only when human beings learn what their limitations ought to be. According to the Divine law, you can take from the world whatever will satisfy your need—not your greed. You may do business with others, but you may not exploit them. You may also establish your individuality, but not at the cost of the family and society. In daily existence, you may lead your life by maintaining social
traditions and not by destroying them.

Experience has shown that complacency and a sense of comfort can be even greater vitiating factors in man’s progress through life than devastation and despair. This does not mean that adversity by itself is beneficial. No! It is simply the spark which ignites the fuel of man’s soul and drives him on to greater things. It is the mainspring of his initiative and the force which propels him relentlessly forward. In the face of adversity his hidden capacities come to the fore and it is possible for him to reach undreamt of heights.

In times of grim affliction, provided one has the will, all one’s hidden potential and latent faculties are brought into play. One can think better, plan more successfully and make the greater efforts needed to bring one’s plans to fruition. One who lacks the will to improve his life is just like an idling motor which is going nowhere.

In man’s life the most important thing is the will to act. If one succumbs to a sense of loss and frustration, and frittered his energies away in futile political protest, he is doomed to ruination.

No success is possible in this world without working for a long time. This is because God has not created this world on the basis of instant success. Man must learn his lesson and should not fritter away his time in futile efforts.

In any task of greater or lesser complexity, there are always aspects of it which present problems which appear at first sight to be insoluble. Sometimes innumerable facts have to be marshalled which can be interpreted only with the keenest of insight. Often a mysterious, elusive factor emerges just at a point when one thinks that all questions have been answered. Such difficulties can be overcome, and such secrets unveiled only when one’s total intellectual capacity is directed towards the unraveling of the mystery. Without the utmost devotion and one hundred per cent concentration, success will remain forever beyond one’s grasp.

Those who complain of non-recognition and applause at unfavourable circumstances; whose eyes are set on problems rather than on opportunities can never attain their goal in life.

In the use of violence, man simply follows his basic instincts, while to promote peace; man has to give himself a complete moral overhaul. Only after such a conversion is the individual able to play the role of a peace-loving person.

Man needs to convert non-peace into peace, for only after this conversion is he able to play the role of a peaceful person.

Human beings are by nature egoists. Whenever their ego is hit, it turns into a super ego. As a result a hostile reaction is produced which easily becomes converted into hatred and the urge to do violence. The only way is to avoid touching another person’s ego.

God has planned the external world in such a fashion that everything in it serves as a sign of the Higher Reality. Man has, moreover, been endowed with such capabilities as help him to read those signs and understand them. Now those who keep their natural faculties alive and, by availing of them, ponder over the things of the world, will unlock the doors of realisation within themselves. While those who allow the intellect to become sluggish will be unable to learn lessons from anything. They will see, but this will not be the seeing of realisation; they will hear, but this will not be the hearing of realisation.

Just as it is wrong to delay, it is equally wrong to be in too much of a hurry. All work can be completed in due course. To delay work is idle and irresponsible, but to do it with unseemly and unwarrantable haste is a sign of crass impatience. In the world of God,where each event has its allotted time, both extremes are doomed to failure.

A man who has made a mistake can completely erase the marks of what is an unfortunate experience for others by admitting his mistake and begging forgiveness. Some people are pricked by their consciences, but do nothing to assuage the ruffled feelings of others, thinking that to do so would be sheer weakness and would mean a loss of face. Such people can never have healthy social relationships and can never win the respect of their fellow men. They do not realize that a man displays his true mettle when he sees his own wrong actions for what they are, and humbly asks forgiveness.

A single human weakness cannot be considered in isolation. It has to be looked upon as being representative of the entire personality. If an individual proves unreliable in one matter, he is likely to evince the same unreliability in other matters; if he is guilty of untrustworthiness on one occasion, the chances are that this trait will show up time and time again.

Often people launch themselves on careers, plunging headlong into them, without giving due thought to their actual capacities and to whether they have any real potential which can be developed. At times they are led astray by trivial considerations, ill-founded opinions and overwhelming emotions, and rush heedlessly into whatever first comes their way. When the result is not what they had anticipated, they fall to
complaining against others, lamenting their losses and failures and claiming that it was due to the prejudices of others that they had had to suffer frustrations and that their careers had come to naught. Had they given more profound thought to the matter, they would have realised that the fault lay in their own ill-judged planning or even total aimlessness. Had they started out in the right direction, others would not then have had the opportunity to place obstacles in their path and turn their successes into failures.

A western thinker once commented, “You have removed most of the road blocks to success when you have learnt the difference between motion and direction.”

A goal can be achieved in the course of ten years, but you want to attain it in just ten days. This means that you want to reach your destination in leaps and bounds. But there is an old saying: “The more hurry, the less speed.”

God has placed unpleasant things alongside the pleasant things of life. Just as the rose bush, along with its exquisite flowers, also possesses piercing thorns, so also does life contain an amalgam of both pleasing and displeasing objects. This is the way God has created the world. There is nothing for us to do but to fit in with this order of nature that He has laid down. Much as we may try, it is impossible for us to have things any other way.

Man’s responsibility to his parents is to pay their dues, to respect them, always to speak gently to them, to fulfil their needs and to be of service to them in the fullest sense of the word.

Man has been created by God with two opposing yet complementary qualities: the spiritual and the physical. On the one hand is his mind, in respect of which he finds himself limitless. He can think anything he wishes; there are simply no boundaries to his thinking. Yet, in his physical existence, man is extremely limited. He is bound by innumerable kinds of constraints. The greatest limiting factor which man faces is death. Death nullifies all greatness in man. This is man’s severest test. In all his apparent greatness, he must acknowledge how humble is his condition. Passing from a limitless to a limited environment he must acknowledge the confines within which he lives. He must accept restrictions in an atmosphere of freedom.

The individual is the primary unit of society. If individuals are reformed, society follows suit. And if individuals degenerate, society too goes into a decline. That is why our best efforts should centre around the individual, who is, after all, the basic building block of the society. The day we reform individuals in their thousands and tens of thousands, we shall have set ourselves well and truly on the path of successful social reform.

In our world innumerable events take place, governed by the law of nature: for instance,the continuous rotation of the earth, the receiving of light from the sun, the blowing of the wind, the onset of rains, the flowing of rivers, the growing of plants and trees,etc. All occurrences of this nature continue day and night. How striking it is that they
occur in an extremely peaceful manner. There is no violence, no clash, no confrontation.This being the natural way of reform, human beings ought to follow this way of nature,completely shunning violence and confrontation.

In our world innumerable events take place, governed by the law of nature: for instance, the continuous rotation of the earth, the receiving of light from the sun, the blowing of the wind, the onset of rains, the flowing of rivers, the growing of plants and trees, etc. All occurrences of this nature continue day and night. How striking it is that they occur in an extremely peaceful manner. There is no violence, no clash, no confrontation. This being the natural way of reform, human beings ought to follow this way of nature, completely shunning violence and confrontation.

Patience is another name for the non-aggressive method. This means that one who stands up for the truth ought not to counter violence with violence. He must unilaterally adhere to peaceful ways.

Once the peaceful method has been employed, victory and victory alone ensues: there is no room for defeat. Even if a peaceful method does apparently lead to a defeat, the final outcome is even then a victory. For, by using a peaceful method, one might lose a war, but one does not lose opportunities. One still has opportunities and possibilities, by availing of which one can start one’s life all over again and reach the destination of success.

Ideologically, passive militants regard it as their duty to give full assistance to active terrorists. And if such terrorists are in their thousands, the number of their supporters runs into millions. This being so, the annihilation of known active terrorists would not suffice to put an end to the phenomenon of terrorism. It is essential, therefore, that the issue of the enormous support given by the world-wide network of passive terrorists be immediately addressed. Their minds must be re-engineered. Their violent thinking must be transformed into pacifism. Only then will it be possible to rid the world of the menace of terrorism.

Modern terrorism must be brought to an end. But this cannot be done through counter attacks. For one thing, this would be like trying to quell non-state terrorism by state terrorism. And for another, modern terrorism derives its strength less from guns and bombs than from its ideology. That is why a counter ideology rather than counter-bombing would the more effectively put an end to terrorism.

The conditions prevailing in ancient times allowed for war in self-defence. But this permission to go to war conformed to the law of necessity. Now, in the present modern age, this need no longer exists, therefore there should be a general ban on war.

People think that they are being “cheated” by death, but in fact death is the ultimate and most inevitable certainty of our lives. Death cheats no one. It is man that cheats himself: the plans that he should be making for the world after death he makes for this life; only to
find that death awaits him, to put paid to all his dreams.

When you are provoked by a remark of your critic, all you do is react. But when you resist provocation, you are able to give an answer which will render your critic speechless.

Not descending to intolerant behaviour, in spite of facing unpleasant situations, is a clear proof of self-control. One who has this ability becomes so strengthened by it that no one can defeat him.

It is a wrong choice made by one suffering from the feeling of deprivation. Any group, rightly or wrongly, may suffer from this feeling. There is only one useful way of getting rid of it and that is by peaceful means. The violent method is so lethal that it is no choice at all for anybody. Violence, from the point of view of its result, only adds to this feeling of deprivation, instead of putting an end to it. Violence is nothing but an outburst of a provoked person. Violence provides no positive solution to any problem.

In any controversy, one way to attempt to settle matters is for both parties to enter into violent confrontation. The better way to settle disputes is to effect a reconciliation at the very outset. econciliation is like a safety valve in any situation where there are conflicting interests and where tempers can become explosive. So at times of
provocation, the best course to adopt is a conciliatory rather than a confrontational one. That is a law of nature.

Man has been given freedom in this world. What is required of him is that, despite possessing total freedom, he should of his own free will become an example of moral, disciplined behaviour. One who thus conducts himself will pass God’s test and will be selected by the Lord, the Creator and Sustainer of this universe, as the beneficiaries of
that most wonderful blessing—eternal paradise.

In the use of violence, man simply follows his basic instincts, while to promote peace; man has to give himself a complete moral overhaul. Only after such a conversion is the individual able to play the role of a peace-loving person.

For violence to erupt provocation is enough; while for peace to prevail man has to nullify provocation with moderation and restraint.

If peace is to be maintained, negative thinking has to be suppressed and replaced with positive thinking.

Religion is inherent in every action of the true believer just as dye is inherent in every drop of coloured water. The words and deeds of such a person bear the stamp of his faith. With the dis¬covery of God grows a new personality which is reflected in every action. Religion and the person become inseparable.

Patience is no retreat. Patience only amounts to taking the initiative along the path of wisdom and reason as opposed to the path of the emotions. Patience gives one the strength to restrain one’s emotions in delicate situations and rather to use one’s brains to find a course of action along result-oriented lines.

The only way to deal with the irksome side of daily living is to exercise patience.Patience will ensure that whenever one has some bitter experience, he will opt for the way of tolerance rather than that of reaction to provocation.

Peace is the master key, which opens all doors to success. It paves the way for the success of sincere efforts in all spheres. In a state of peace, we can go about any task: without peace it is impossible to act constructively. This is true of all matters in life, both great and small.

Patience is a sine qua non for well thought out action impatience can only give rise to thoughtlessness. Patience permits planned action, while impatience leads to acting in excessive haste.

The secret of success lies in patience. Patience is a state neither of passivity nor of cowardice. It is rather a positive quality. It takes courage to be patient as it requires a superior mental state.

In the modern age man has only two options: either to refrain from waging war on the grounds that the observance of humanitarian provisos is impracticable or else he commits the crime of hurling himself headlong into war, callously ignoring all humane considerations.

In order to lead a successful life, it is important for man to learn the art of Life Management. The art of life management means, on the one hand man understanding himself, (i.e. he should know who he is, what his capabilities are) and, on the other hand, his becoming aware of the world around him. Then he may plan his life in a realistic manner, and make improvements whenever and wherever required.

The Art of Failure Management in marriage lies in not looking at marriage as something ideal, but as a practical matter and then accepting one’s partner the way he or she is. People generally tend to measure their partners by an ideal yardstick, and when they do not measure up to their expectations, they tend to think that they have not found their ideal soul mate. This happens both in the case of a husband and a wife, and so both partners fail to experience the joys of their union.

As a man is egoistic by nature, and a woman emotional, they can often be at loggerheads with each other due to their differences. This difference cannot be obliterated. The only solution to this problem is that, when a man’s ego flares up, the woman should keep her calm; and when the woman becomes emotional and loses her temper, the man must keep likewise calm. They should not give in to reactions of any kind. This is the only solution to this situation.

The positive aspect of emotionalism is that it tends to make one more sensitive, and therefore more gentle and compassionate, which is, without doubt, a positive quality. But the negative aspect is that it can give one an obstinate personality, thus making one stubborn even when flexible approach is necessary. If one allows this aspect of their nature to go unchecked, it will be detrimental to the wholesome development of one’s personality.

The way of peace runs an even course from beginning to end, while the path of violence is strewn with obstacles. In peace, construction is all, while with violence, destruction is all.

The benefit of patience and tolerance is that, even after suffering losses, the bereft one does not lose his balance. In spite of temporary defeat, he never loses the ability to think cool­mindedly and, by making a realistic assessment of his situation, plans his life anew. By forgetting what is lost, he reorganizes his work.

A woman tends to be emotional, while a man tends to be egoistic. If they are put to positive use, it will prove to be a boon to humanity. But if they are put to negative use, it will prove to be a bane for humanity.

A purposeful life is an ideal life. Simplicity is a must in order to lead a purposeful life. Simplicity saves man from unnecessary expenditure and distractions— things that hamper him in working towards achieving his goal in life.

The most desirable personality is one marked by such noble human traits as are based on principles, moral values, positivity, love for all mankind and the willingness to acknowledge the worth of others.

A very important aspect of the keeping patience is that it helps one to take the trouble to acquaint himself with the standpoint of others, while impatience fosters in one to consider only his own harrow claims.

The force of sentiment is sufficient to activate man towards violence. But where adhering to peace or adopting a peaceful course of action is concerned this is possible only when there is a very strong justification for peace.

What disturbs the peaceful plan of nature is mainly traceable to the fact that people have become excessively materialistic. It is this thinking which leads to the exploitation of nature resulting in the disturbance of the peaceful plan of nature. If people opted for a path of moderation they would soon discover that, if earlier they were comfortable physically, now they are comfortable spiritually. And without doubt spiritual comfort is far better than material comfort.

The only criterion by which to judge whether one had planned one’s life well or not is to see the result. A plan which yields a negative result is not right, and a plan which yields a positive result is right. Examining an action by an ideal standard is not a wise thing. Wisdom lies in examining things in the light of the result.

Success is a matter of making decisions with a calm mind, without constant wavering and changing of the mind, acute observation, initiative, and unremitting attention to a vast number of petty details.

An ancient maxim says: ‘Wait and watch.’ This is not just a maxim; it is a Law of Nature. The policy of waiting means waiting for a better future: waiting for tomorrow to bring something we have not received today. This is undoubtedly a matter of great wisdom, as it is possible that you may receive tomorrow what you have not received today. – Maulana Wahiduddin Khan

Islam teaches us to avoid war and confrontation at all costs and commands us to establish peace to the greatest possible degree.

In developing one’s personality, the most important thing is for man to broaden his mind by awakening his consciousness. To awaken one’s consciousness, three things are required — study, observation and intellectual exchange with other people.

When a man is born into this world, he is like iron ore, raw in form. Nature has produced him like ore, and he has to develop himself on his own. Nature produces ore; man has to convert it into steel.

Man has nothing greater to give anyone than love. This being the case, it is impossible for one to discover God – in all His perfection¬ – and then to offer Him something less than love. Neither is any offering less than love acceptable to God, nor is it proper for man to offer his Lord anything less than pure, true love.

Those who really believe in God feel the joy of their discovery. So uncontrollable is their joy that they cannot help expres­sing it to others. If there are no traces of the joy of discovery, then the discovery itself has yet to be made.

Reconciliation is the best. But it rarely happens that such reconciliation as can be effected exactly reflects the desires of both the parties. In the majority of cases, reconciliation is possible only on a unilateral basis. That is, one party has to suppress his own inclinations and show a willingness to put an end to the dispute in accordance with other party’s wishes.

This world is full of possibilities and opportunities. Here, after losing one opportunity, man will find another. Here, if he finds one door closed to him, he will soon find many other doors open to him. In this way, there is always the possibility that, after the failure of one set of plans, he may work on another set and build his life afresh. One reliable feature of our world is that here the night is always followed by the morning.

When man avoids violence and war, although the way of war is open to him, he chooses the noblest line of conduct – restraint.

The perpetrator of violence invariably suffers from remorse, while the peacemaker derives great satisfaction from his efforts. If one were to think of the end result, one would never indulge in violence.

Determination is a very good quality. A determined person is able to face the challenges of life; while a person devoid of this quality does not have the courage to face the challenges of life. It is only when one is able to face the challenges of life can one achieve success in life.

The temperament of every person is different. This is a natural phenomenon. Differences do not surface when people are mere acquaintances. Differences start surfacing only when they start their lives together. If couples were to accept these differences as a part of nature, they would learn to look beyond them and work towards a meaningful relationship.

Peace means normalcy, and normalcy provides all such opportunities as favour the
growth of a healthy environment.

Violence and peace both have wide connotations. Violence includes everything from hatred to war. Peace includes everything from tolerance to love. Both violence and peace are the results of human thinking.

Capability and alertness are two qualities that are required for any kind of work. They are indispensable if one wants to achieve one’s goal.

Every human being is born with an ego. More often than not, that ego is dormant. It
is better to leave it sleeping, for the ego can be like a snake which, when aroused, will
harm all within its reach.

One may be beset by the most grievous handicaps in life, but, it is always possible to rise above them. However, this can be done by one who is willing to endure some “initial pain”; and put in some “extra effort” to achieve one’s goal.

If one is unmindful of God, one will react in whatever manner one’s own desires and interests demand. If, however, one’s faith is strong, each and every event throughout one’s entire life reminds one of God; the entire range of one’s emotions is then concentrated not on oneself, but on God.

Each of our steps should be based on realities and not on wishful thinking or vague suppositions.

People have to be patient with one another, putting other’s needs before their own, thinking of the good of others rather than what they themselves desire. It is through the sacrifice of individuals that there can be such a thing as concerted effort.

When we find one road closed, we should not despair, for if in one particular field there seems to be a discouraging lack of opportunities, one can certainly search for and find opportunities in some other field.

The cow is nature’s sign that shows how to live in this world. We may take in ‘grass’; but we must give out ‘milk.’ Even when people wrong us, we are required to convert that wrong into a right. Even when we are beset by adversity, we are required to turn it to good account.

Education is the first step towards the construction of a nation. Whenever the journey of a nation begins, it will certainly be from here; there is no other point from which to start. The real virtue of education is that it reveals to man the science of life thus making him a man in the real sense of the word.

Just as the rose bush, along with its exquisite flowers, also possesses piercing thorns, so also does life contain an amalgam of both pleasing and displeasing objects. This is the order of nature in the world. There is nothing for us to do but to fit in with this order of nature that He has laid down. Much as we may try, it is impossible for us to have things any other way. To complain about things, then, is a fruitless exercise.

Although this world is highly competitive, there is nothing to prevent us from endeavouring to cooperate with and encourage cooperation from others.

The really important thing in life is to make a proper start. When a man is willing to start his journey from the right point every step amounts to making progress. Nothing then can stop him from reaching his goal.
 

When an electric bulb or an electric fan stops working, we do not devote our efforts only to the bulb or the fan to make them work again, because we know that the reason often lies outside the bulb and the fan. Simply by carrying out repairs at the proper place, we can set matters right. For example, by replacing a fuse, we can re-light the lamp and set the fan in motion again. Human affairs too are often of this nature. But it is a pity that what one remembers in terms of material matters is often forgotten in solving social problems.

People become disaffected or even enraged on being criticized. The main reason is that criticism, particularly when it is true, brings one down from the high pedestal on which one has placed oneself.

Man in this world is forever caught in between problems and opportunities. But whatever problems he has to contend with, there are always golden opportunities, not too far away, just waiting to be availed.

The humble admission of one’s mistakes, followed by a rational appraisal of them is the first step on the road to success.

Every construction has a top, which we can all see. But we some¬times forget about the base, for it lies buried, deep in the ground. Yet, it is upon this invisible base that the whole building rests.

Stinging retorts only stir up further controversy, where as light-hearted banter, or the humble submission of alternative ideas can have a tranquillizing effect—like throwing water on a blazing fire.

All too often, we have to lose in order to gain. We have to resign ourselves to our lowly position until we can work ourselves up to more satisfactory heights.

In all circumstances, persevere steadfastly in constructive activities. In the end you will emerge victorious.

There is no doubting the fact that failure in life usually results from the quest for immediate success. The word “short-cut” may be applicable to the world of roads and footpaths, but there are no short-cuts in the struggles of life. This fact frequently evinces itself in untoward ways.

Our steps should be based on realities and not on wishful thinking or vague suppositions. If we do not pay need to the realities of existence and plan our lives accordingly, we shall have the illusion that we are heading towards a bright future and splendid results, whereas, when the next moment of darkness arrives, we shall discover that, all along, we had been heading towards darkness.

A negligent attitude permits people to fritter away their time, day after day, with no thought for the future.

There are few great tasks, which can be accomplished by individuals single-handedly. Only the talents of several individuals combined can achieve any substantial work. But people will only be able to work together if they are patient and tender-hearted in their outlook.

It is temperament that plays the most crucial role in the making of a nation. A character that can be depended upon through thick and thin is what in the long run builds a nation.

The feelings of love which cement family life can be brought into being in social life through conscious deliberations. Unity can spring from a human awakening to its ultimate necessity. Where family life is governed by the heart, social life is governed by the will. There is nothing that cannot be endured for the sake of unity, provided there is the will to achieve it.

The conviction that one’s goals are worthwhile, the observation of discipline with no contradiction between words and thoughts, cool thinking even in times of crisis—all these are qualities of mind and heart which determine success, and obviate failure in the wider field of life.

Complacency and a sense of comfort can be even greater vitiating factors in man’s progress through life than devastation and despair. – Maulana Wahiduddin Khan

Success comes to those who firstly have the determination to achieve their ends and who, secondly, put the resources at their disposal to the best use. – Maulana Wahiduddin Khan

It is the challenges in life that either make men or break them.

People are quick to support anything which improves their own position, or at least does not downgrade them in any way. But when something appears threatening to their position, they oppose it, regardless of its intrinsic worth.

Everything needs some price. People generally want things without paying the price.

When you find others mistreating you, do not seek the fault in them. Seek rather the fault within yourself. By recognizing your own shortcomings and doing your best to remove them, you can better safeguard yourself against the mistreatment of others.

Although the material world is limited, the world of thought is unlimited.

Those who possess high moral principles do not deviate from the path of justice, even when it concerns their opponent or enemy.
 

Good behaviour is completely natural, straight from the heart and based on genuine consideration for others. It is not, of course, something which one “switches on” in the hopes of immediate reward, but is something rather which eventually benefits one in innumerable, often intangible, ways, simply because it makes for social harmony at its best.

What inspires a man more than anything is to have a great mission before him. That is what arouses a man’s hidden potential. It makes him, in short, a peak performer.

The more we give, the, more we receive. And never can we hope to receive more than we have actually given.

If a person allows himself to become upset by opposition, taunts or other kinds of unpleasantness, he will never reach his goals. He will simply become enmeshed in irrelevancies.

Corruption is a psychological evil, while lack of skill is a technical shortcoming. A psychological evil cannot be removed by technical improvement. If we are genuinely interested in making a better society in our country, we shall have to work for the psychological, or moral reform of the individuals who comprise the nation.

Success is the result of devotion and assiduity, and is never the result of some unasked for miracle.

If we want our efforts to bear fruit, it is essential that we should take the correct preliminary steps before plunging headlong into difficult situations. Without the necessary moral conditioning, all our steps will go awry, just like a cloth which is dyed without pretreatment.

The true leader is concerned with the future of his nation, while the false leader is concerned with his own future prospects.

Being spiritual means rectifying one's relationship with other human beings and it is far from meaning the renunciation of all contacts with the material world.

A new start begins from accepting that, in the past, you committed a blunder.

Realistic thinking is that which tallies exactly with reality; which is based on facts and events, and on firm arguments; which takes stock of all matters under discussion; which does not make concessions to anything unfair; which is completely free from prejudice.

Unrealistic thinking is that which does not take the actual state of affairs into account, which is based on suppositions and conjecture, on mere opinion, rather than on fact.

It is only when the individual is willing to step down in favour of higher principles that society as a whole can benefit. The sacrifice of the individual is the price to be paid for the glory of the nation.
 

Intellectual freedom is directly related to creativity. A society having intellectual freedom breeds creative people whereas a society which curbs intellectual freedom will necessarily stagnate and as a result the produce of creative mind and its growth and development will for ever be stopped.
 

The top half of a tree can only stand erect and verdant above the ground when it is prepared to bury its other half beneath the ground. This is an example which trees show to mankind; a philosopher puts it this way: “Root downward, fruit upward, that is the divine protocol.”
 

Islam is a scheme of spiritual development. Its goal is to establish direct communion between God and man in order that man may become the recipient of divine inspiration. In such a religion it is moderation which is of the utmost importance, not extremism or fundamentalism. It is peace which is of the utmost importance and not violence.
 

According to a saying of the Prophet of Islam, the best person is one who, in his encounters with others, always has good things to say to them. He is beneficent to all, giving them gifts to bring them happiness.

It often happens that a person’s thoughts and actions are governed by his personal whims and fancies, but he pretends that they have been inspired by a love for humanity or that he is obeying a commandment of God. But his words and actions bear no relation to each other. While he is one person on the inside, he pretends to be something quite other on the outside.

No intermediary link exists between the Creator and the creature. By remembering God, any individual at any point in time may, quite independently, establish contact with God. There is no need for any go-between.

One can always overcome one’s misfortunes and be the gainer once again, provided one remains patient and perseveres in one’s struggles, never losing hope of God’s succour.

So long as you avoid provoking the other person, he remains a human being. But no sooner do you provoke him than that very same person will descend to the level of animals. Awaken human nature in others. Let the animal nature remain dormant. This is the only certain formula for a harmonious social existence.

Wisdom lies in knowing what is possible and what is not possible in terms of the circumstances.

Reacting to provocation brings nothing but negative results, whereas ignoring provocation leaves the way clear to embark on planned construction and consolidation. It is the law of this world that those who act make progress, while those who react are doomed to failure.

No doubt there are apprehensions about taking risks. But in the present world nothing can be achieved without a certain amount of daring. As the proverb says, no risk no gain.

By opting for simplicity one is able to put his time to the best use by not wasting it on irrelevant matters. He does not let his attention be diverted to things which are inessential so far as his goal is concerned.

A believer is one who finds God. Such a person by his very nature becomes a simplicity-loving person. In his eyes pretensions lose their attraction.

In no circumstances will the true believer ever tolerate the disruption of peace.

They are the ones who have discovered God’s existence from His signs; those who, having been given complete freedom of word and deed have voluntarily placed constraints upon themselves; those who relish taking the back seats while others scramble for the front rows. These are the people who give their lives to lay solid foundations while others rush to find places right on tops of the domes.

When one is silent, one’s focus becomes oneself rather than extraneous matters. One eschews superficiality and engages with deeper realities.

Perseverance is a virtue which can be practised at all times, even by one who is crippled by a disease, and even by one who had failed to get a degree from a university.

Nobody in this world is perfect. If a man is endowed with some good qualities, he may be lacking in others.

If people could only learn to tolerate others’ differences, their very forbearance would become a great enabling factor in collective human development.

“When one’s ego is hurt,” says a contemporary psychologist, “it turns into super-ego, and the result is breakdown.”

When man speaks he is in a limited domain, but when he is silent he finds himself in the unlimited vastness of the world.

Sometimes by being hasty a man invites trouble, but then he always has the possibility of turning the situation to good account by adopting the ways of patience.

To know the Art of Objection Management learn tight-rope walking. Every objection can be managed if you are not harsh, if you do it politely.

It is said: “It requires ten quintal wisdom to understand one quintal of knowledge.” For success the biggest condition is, therefore, wisdom.

Every quality is a plus until it becomes harmful to others. That is, till the time it does not hit somebody’s nose it is a plus point.

Seeing a problem as a problem is the problem. If you see a problem as a normal event then there is no problem.

True faith leads man away from artificial things to nature, where simplicity is the rule. He develops a liking for a simple way of life which is more natural. Naturalness is in accordance with modesty and humility, which are great virtues in the eyes of God.

If you want to live like a flower you will find your way to a bed of flowers. But if your existence is replete with thorns, you will find a world full of thorny shrubs. This means that in order to lead a life in this world, finding good atmosphere is in one’s own power. You become friends of others and everyone will become your friend. You bear with the unpleasantness of others then you will find people around you who bear with the unpleasant thing from you. You benefit others and then you will find a world where everyone will be busy benefiting others.

The greater ill-effect of war is that it limits opportunities whereas the greatest benefit of peace is that it opens up opportunities to the ultimate extent. War invariably results in further loss, while peace invariably results in further gain. That is why Islam teaches us to avoid war and confrontation at all costs and commands us to establish peace to the greatest possible degree. Peace enables normal relations to be established between people. Feelings of love and friendship prevail in such a situation.  In a favourable atmosphere constructive activities flourish and the existing resources can be used for development or activities. A positive bent of mind will prevail which will help develop academic and intellectual activities.
 

It is temperament that plays the most crucial role in the making of a nation. It is important in nation-building in the way that bricks are important in any kind of construction work. A house made of unfired bricks is unsafe, because any calamity, even a minor one, can bring it tumbling down. A building, on the other hand, which is made of kiln-fired bricks, can be trusted to withstand the onslaught of tempests and floods. A character so tempered that it can be depended upon through thick and thin—like the kiln-fired brick—is what in the long run builds a nation, for it is only such a temperament which can remain attuned to the more and more complex procedures of industrialization and remain steadfastly geared to national progress.

Perhaps one of the main reasons why people fail to attach them¬selves to religion in the modern age is that the teachings of reli¬gion cannot be observed or experienced in the scientific sense of the word. Belief in God and the afterlife, which is the very crux of religion, appears to most people as particularly hypothetical and far¬fetched: if something cannot be seen, how can it be believed? According to me, this argument was valid when science had reached only the macro world and when ‘only what was observable was the reality’. The atom was once considered to be the smallest unit of the observable material world. But when the atom was split, it was confirmed that it was nothing but a mad dance of energy waves or electrons, which could not be observed. Scientists however continued to believe in the concept of the atom, albeit unobservable. A new logic then came into being. Not only was the direct or observable argument thought to be valid, but inferential arguments or the invisible sources of visible effects were also considered valid. An example of the latter is that X-rays are not visible to the naked eye, but their effect can be seen when we observe the X-ray film. Using the valid inferential argument, if you can believe in the unseen X-rays as you can see their effect, why can you not believe in an unseen God, whose meaningful creation – the Universe you see all around you and the afterlife?

Corruption is a psychological evil, while lack of skill is a technical shortcoming. A psychological evil cannot be removed by technical improvement. If we are genuinely interested in making a better society, we shall have to work for the psychological, or moral reform of the individuals who comprise the nation. Merely bringing about an increase in the number of technical courses available will not make them turn over a new leaf.

The only way for people to follow consistent and universal norms of behaviour is for them to bow to the law of God rather than the law of man. Obedience to One God makes one treat all mankind as one: everyone becomes equally deserving of good and fair treatment. God’s law is universally applicable, whereas the law of man applies in some places but not in others.

Thinking of oneself in relation to other men might lead to arrogance, for it is possible that one will be better off than them; one might hold a higher status in life. But when one thinks of oneself in relation to the vast universe arrogance disappears, for it becomes apparent how small and insignificant one is. God has created the universe so that we may observe and ponder over it; so that realization of its greatness may lead us to a realization of what a small part we ourselves occupy in it; so that we may be imbued with the quality of humility, which is the greatest and most realistic quality that man can have.

Far from being an armed struggle, jihad is a peaceful struggle.
 

Now, a peaceful course of action is not just one of the possibilities: it is the only feasible and result-oriented option.
 

Life cannot be free from unpleasant things. All one can do is forget the unpleasant things and try to make life pleasant.
 

He who cannot say ‘I have erred’ is the one who is most in error.

There is always a good man hidden inside a bad man. Try to find this hidden man, then you will not have to complain against anyone.

One great truth that man learns from experience is that there is a flower with every thorn and a thorn with every flower.

One who cooks in a wooden pot is fated to remain hungry forever.

Overcoming the enemy by power is half a victory, whereas overcoming the enemy by love is a complete victory.

Peace in this world is only for one who can be content in its absence

If you fail to act, you cannot compensate for it by speaking more.

Nothing can make the sun rise earlier, but everyone wants his life’s morning to rise sooner.

The silence of an elephant is more effective than the thousand barks of a dog.

Just as a small jug cannot hold a large quantity of water, so a small heart and great success do not go together.

If you don’t know how to speak, then learn how to keep quiet. Because keeping quiet is as important as speaking.

The ladder to progress is man’s own struggle but many think that the shortest route to progress is in the destruction of others.

No seed turns into a tree by leaps and bounds. Similarly, it is not possible for a person to reach his destination without travelling for the requisite period of time.

The wind carries away the scattered particles of sand, causing them to float them all around. But when these particles of sand join together to make a mountain, no tempest is strong enough to shake them.

When two people are quarrelling, both are at fault; if one were in the right, he would have left the place where the quarrel started, and then it would have come to a stop by itself.

The common man lives in his own greatness. The believer lives in the greatness of God.
 

Complaining about others is often an admission of one’s own incompetence.

The false man bows before power. The true man bows to argument.

Everyone has lost out on his yesterday. The successful man is one who does not lose out on his today.

Be large of heart and succeed. Be small of heart and fail.

Life is a continuous trial. After falling ten times, being able to rise the eleventh time is success.

No one fights for another: everyone has to fight life’s battles himself.

It is not in the least difficult for one who can conquer himself to conquer others.
 

When a piece of wood breaks up, it breaks into two or into many parts, but there is no question of defeat and destruction for a living being. When an amoeba breaks up, it becomes two.
 

The world is a testing ground for wisdom. It is not a political platform for protests and clamour.
 

Man should give out fragrance like the flowers and shine like the sun. This is the message that the world is delivering daily in its silent language.
 

No one is so powerful that he can harm others without harming himself.

Discontent is the first step in the progress of a man or nation.

Error is the discipline through which we advance.

The reason many people fail to recognize opportunity is because it comes disguised as hard work.

Maturity is perseverance, sweating out a project despite setbacks.

Whoever seeks to obtain small benefits at the risk of great dangers is like a fisherman who uses a hook of gold; should it come off, no catch would compensate the loss.

If someone pelts you with stones, do not quarrel with him. Try rather to raise yourself to such a height that the stones cannot reach you.

A two-word success story – work works.

If you have a good excuse, don’t use it.

You have removed most of the roadblocks to success when you have learnt the difference between motion and direction.

We are masters of our unsaid words but slaves of those we let slip out.

What is sympathy? Sympathy is your pain in my heart.

Wrongdoing is that which wavers in your soul and which you dislike people finding out about.

A learned man is he who understands that what he knows is but little in comparison with what he does not know.

The oneness of God, and the oneness of man — these two ones are the basic principles of Islam.

Chasing after the impossible you lose what is possible.

Without struggle there is no wisdom.

What is simplicity? Confining yourself to the necessities of life.

In the Western world all educated people maintain a dairy. It is a part of Western life, and educated person cannot afford to not maintain a diary. A diary has numerous benefits. A diary becomes a way of introspection. Everyday you have to write something in it. A French King used to maintain a diary, one day he went hunting, but that day he could not hunt down any animal. He had nothing to write so he wrote only one word: “Nothing.”

People often talk big, but where their interest is concerned they surrender.

A new start begins from accepting that, in the past, you committed a blunder.

It is comparison that creates the spirit of shukr (thanksgiving) in your personality. Without comparison there is no shukr. Man is not the maker of planet earth, therefore, the only price he can give to live on it is shukr. One who does not do shukr has no right to live on earth.

If you want to live with a tension-free mind, you have only one option: ignore your problems, don't try to solve them.
 

Start from what is possible today, and by tomorrow you will reach what seems impossible. 

The process of seeking knowledge is a mutual process. During this process everyone gains something from others. Here taker is the giver and giver is the taker. Everyone serves both the roles.

There are two kinds of human qualities: one that have commercial values, and the other which have no commercial value. Logical analysis has no commercial analysis; it is though a high quality. But management has a great commercial value.

Explain things in such a manner that you may find an instant solution of the problem you are facing. This is the only method to live with a positive mind; otherwise you are doomed to live in negativity. You cannot afford the policy of ‘wait’. We cannot wait, we have to find out an instant solution, because the alternative is living in negativity, and negativity has to be erased at any cost. Living in negativity is like living in poison. Negativity is like a psychological poison. So, don’t wait for tomorrow, you have to manage your negativity today.

Either try to understand what is under discussion or learn to say that I have not understood it.

Heart is not simply a source of circulation of blood. That is just one aspect of the heart. There is another aspect; that is, it records your findings, your achievements. So, the heart is destined to record all your experiences at every beat. You have to, therefore, acquire new experience constantly, every moment, every second; otherwise, your register will be left blank. It might seem difficult. But your mind has enormous capacity to do this job. If a mechanical computer can make a billion calculations in a second, why can a mind not? Mind is a super computer. Mind is a living computer. The problem is that we fail to utilize your mind. Everyone throughout History has failed to utilize his mind. Try to activate your mind so that your register may not go blank. Sufis knew this fact but only in physical terms. They would say Allah at every beat of the heart. This was foolish. What is required is not to simply repeat a word, but to have some new experience. You should acquire some new thought, new wisdom at every beat. This is not beyond your capacity. It is quite within your capacity. Therefore, the Sufi concept was a reduced form of zikr. Sufis discovered this fact but in a reduced manner. Sufis practiced this so much that it became a part of their unconscious mind. But it was ridiculous. My Sufism is based on thinking and wisdom, whereas their Sufism is based on literal recitation. They would think that by saying Allah at every beat of the heart, they are doing as much zikr as the number of heart beats they have. We have seventy-two heartbeats per minute. On an average, we can say, one heartbeat per second. So, we must make at least one discovery every second. This does not mean that you will be able to say this is my discover number one, and that this is my discover number two. Your mind is not going to count the number of discoveries you make every passing minute. Mind is a very creative thing. It will discover a new thing every second, but it will not count and tell, or calculate the number of discoveries that you have made. Mind is not mechanical, it is creative. If you can elaborate one discovery it could mean many discoveries.

To understand the Quran the ulema say you need to know eighteen disciplines. But in reality to understand the Quran you need three things: the Arabic language, taddabbur, and dua. If you read the translation you can only get the basics, you will not understand its profoundness. However, knowing Arabic is not enough. You need honesty and sincerity. Moreover, you have to know the modern framework. If you read traditional books you will not discover the Quran in the new framework. You have to know the age you are living in. You have two options either understand the Quran in the traditional framework or understand it in the modern context. Except my books there is no source to acquire an understanding of the Quran in the context of the modern times. When you have the traditional framework, it fails to give you that kind of conviction which is  needed in the present age.

Man is born in contradictions. First of all you have to learn the art of contradiction management.

You have to learn the Art of Objection Management, and for it you have to learn tight-rope walking. It is easy because people are not too difficult to tackle. Every objection can be managed if you are not harsh, if you do it politely. This is a great quality.

Criticism is the highest phenomenon. Criticism means positive exchange. When two minds interact, a sparking happens, and a third thing emerges, that is criticism. This is a great blessing. And God himself has set an example of criticism. When God said, I am going to appoint a Successor on Earth – obviously after saying this He threw the floor open only then – the angels said: Man will spread bloodshed. God did not take offence, He responded positively. You have to take criticism with a normal mind and as a normal practice.

The greatest thing in life is intellectual development and one source to develop this quality is intellectual exchange. But it requires a price. What is this price? The price is that you have to live in complete positivity, every moment there are reasons to fall in negativity, you can't avoid such instances, but you have to pacify yourself instantly without losing a second.

When you find some problem in the external world, believe in advance that the real place where the problem exists is only in your own mind. So, analyse the situation and try to re-engineer your mind, and then you will find that the problem is completely solved. Seeing a problem as a problem is the problem. If you see a problem as a normal event then there is no problem.

A problem is an inevitable natural phenomenon. When you are immature you see a problem as a problem, but when you are mature, you are able to see the problem as a normal event then there is no problem. It all depends upon your angle of vision.

Sheikh Sadi has narrated a story in his book, Gulistan that, once, he was walking on a street barefoot, and was complaining that he had no shoes to wear, but as he walked on, he saw a man who had lost his legs. Sheikh Sadi compared himself with this man. He said to himself: I am without shoes but this man is without legs so I am better than this man. Thus, he managed the tension and became normal.
 

If you have a good excuse, don’t use it. Taking excuse is disastrous. It is suicide. It is like destroying yourself. How can you afford to destroy yourself? One who lives in excuses is like one who has inhaled poison and is not ready to exhale it. No one can afford this kind of behaviour.

The greatest thing in life is intellectual development and one source to develop this quality is intellectual exchange. But it requires a price. What is this price? The price is that you have to live in complete positivity, every moment there are reasons to fall in negativity, you cannot avoid such instances, but you have to pacify yourself instantly without losing a second.

What is marriage? Marriage is establishing a relationship between two parties without having a blood relationship, it is this uncommon relationship which is responsible for all those disputes between husbands and wives. Know this fact and you will make your marry life a happy life.

There is no tasty food and food without taste, is a wrong categorization, in fact every food is tasty. It is one's unnatural habit which makes some food tasty and some food without taste.

Learning spirit is the greatest spirit in a man or a woman. Learning spirit is the greatest source of intellectual development but the learning process requires modesty, without modesty there is no learning process at all.