YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED
The remedy for ignorance is asking questions. (Prophet Muhammad)
The spirit of enquiry is the hallmark of an open society and the above saying of the Prophet aptly illustrates this principle. A culture of curiosity and open-mindedness will foster development in any society by motivating its members to learn enthusiastically and enrich their knowledge. This is because awareness of one’s ignorance is half of knowledge, as it becomes a stepping-stone to seeking and finding answers. A questioning mind is like a flowing river that is replenished with fresh thoughts and ideas and continues on its journey.
How to live a meaningful life?
If life is to be invested with meaning, it is essential that a goal be set. One should be absolutely certain of the worthwhile nature of this target. In pursuit of it, one must have the total support of one’s conscience. It should permeate one’s entire being, coursing through one’s body just as blood runs through one’s veins. It is by exercising his powers of concentration while setting his heart on a particular target that a human being becomes different from the animals. When one focuses upon an overarching purpose, one’s life undergoes a drastic change. One becomes a completely different person. So total in one’s absorption in one’s quest in life that one has no time for petty side issues. One pursues one’s goal with unswerving dedication, not stopping to rest until it is reached.
How to achieve our goals?
By channelling one’s entire energy into the goal one wants to achieve. Few people actually do this. They tend rather to diversify their efforts. Their failure to concentrate on a single goal renders all their efforts incomplete and ineffective. Every worthwhile task demands all the strength that an individual can muster. The only way to be successful in one’s work is to give all one has got.
What are the qualities of a person who lives a purposeful life?
A person who has a purpose in life, will overlook all other considerations in order to concentrate on achieving his purpose. Everything he does will be directed towards that end. Mundane topics, temporary benefits and easy living will have no attraction for one so inspired. Losses and hardship will be endured if this serves to bring one closer to one’s objective.
What is the role of time management for a person with goals to achieve?
When a person has a specific and worthwhile goal before him, he sets a great value upon his time, but when bereft of a goal, time hangs heavily upon his hands. It is then that ceremonial gatherings and vain pursuits become welcome occupations. He carves out no real life for himself but depends upon others for occupations and distraction. In this way, he drifts along like a ship without a rudder, to the end of his useless life. On the surface, he has led a full and busy life, but, on closer inspection, he discovers, too late, that his achievements are nil, and that he has frittered away his precious existence in empty meaningless diversions.
Sometimes ill health will become an obstacle to achieving our goals. How to look at this aspect of life?
There are many examples of people who achieved their goals in spite of their poor health or any other adverse condition for that matter. When one feels sufficiently inspired to perform a task one undertakes it at all costs, even on one’s deathbed, and even when one’s external circumstances are totally adverse. It is one’s will and one’s motivation to work which are of prime importance. Health and strength are secondary.
What if we face obstacles in availing the opportunities and miss them?
Every person has been allotted a fixed time and certain opportunities. This fixed time and these opportunities are not taken away from him until the Almighty wills it to be so. If after the night the Almighty makes you see things anew in the morning, you should understand that there are more days left for you to do your work. It means that, according to the plan of Almighty, you have still to do something which is as yet unaccomplished.
What if we meet with roadblocks in our journey towards our goal?
It is human nature to want to proceed towards the goal by broad straight routes, moving fast and reaching one’s goal in the most direct possible way. But so often such roads are blocked, and achieving success begins to seem a very difficult matter. But for every major road which is blocked, there are always several minor roads which are open. It is just a question of having to go about things in a roundabout way. It is all about adjustment and patiently waiting. When you fail to find a place for yourself in the front row, you can always make do with one in the rear until a place ahead finally falls vacant for you. For every closed door, there is always another which is open—but only to those who have the eyes to see it and the courage to march through it.
The road to Paradise is one
long road of patience. Only
those who are willing to bear
the hardships of patience,
who carry on regardless of
every hurt, who turn the other
cheek to every blow will be
worthy to enter heaven.
