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 can a person maintain positivity always?
My simple formula is: when I get a negative thought, feel offended or angry, I begin to think who will suffer out of the manifestation of my negative thinking? Every time, I realize that I will be the sufferer and not the other person. So, if I will be the sufferer then why should I harm myself? All negative thoughts only make us suffer. So why should we indulge in it? This idea keeps my positive thinking alive.
Often, we are surrounded by negative people. This sometimes derails us. How can we save ourselves from derailment and stay positive?
You should think that it is a great blessing of God that you have been saved. If you eventually stay positive while being surrounded by negative people, it is an occasion of being grateful to God, as He saved you from becoming thankless. When I see a thorn, I think God could have made me a thorn, but He did not make me a thorn or a mosquito! He made me a human being and a positive thinker. Occasions to thank God for are so numerous that one should remain grateful to God and should be immersed in positivity. This is a matter of developing the right way of thinking.
How can we develop our mind and learn to respond positively in delicate situations?,
Developing one’s mind is both easy and difficult. It is easy if one introspects, but if one does not introspect, then it becomes difficult. If one realizes that situation is not in one’s control and would be subject to some external factors, this mindset will inculcate patience in him, and he will be able to tackle the situation in a positive manner. However, to do so, one must stay alert and save oneself from negative reaction.
Negative experiences will keep happening to a person till his death and there will always be traces of negativity. How shall such a person qualify for Paradise?
The goal to become positive is full of struggle and this struggle deals with negative situations and happenings. This is what a spiritual struggle is all about. This is why negative items provide support to us in our journey to become spiritual. If there were no spiritual struggle with negative thoughts, a positive mind would not be formed in the first place. If there is no struggle, life will stagnate.
Is there a positive aspect of the phenomenon of death?
Yes, the positive aspect of death is the sense of urgency that it creates in a person. That is, the thought of death makes a person realize that whatever needs to be done should be done now. Whether or not a person believes in religion, the concept of death would still instil a sense of urgency in him.
