What is the Formula for a Complaint-Free Culture in a Mission?

Self-management. If you engage in constant discussions and questioning, nothing will change. It simply won’t work. "In an environment where people continually question or debate, a complaint-free culture cannot emerge." A complaint-free environment is possible only when self-management is practiced at an individual level. You must learn to diffuse issues yourself, from within. For example, I have already mentioned to you the example of Hazrat Khalid, who was removed from his position by Caliph Umar. He went from being a general to a mere soldier, an ordinary rank. Now, one approach would have been for him to question the decision—asking why it happened, what mistake he made, and even gathering companions to discuss the situation. But he didn’t do that; instead, he managed it on his own. Instead, he said, “What I was doing, I wasn’t doing for Umar; I was doing it for God.” (Bayn al-Aqida wal-Qiyada, Volume 1, Page 240). My connection is with God, not with the Caliph. And with that, the matter was resolved. In a society where people tend to question, investigate, and dwell on complaints, such a society can never become truly positive.

"Complaints have so many layers which will never end. I cannot think of anything worse than a complaint." In my understanding of faith, holding onto complaints is worse than drinking alcohol or eating pork. If someone eats pork, it’s a minor wrongdoing, but carrying a complaint in one’s heart is a far greater sin. From my study, I consider complaints to be super haram (prohibited). The only solution is self-management. Reflect on the issue, and resolve it internally. There’s no need for questioning, calling someone, or writing letters—none of that will make a difference. Complaints have so many layers and angles that no explanation will ever fully resolve them. Either you eliminate the complaint yourself, or it will never go away. This has been my lifelong experience that a person must kill the complaint themselves, or they will carry it with them all his life. "Let me tell you again, through my study of the Quran, Hadith, life experiences, and personal reflection, I’ve concluded that complaints are so harmful that if a person doesn't end them on their own, they will remain unresolved. Just as the Companions (Sahaba) used to end complaints within themselves, so must we. If you think that questioning or discussing it will resolve the issue, you’re mistaken—it never will."

This is because one person will see the situation from one angle, and another person will see it from a different angle. No matter what explanation is given, the complaint will remain. In my experience, complaints are never resolved through explanations. They just persist. For someone who is conscious of standing before God and truly desires paradise, it is essential to learn how to kill complaints within oneself. If you don’t, you risk standing before God without being able to answer for it. You have to learn the art of self-killing. End the complaint within yourself. No questioning, no discussions—nothing. This is my firm belief, based on the study of the Quran and Hadith, personal experience, and reason. Either you kill the complaint yourself, or it will never go away. It will remain with you until the end of your life, consuming you in the process.