Badges mark quoted or attributed material (Qur'an, hadith, another author, an opposing view). Unbadged passages are Maulana Wahiduddin Khan's own words.
Animals in the Garb of Man
I
n February 2008, I went to an International Book Fair which was held in the Pragati Maidan in New Delhi. There were so many splendid book stalls on each side of the Pragati Maidan. And there was such a large number of people reading and buying books, that it appeared as if the Pragati Maidan had become a city of knowledge.
While I was walking inside the book fair, I noticed the strange sight of a dog, running around between the people. Apparently, it was also moving around like a human being but it did not know that there was a great deal of the world’s knowledge in the form of these books. It had no desire to seek some light for itself from this vast world of knowledge.
The presence of this animal in the world of the book fair, reminded me of a verse of the Quran which states that many people appear to be like human beings but are actually like animals. They only eat and drink in this world and then die. (47:12) God says in the Quran: “Whosoever turns away from My reminder, will lead a straitened existence and on the Day of Judgement We shall raise him up blind.” (20:124)
God’s signs are scattered everywhere in the present world. These signs introduce the Creator in the form of the creation. Those who discover God in this introduction and shape their lives accordingly, are not blind. But those who do not realize the presence of God are blind. They are like blind people in this world. That is why, in the end, they shall also be raised up in the state of blindness. Such people appear to be human but in reality they are like animals. This reality has remained hidden in this world, but in the end it will be revealed.
Discovery! Discovery! Discovery!
T
here is a maxim in Japan that you should discover new things everyday even if it be a method of putting thread in the needle. This saying is about material discoveries.
But this same principle applies equally in the case of realization and spirituality, although on a more elevated level. Spirituality is not something stagnant. It is a continuously growing entity like trees.
The fact is that the human mind is unlimited in its potential. The universe of facts external to the human mind are also boundless.
This being so, one who keeps his mind in a state of continual awareness and reflects deeply upon things with full concentration at every moment, will continue to discover new realities everyday. For him the treasure trove of the discoveries will never come to an end.
Just as material food is sustenance for the body, similarly spiritual discoveries are food for realization. A constant supply of material food is a surety for the body’s survival. Similarly, spiritual discoveries give life to God-realization and spirituality, and are a guarantee of human development.
Such discovery is an intellectual process. To continue this process uninterruptedly, two conditions are a must—reflection and saving oneself from distractions.
When these two conditions are met, the human being will definitely become a man of discovery. In consequence, nothing will stop him from making new discoveries.
Discovery is the spirit of life. Discovery is the source of intellectual development. Discovery makes a person complete. Without discovery a human being is just like a body without a spirit.