100 Principles for Purposeful Living

as moving forward is a task, retreating is also a task. Just as there is an advantage in the position of strength, so is the position of humility. Silence does not mean just keeping quiet. Rather silence is a superb strategy. It is another name for silent planning. Without a doubt, low-profile politics is more effective than noisy politics. Silence brings with it many benefits. When a man is silent, he thinks, he learns from others. When a person keeps silent, he awakens his inner strength. It is necessary to speak, but at the same time, one must know the wisdom of silence. Sometimes, silence prevents things from getting worse. Silence is a sign of ignoring undesirable things, without doubt, ignoring certain things is a wise action. 28. Two Different Attributes The Quran states that every human being has two distinct attributes: One Nafs Ammara, the other Nafs Lawwama. (The Quran, 12:53; 75:2) Both of these attributes are inherent in every human being by birth. Nafs Ammara means one’s ego, and Nafs Lawwama means one’s conscience. Both of these attributes initially remain in a dormant state. If they are not awakened, they will remain in the same state. If something provocative is said against a person, his ego will wake up and the result will be the same as waking up a sleeping snake. On the contrary, if a person is treated gently, his conscience will be aroused. If earlier people had experienced “thorns” from him, now they would experience “flowers”. He will now become a model of mercy for others. 29. Success Comes with Patience