Doing little jobs does not belittle a person

Doing little jobs does not belittle a person

1989 2 February 7 Doing little jobs does not belittle a person (74) The caliph, ‘Umer Ibn ‘Abdul Aziz was talking to a person late one night. The lamp started to go out. “I will wake up the servant. He will put oil in it.” the man said. ‘Umer told him not do so. He himself arose, fetched oil and put it in the lamp. “I was ‘Umer Ibn ‘Abdul Aziz before I performed this little task.” he said, “and I still am ‘Umer Ibn ‘Abdul Aziz.

Revere the Dead, But Revere the Living Too!

1989 2 February 7 Revere the Dead, But Revere the Living Too! (260) Knowing when to give credit to the living is a sign of intellectual dynamism in a people. But the necessary sense of discrimination, and the ability to evaluate, are all too often lacking in even the most cultured of communities. It is easier, and perhaps safer, to eulogize the dead, even to the point of exalting them far and above their actual worth.

A historic example of failure to recognize the genuine worth of a living individual, is the rejection of Moses as a prophet in the court of Pharaoh. Pharaoh was so against accepting any truth proclaimed by Moses that he said, “Build me a tower that I may reach the paths of heaven and look upon the God of Moses. I am convinced that he is lying,” (Quran, 40:37). Moses, in fact, was declared to be a “magician” and an “imposter”, (Quran 40:24).

The people of Mecca behaved no differently in the case of Mohammad, may peace be upon him. While they were proud to think of Abraham as the progenitor of their people and used to extol his virtues and revel in his greatness, they spurned Muhammad, denying his prophethood and reviling him to his face. They stopped at nothing to discredit him.

Tardy, and even posthumous acceptance of true greatness is a commonplace in the annals of history. Undue veneration of the dead to the total disregard of the living is equally a commonplace. It is a sad reflection on the powers of discrimination of even highly educated societies that this state of affairs should persist.