Negative Thinking

Negative Thinking

1991 7 July 15 Negative Thinking (336) Jamal Abdul Nasser (1918-1970) was a junior army officer during the reign of Shah Farouq. When the war broke out between Israel and Egypt, he showed exemplary courage along with his soldiers on the battlefield. Ultimately, however, Israel was the victor, having inflicted a humiliating defeat on the Egyptian forces.

Consequently, Jamal Abdul Nasser was consumed with feelings of revenge. On the one hand, he wanted to settle scores with Shah Farouq, a traitor in his eyes, while on the other, he wanted to avenge himself on Israel which was the oppressor. He decided not to rest until both his enemies were obliterated.

To start with, he entered into a conspiracy with some Egyptian army officers. On 23 July, 1952, Nasser staged a coup to overthrow the regime of Shah Farouq. It was successful and Shah Farouq went into exile in Rome where he died on 18 March, 1956.

The next target of his revenge was Israel. After establishing himself as the President of Egypt, he acquired stockpiles of arms from the USSR, and became involved in two wars with Israel, in 1956 and 1967. Both times he suffered a shattering defeat. Not only did Israel emerge the victor, but it was also able to make a five-fold increase in its occupied territory.

Jamal Abdul Nasser’s rise was based on the negative feeling of revenge. This negative mentality became the hallmark of all his activities. In 1962 he invaded Yemen. He tried to crush the Ikhwan party in Egypt. He was responsible for killing his own army officers. He consistently engaged himself in such non-productive activities till he suffered a heart attack and died in 1970.

Those who are driven by negative thinking and feelings of revenge remain slaves to these feelings till the end. They can hardly be expected to do anything positive or constructive. Unfortunately, the present-day Muslim leaders are treading the same path. They have not been able to rise above negative thinking, and that is why they have made no positive achievements.