THEORETICAL BOSSISM, PRACTICAL BOSSISM
Spirit of Islam, June 2015, p. 16
By Maulana Wahiduddin Khan
Maulana Wahiduddin Khan is named as the default author of the periodical; a piece that carries another writer’s byline is credited to that writer.
THEORETICAL BOSSISM, PRACTICAL BOSSISM Master Yourself BOSSISM means accepting someone as your master. Sometimes bossism can and does lead to conflict. A common example is at home—both partners say: ‘Why should I accept you as the boss, why should you not accept me as the boss?’ Such disputes create hindrance in normal life and become an obstacle to the intellectual progress of both. There is a neat solution to this controversy. In theoretical matters, take yourself as your own boss; but in practical matters, as per your convenience, accept the other person as the boss. In the realm of your thought, you can declare ‘I am the master of myself.’ None can deny this realm. In practical life, cooperation of the other party is a must else life can get very difficult. Man is essentially a social being, and you need others as partners in most of your endeavours. As a matter of practical wisdom you can accept others as your boss. Your mind is engaged in thinking at all times. This is a natural phenomenon that is very personal and only you are aware of your thoughts and feelings. But in day to day activities, you need to interact with people in the external world in brief stints. Here you can adopt someone as your temporary boss, while continuing to maintain your self-bossism at the level of thought. You cannot change society. You have no option and have to adjust with other people. Your intellectual life though is exclusively your own space. The best attitude in this regard will be to ‘give to others what is due to others, and give to yourself what is due to yourself.’ o In theoretical matters, take yourself as your own boss. But, in practical matters according to convenience you should accept the other person as a boss.

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