SIMPLE LIVING, HIGH THINKING
Spirit of Islam, Dec 2015, p. 40
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.
Happiness lies not in comfort, in luxury, but in simplicity. All those who have adopted simple living are living in happiness. Simple living, high thinking is related to the art of de-stressing. All stress and tension is a result of not following simplicity. It is the easiest remedy for de-stressing. It reduces all anxieties and negative thoughts, because when there is simple living, there is no hate, revenge, anger, lust, and stress. And so, those who adopt simplicity in their lives will be in complete peace, tranquility and be blessed with a stress- free life. This is by no means an exaggeration. One needs to experience it to be convinced of its benefits. There is no doubt about it at all. Simple living, high thinking makes a person a good, valuable and positive member of the society. It enables one to contribute towards the betterment of mankind. One will have enough time for worship, for remembrance of God, for reading the Word of God, and for engaging in conveying the message of truth to the whole of mankind. This type of work requires dedication, and dedication requires simplicity. All the prophets and their true followers made this work their focus in life. The concept of simple living, high thinking is relevant in every aspect of life. It applies to one’s personal life as much as it does to one’s family life, social life, religious life, national life and professional life. It is the best art of living. All of us need to manage our lives. The art of life management is every person’s need. Based on experience, one can say that simple living, high thinking is the ABCD of the art of living, of the art of life management. Without adopting this principle, one cannot manage one’s life successfully. All great people throughout history have followed it, including the Prophet of Islam. The Prophet is a model for us to emulate. His life is a model in every respect for us, including his simple living and high thinking. His lifestyle, his residence, his clothes—everything was very simple. He was able to do the great things he did because he led a simple life, saving himself from all kinds of distraction and dedicating himself to his mission. To achieve true success in life, there is no option but to practice simple living, high thinking. Some people take spirituality as a mystery. Spirituality is not a mysterious discipline. There is no mystery in spiritual life. Spiritual life is nothing but simple living, high thinking. This is the simplest definition of spirituality. Spirituality is a science, like Simple living and high thinking are interrelated. High thinking is a result of simple living.

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