ASK MAULANA

ASK MAULANA Your Questions Answered The remedy for ignorance is asking questions. (Prophet Muhammad) The spirit of enquiry is the hallmark of an open society and the above saying of the Prophet aptly illustrates this principle. A culture of curiosity and open-mindedness will foster development in any society by motivating its members to learn enthusiastically and enrich their knowledge. This is because awareness of one’s ignorance is half of knowledge, as it becomes a stepping-stone to seeking and finding answers. A questioning mind is like a flowing river that is replenished with fresh thoughts and ideas and continues on its journey. Nowadays it has been observed that most people suffer from tension (stress). People consult psychiatrists for this problem. I have recently had an experience in this regard. A person who was suffering from tension went to a psychiatrist. After spending a considerable sum, the advice he got from the psychiatrist was that he should worship according to his religion. The patient said, “But I already worship!” What is the solution to this problem? Please explain it in the light of the Quran. The usual approach of the ​psychiatrists is to guide the patient towards a technique that will relieve tension. According to my assessment of the matter, this theory is wrong in itself. Tension or mental stress is a product of the system of nature. It necessarily follows that what is a product of the system of nature cannot be eliminated by any means. Thus, the solution lies in accepting what is inherent in nature, not trying to eliminate it. It is stated in the Quran that God created man into a life of toil and hardship (90: 4). It is a common human experience that life is not free from hardships. The same has been proved by scientific research. The Russian psychologist Anton Nemilov rightly wrote in his book The Biological Tragedy of Woman that: Human life is unthinkable without tragedies, without the tragic element. The more highly developed and nearer to perfection man is, the greater are the possibilities for tragic conflicts. (pp. 13-15) When toil is an essential part of human life according to the law of nature itself, we must accept it as such. We should not deny it. When it rains in the rainy season, it creates many problems for human