Spirit of Islam, Jan-Feb 2024

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. YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED How to live a meaningful life? If life is to be invested with meaning, it is essential that a goal be set. One should be absolutely certain of the worthwhile nature of this target. In pursuit of it, one must have the total support of one’s conscience. It should permeate one’s entire being, coursing through one’s body just as blood runs through one’s veins. It is by exercising his powers of concentration while setting his heart on a particular target that a human being becomes different from the animals. When one focuses upon an overarching purpose, one’s life undergoes a drastic change. One becomes a completely different person. So total in one’s absorption in one’s quest in life that one has no time for petty side issues. One pursues one’s goal with unswerving dedication, not stopping to rest until it is reached. How to achieve our goals? By channelling one’s entire energy into the goal one wants to achieve. Few people actually do this. They tend rather to diversify their efforts. Their failure to concentrate on a single goal renders all their efforts incomplete and ineffective. Every worthwhile task demands all the strength that an individual can muster. The only way to be successful in one’s work is to give all one has got. What are the qualities of a person who lives a purposeful life? A person who has a purpose in life, will overlook all other considerations in order to concentrate on achieving his purpose. Everything he does will be directed towards that end. Mundane topics, temporary benefits and easy living will have no attraction for one so inspired. Losses and