Striving for excellence. A reflective article on the seeking out of a true goal to life, doing things with purity in intentions, striving for excellence,…. written in a searching, practical, thought provoking style.
With the name of Allah most Beneficient ever Merciful
Reflect … I wanted a special sword, a perfectly balanced sword that would be easy to use, a sword that would cut through anything as if it was butter, a sword that would not break when it clashed with the best of swords, a sword that would withstand the corrosive elements.
To have such a sword I knew that I had to have the best craftsman to fashion it and I knew that he would use only the best of materials.
Then I realised,… what good would a perfect sword be in the hands of an unskilled warrior and so I apprenticed myself to a skilled warrior to learn the finer art of swordsmanship.
In striving for excellence, If we want the best out of anything in life then this is how we should be thinking.
Now, all I needed to know is: what is that thing in life that is worth striving for? What should be my object in life so that I could make the necessary preparations to achieve this goal?
At that moment, when I am taking my last breath, what will the sum total of my life be?
I imagined all sorts of different scenarios: My photograph hangs on the entrance hall to a multibillion rand empire that I created; my name is recorded in the Guinness book of records as the fastest swimmer or any such outstanding achievement.
Sounds great, but what happens when the person or people in charge of my empire squander my wealth or someone else comes along and breaks my record? Such things happens every day.
Apart from this, such achievements take a lifelong striving and there is always that greater possibility of not making it at all.
Perhaps I should be like the Holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ or one of the great saints or a grand mufti.
Hold on a minute, I said to myself. There is something common in all of these thoughts: I am going to spend my entire life striving for something so that people would think of me as being special.
Is this what life is all about: trying to be special?
This cannot be! If I am going to be that special person in that field then I am going to rob so many that are striving for that spot. Is this not selfish? Is this not a rat race? To consider using religion for my self-glorification: sounds downright evil. Is this what life boils down to: self-glorification?
Come to think of it, this is what I always strived for. I remember trying to be the bright spark in class, the trendiest kid in town, the joker etc. etc. As a teenager, I wanted the best car, the most sophisticated cell phone so as to impress others.
As I got older I wanted to be the one that dominated the conversation by relating the most hadith, or the one with the longest beard.
One has to be really good to be outstanding and even when I managed to pull it off no one seemed to be interested because they were all too preoccupied with themselves.
I remember this one occasion where I shortened my trousers to way above my ankles so that I could impress my friends at the mosque. I wanted them to notice that I am following the sunnath but alas, the next day someone made their pants even shorter than mine.
Then there was this one occasion; I related this beautiful hadith relevant to the conversation but instead of someone acknowledging me, someone instead related another irrelevant hadith and in this way changed the conversation to something he was familiar with.
It dawned on me that we live in a generation where no one recognises excellence because everyone is preoccupied with themselves. So what’s the point of seeking attention when I know that I would never get it?
Perhaps I should just enjoy life and do the things that make me happy. I remember being an entertainment freak but after a while I realised that there was just not enough to entertain me and sometimes the best of entertainment could not entertain me.
More recently I got hooked onto the net. I would spend hours on it or should I say, in it because I was beginning to feel like one of the characters from the many games I played.
Fortunately for me I had a problem with my computer and it gave me a chance to contemplate. I realised that I was living in a cyber-world far from reality and this problem with my computer afforded me the opportunity to escape.
To me, and I am certain to most of you, fulfilling the purpose of our life is important. We want to achieve what there is to achieve of life otherwise our lives would be futile.
Imagine going to school for twelve years and still not knowing how to read and write. Eating our lunch, playing games and talking to our friends are all important but they are side line issues in schooling.
Similarly, entertainment, work, family, prayer etc. are important but they are secondary issues in the broader scheme of life.
Observe old men and women; observe what happens to the rest of the family after its head has left this world. In this are valuable lessons for the wise.
The Holy Quran teaches us to reflect and ponder over this for soon old age will part us of our beauty, strength and even our knowledge and death would part us of our wealth and family.
So if these are the things we strive for and these are the things we take pride in then know for certain that they would all come to naught.
“The life of this world is nought but a futile and frivolous thing causing diversion (from God). And certainly, the last abode is the best for those who guard against evil. Have you no sense?” Al Quran 6:32.
“The knot that is (fastened) tight on our throats is that you should know whether you are vile or fortunate. Solve this problem if you are a man: spend your breath (life) on this, if you have the breath (spirit) of Adam. Matnawi 5:562.
Finding that true purpose of life is difficult and it is for this reason that Allah Subhanatallah has made this prayer for guidance the most important part of the Holy Quran and our prayer. It is the first chapter of the Holy Quran and the Prophet ﷺ has said that it is the essence of the Holy Quran.
It is further stated by him that prayer without reading sura fatia is incomplete. Apart from asking Allah Subhanatallah for guidance (to understanding what life is all about), we are given a clue as to where to find this guidance which is by following those that are rightly guided. These are the experts that will be able to guide us to fulfilling the true purpose of life.
So I was into a bit of tasawaff which is all about following these experts and it is this that made me analyse and scrutinise the way I behaved. If we want our souls to be free from our carnal desires then we must not let it feel good or let it be praised. We must stop doing things so that we could get the recognition and approval of others.
Islam is about submitting which amounts to giving up this desire to be recognised. This is easier said than done for this desire to be recognised always rears its ugly head.
Although I am aware of it, I still wonder if at the end of my life I would have done whatever I have done without tainting it with my greed to be recognised.
The Prophets and the saints did not do what they did because they wanted to be recognised but they did, what they did, because they sincerely cared for others and it is what Allah Subhanatallah commanded them to do.
Islam means peace and by subduing our carnal desires to be recognized we would attain contentment which would give us that inner freedom and peace.
“night comes and nothing is caught in your trap: the trap is nothing but a headache and shackle to you. Therefore in reality you were catching yourself with the trap, for you are imprisoned & disappointed of your desire.” Matnawi 5:405.
So instead of wasting time in seeking praise, seek a means instead to humiliation and in this is everything.
“do not weave plots in vain imagination and cunning; for the Self sufficient One does not give away to such a contriver. Contrive in the way of one who serves (God) well (a spiritual guide), that you may gain the position of a prophet in a religious community. Contrive that you may be delivered from your own contrivance (nafs); contrive that you may become detached from the body. Contrive that you may become the meanest slave (of Allah), if you enter into the state of meanness (self abasement), you will become lordly.” Mataniwi 5:469
Abasement and love: “That which is worth pursuing is Love alone: but how should He be contained in any one’s trap. Perchance you may come and be His prey, you may discard your trap and go into His trap. Love is saying very softly in my ear, ‘to be a prey is better than to be a hunter. Make yourself my fool and be a dupe: renounce the high estate of the sun, become a speck! Become a dweller at My door and be homeless: do not pretend to be a candle, be a moth, that you may see the savour of Life and contemplate the sovereignty hidden in servitude.” Matnawi 5:410
So it was Hazrath Ali (RA) who was noted for having that double edged perfect sword called the “Zulfikaar“. Some saw it as an actual double edged sword while others interpreted it to have a deeper meaning yet, saying that he used the one edge to mowed down the enemies of Allah, while, with the other edge, he mowed down his “nafs” or this desire to be recognised.
Once he had brought down an enemy and was about to end the man’s life when the man spat on him. Hazrath Ali (RA) immediately withdrew his thirsty sword and the surprised enemy asked why he had given up the opportunity to end his life. Hazrath Ali (RA) replied that I was not sure whether I would kill you for the sake of Allah Subhanatallah or weather I would kill you because I was offended by you spitting on me.
How much more beautifully the “Mathnawi relates this incident. End.
Peace and blessings be upon Muhammad Sallallahu Allayhi Wasallam.
Published by Anjuman e Waris e Mohammedi.
The Anjuman e Waris e Mohammedi was founded by Dr/Hakim Hazrath Khwaja Sayed Shareef Ahmed Ali Shah RA (fondly known as Hazrath Poona Wale Shah Saab RA).
Author: Mohamed Hassan Gaffoor WhatsApp; +27 84 910 1486