PEOPLE say that there are two sides to a story. There are also at least two ways of looking at things. “The glass is half-full” and “the glass is half-empty” which essentially indicate the same thing.
But they of course have vastly different meanings.
Your descriptions of things depend pretty much on whether you are an optimist or a pessimist, whether you are a prophet of boom or doom.
For example, while factual evidence indicated that the nation’s economy clearly picked up in the last quarter, obstinate cynicism still gripped the minds of the naysayers.
Rather than rejoicing in the moderate improvements in wealth, there are those who seem to be overemphasising how far away they still are from outright opulence.
Thus they only have negative perceptions of those toiling to nurse this nation back to its feet. Accusations of being inefficient, naive and antiquated are hurled from left and right.
This is despite God’s reminder in the Quran via verse 11 of Surah al-Hujurat: “Let not some men among you laugh at others. It may be that the latter are better than the former.
“Nor let some women laugh at others. It may be that the latter are better than the former.
Nor defame or be sarcastic to others. Nor call each other by offensive nicknames.
“Ill-seeming is a name connoting wickedness to be used of one after he has believed.
And those who do not desist are indeed doing wrong.”
But what makes people who they are and do what they do? While some are constantly looking at the positive side of things, why do others prefer to fixate on their downside?
Curiously, why does the glass appear perpetually half-empty to them? A lot actually depends on how the mind perceives a thing.
If the mind weighs something based on facts then we can perceive it rightly, but if the interpretation of facts is influenced by emotion, the perception becomes negative.
Thus, rather than challenge established facts we must resolve to alter the way we attach meanings to them.
Our perception depends a lot on the environment, our circle of friends, reading materials, favourite orators and role models. Their influence can be quite substantial, to the extent of indoctrination.
Who could forget the oratory skill of Sukarno? Who could dispute the captivating style of Nasser? Who could ignore the suaveness of Kennedy? And who would not be captured by their rhetoric?
Yes, we can and we should listen to ideas. But do we have to accept everything we hear, see or read as gospel truth?
How do we break away from this debilitating syndrome and begin to assert some kind of control over our thought processes? The solution is nothing out of the ordinary.
Religion has actually shown us the way. Oft-times we are advised to look at the big picture. We must have a mydriatic, rather than myopic view of things.
The opening of minds is only the strategy. The action plans are also prescribed. Islam, for example, places great importance on learning or the seeking of knowledge.
“Iqra” meaning “read” was the first word taught by God to the Prophet Muhammad through His angel Gabriel. The interpretation of the word, however, goes a long way.
The Prophet states that the pursuit of knowledge is a duty prescribed upon every Muslim, man and woman.
This is not only the revealed knowledge bestowed upon them directly by God through His prophets, but also the “acquired” knowledge generated by their rational minds.
The Quran condemns to lower rungs those who were given minds but do not use them. It says: “God will raise to suitable ranks those of you who believe and those who have been granted knowledge.”
One has to strive to acquire knowledge. The most obvious means is through reading of quality books written by accomplished scholars with impeccable authority.
This calls for extraordinary efforts to make the time and space. One must also be consistent in reading. There is no short cut in the quest for knowledge. Neither is there an end to it.
Imagine the amount of knowledge that we are yet to acquire. Advances in science and technology, economics and management, law and politics, society and religion are tremendous.
We need to at least grasp the major concepts of these disciplines in order to understand contemporary issues. Without them we are constantly at the mercy of our own misperception.
Take for example the results of the recent parliamentary elections in Iran.
A cursory look at news reports would have us conclude that there was a complete rejection of the Islamic religious scholars or ulama by young voters.
But if we look into the rich and glorious history of Iran, we will understand that the ulama have always been put on a pedestal.
Their views are always sought after in the running of the state’s affairs. In short, they play an important role in supporting the administrators or umara’ in running the Government.
This means they do not take part in the political process as they understand the need to be impartial and just, especially since they are considered to be the guardians of Islamic teachings.
In any case, they do not need a political platform to prop themselves up or stamp their authority. They obtain it through the sheer show of respect of the masses based on their wisdom, credibility and sincerity.
The voters of Iran rejected not the authentic ulama but political candidates who were identified as being conservative and static in their approach toward adopting Islam as a dynamic way of life or ad-deen.
The voters simply wish to see an Islamic administration that can provide them with jobs, give their children good education and allow them more social freedom.
Basically, they long for a Government that opens its doors to the world and interacts with it in a productive manner.
They want leaders who can implement projects that enhance the image of Islam rather than those who choose to close their minds and hearts, and then conveniently put the blame on Islam.
In short, what the Iranians are trying to tell the world is that political ulama make bad governments. Period.
Thus we must be careful in interpreting news reports that sometimes tend to make us question our sincere and deep respect for the ulama who are truly the heirs of the Prophet.
The Iranian polls were a win-win affair for the ulama and umara’. We would have concluded that as far as that election was concerned, “the glass is half-empty”, when it is actually “half-full”.