IT is good that last week everything went smoothly when Malaysians went to the polls to elect their leaders and Government for the 11th time. Indeed, this is a great achievement for a young democratic country like ours.
Malaysians by nature are peaceful and moderate. They are relatively less emotional. These qualities contribute to our ability to achieve continuous social harmony and political stability. With this stability, the Government can concentrate on developing the country.
The new Government definitely has its own agendas and priorities. It will have to plan for continuous success. The Government has to be ambitious in its vision and this holds good for all individuals in the country.
What happens in the future is beyond our ability to predict. The future is the field of uncertainty. In Islam, only Allah S.W.T. knows the future.
But it is also something for which we can take the initiative to plan. We can try to shape events for further progress. In the final analysis, we would like to develop a noble human civilisation as envisaged in Vision 2020.
In contemporary societies the rate of change is becoming increasingly rapid and uncertain. An event that takes place in another part of the globe could trigger a development that has significant consequences for our country.
Climate is one of the most obvious examples. Similarly, the behavioural pattern of certain societies can easily influence our society, particularly the youth.
Unfortunately, we are easily influenced by negative social elements. These influences have an impact on our society, particularly through the electronic and print media.
To cut out all outside influences in this age of information super-highway may not be possible. But it is possible to prepare ourselves with knowledge so that we can distinguish the good from the unproductive.
In these circumstance, Muslim societies in particular must actively participate in planning and designing their own destinies. They must prepare themselves for the future, respond to the challenges of the time and develop a framework of thought and action based on true knowledge.
They cannot be indifferent or even reactive. They have to be able to chart their future. They should not be emotional, but handle challenges with vision and a sense of mission, to lead rather than be led by others.
One of the principles while planning for the future is to look at change as an opportunity rather than a threat. This will help us to be continuously ready to learn for our own betterment.
Positive thinking about the future is essential for a great society. Change must be guided by our plans and initiatives based on Divine Guidance. Those who do not plan for change will become obsolete sooner rather than later.
A knowledge of contemporary social developments is important. Similarly, we also need to be able to look back on past developments. Historical facts are useful only as much as they affect our judgments concerning our current and future decisions. Guided by Divine Knowledge and helped by our insights into the past and present, we can try to intepret the future.
Muslims are taught that as long as the world exists and before it ends, every single plan and action of an individual and society has to be for continuous human betterment. Human living in all its perspectives has to be continuously refined and the move towards this end is very challenging. This is a religious struggle.
Another important principle is to ensure that any change that we engineer must not go against the values of human nature. As long as we are men and women, human nature will continue to be the same.
By nature, man is composed of soul and body. He is a spiritual and material being. He loves himself and he needs others to improve himself. This is because he is a social being at the same time. These factors will remain constant. Thus man’s requirements and needs will remain despite the changes in the social environment.
While planning for the future, we must be definite about our goal, direction and how we should undertake our mission. We cannot grope in the dark using only our intellect to determine the truth. Mental ability has its limitations. The rational mind has to be harmonised with divine instructions.
Leaders with vision are needed in society. Being a developing nation, our ability to focus on our future requires a great mind.
We are fortunate that our present leader is very serious about embarking on noble ideals and is willing to follow up on those good values and visions.