Culled from Ethics and Spiritual Growth by Sayyid Mujtaba Musawi Lari
- available at www.musavilari.org

--------------------


Struggle for Realisation of Higher Ideals


That which gives worth to life is struggle for the sake of realisation
of sublime and fruitful ideals. One must resolve to reach a station
worthy of humanity and make every possible effort to develop himself,
fulfil his duty, and offer ungrudging service to society. In the sweet
words of Hafiz:


Though the world's wont, like the bud, is to be close-fisted, Yet you,
like the spring breeze, be an opener of knots.


Dr. Schweitzer writes:


Often we hear people say, "I want to do some good in this world but
the obligations of life and work are so exacting that I cannot score
any success in this regard. I am sunk to my ears in the petty chores
of life and there doesn't arise any opportunity for my life to become
meaningful." This is a very common-and dangerous-mistake. Everyone
finds opportunities at his doorstep to help others, so that his spirit
may rise to the occasion and attain peace and joy. In order to attain
this joy it is not at all necessary to neglect one's ordinary duties
or to perform some dazzling feat.


I call this spiritual work your 'second duty'. All that you must do is
to make use of the many opportunities that arise and carry out this
duty. You will get plenty of excellent opportunities in this path and
acquire a perfect ability to make use of them. At this point all the
energies stored up in your being will swing into action.


That which the world needs today, and lacks, are people devoted to
fulfilling others' needs. In this work, done for the sake of others,
both the helper and the helped are blessed.


... We are gradually losing our personality under the strains of
modern society. The urge for creativity and self-assertion is killed
in us. Accordingly, the attainment of genuine civilisation is delayed.
The big mistake of everyone of us is that we travel blindfolded
through life and do not notice the good opportunities that arise. Once
we open our eyes and look around we will observe many people who need
our help, riot for big things but for very small things.


In altruism and sacrifice we must invest the best part of ourselves.
The coin that a widow gives, which is all that she owns, has greater
worth than all the donations of the rich. We often hear people say,
"Were I rich I would do many things for people". But one can be rich
in respect of love and charity. If we discover the real needs of those
who require help and take steps to meet them, we would have spent the
best part of ourselves in this path, which is love and compassion for
others and which all the money in the world cannot equal.


You might think that my life in the equatorial forests of Africa is
something wonderful. But you should know that you can live a more
wonderful life by remaining where you are and, by impelling your soul
to effort, engage in a thousand kinds of good and kindly actions. This
task demands a spirit of sacrifice and courage and a strength of will,
and the determination to love, which is the greatest test of a human
being. But you must know that it is in this second and difficult duty
that you can find true happiness. [1]


Man is free either to obey or disobey the commands of his conscience.
Every man is the master of his soul and his will. He may choose
rectitude and purity, liberate himself from the bondage of lust and
endless desires, make chivalrousness his motto, and abstain from
injustice and cruelty. These qualities and virtues are within his
reach and he may adorn himself with them through persistent effort. He
may also take an opposite path, the path of decadence and vice, and
dive into the ocean of variegated lusts and pleasures.


The power of will is a heavenly gift which must never be left idle or
used for filthy purposes and inhuman goals instead of being employed
in the path of duty. The lack of will and determination is the biggest
obstacle in the way of fulfilment of duties. The employment of will
power under the guidance of conscience and in the struggle against
carnal urges and desires, against egoism and moral vices, is a
difficult task at the beginning and requires self-denying effort. But
through determination, persistence and perseverance, the soul
gradually becomes stronger and its moral characteristics improve.
Then, the performance of duty becomes a quite normal and easy matter.


If one's feeling of duty-consciousness be strong, he would not retreat
in the face of hardship and obstacles. Even when such a person's
effort remains fruitless due to obstacles, his conscience at least
would be at peace and he would be able to hold his head high before
himself because his defeat and failure have been for the sake of duty.


A father gives the following counsel to his son:


My son, let it be that you remain poor and penniless while others
gather wealth and get rich in front of your eyes through deceit and
treachery. Lead your life without position and glory and let others
get into high positions through obsequiousness and servility. Put up
with misery and loss and let others satisfy their desires by the means
of flattery and sycophancy.


Refrain from associating with big people, to get near whom others are
killing themselves. It is better for you to put on the garment of
virtue and piety so that when your head turns white there isn't any
blot on your honour and good name. At that time, thank God and
surrender to death with an easy mind and a happy heart. [2]


In the same way as admonishment, reproof and censure are beneficial in
the struggle against vices, so also appreciation, commendation and
encouragement are undeniably effective in producing better motivation
for work and performance of duty. Evil is the state of a nation in
which traitors are encouraged and worthy and duty-conscious servants
are censured, humiliated and driven away from sensitive positions in
society. Where deceit and imposture bring success and those who are
totally devoid of human values attain their cherished goals, a nation
in which those who wish to fulfil their human mission remain deprived
as long as they continue to live in purity-in such a society there
remain utterly no grounds for the growth of moral excellence.


Obviously, in such an environment the attraction and inclination for
deceit, corruption and hypocrisy make way, on an extensive level, into
the depths of the people's souls, and vice and corruption rapidly take
the place of virtues and decent morals. In such an environment, many
chaste souls may be compelled to turn their backs on piety and purity
as a result of unbearable pressures, for there are few people who can
heroically safeguard their souls in such a corrupt environment and
preserve their piety and purity in the mire of social filth. Yet all
people do not have such extraordinary qualities so as to continue with
their sublime and majestic spirit to live amongst a base and decadent
people.


In the course of his upbringing an ordinary individual stands in dire
need of a society on which he can rely to offer him worthy examples
that may acquaint him with practical patterns of conduct in life.

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Jah

-- 
“None of you truly believes until he loves for his brother what he
loves for himself.” [Sahîh al-Bukhârî and Sahîh Muslim]

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