When the mind works....

I had an argument regarding a matter with someone a few years back when it seems impossible to convince him to see things my way. He just saw it differently. I used different tactics to make him see through my eyes and it just couldn't get through. Time and time again I would bring up the matter to remind him but to no avail. There are many issues actually, and they are all interrelated. Only last night, after a deep conversation, it pulled through. He finally was convinced. He sees it all. With an open heart, he admitted that I was right all along. It was like his mind was twisted and he can't see things straight. It was sort of a revelation, I reckon!

Why do we see things differently? Why can't we all accept things as they are and not think too much until we can't see the obvious? This is the trick of the mind -  People's mind is a complicated thing.. we don't know how people perceive things as it is all in the mind. There is a saying "A man is infinitely more complicated than his thoughts." and to me, it is the mind that complicate things or men. We always have the choice to see things as is. But when one thinks too deep, that when troubles come. 


Let's talk about fate which can be a good example. Fate is something beyond our grasp and Allah knows best. So, we are asked to make du'a/supplication to Him although we know that everything is decreed but as muslims, we should not lose hope. We should not question matters beyond our boundaries like - 
why we have to make du'a whilst everything is all decreed? Where is the will of men to determined where he wants to go and what he wants to do?  How come if all is decreed, we are still judged by Him? 


These questions are dangerous to our faith. If you think too much of them, the devil might trick you into thinking that it is unfair to be judged by something that is predestined. Suffice for muslims to believe that Allah is just. It must be an unconditional TRUST.  Allah says in the holy Quran, 


"Allah is never unjust not even of the weight of an atom (or a small ant)" (Quran 4:40). 


"We shall set up scales of justice for the day of Judgement, so that not a soul will be dealt with unjustly in the least. And if there be (no more than) the weight of a mustard seed, we will bring it (to account) and enough are we to take account" (21:47).


The precision is apparent. Therefore, when it comes to fate, mere common sense will not work. A famous scholar once said that common sense/logic is like a piece of wood floating in the ocean. You can hang on to it for a while but there is a bigger force that you can't beat.


Allah descent His book and prophet's teachings as our guidelines, as a reference to survive in the "Big Ocean". With our limited knowledge in religion, we are bound to commit sins. Let's not only use our own mind/mere logic to deal with any issue because we can be tricked. Seeking knowledge is the best to guide us to the truth and indeed, it is Allah who guides us but our job to seek knowledge. If Allah loves us, He will give us comprehension of the religion.


Therefore, when he admitted that he was wrong all along, it was not a victory to me as he was not really conceding to defeat. It was  a brave confession. To me, I took it as a sheer relieve - at last, someone see my point! I can't help my mind (the complicated engine)  from going into a swirl of questionings - what if I was also wrong? Can it be that I was the one who got tricked? What if there was some truth in his perception? What if he is also right as conditions change and flexibility is permitted in some situations. What if I was being too judgmental and rigid. How do I know that I am right? These questions keep coming to me, bombarding, one after another. Then I come into realization that we can't be too sure of anything in life. Allah ingrained in our hearts conscience to guide us through -  in addition to the Quran and Hadith as our manual. With all those equipments, we will not only survive but victorious, as well. And if you are seeking truth all the time, Allah will help.     


So in the car, I asked him.. "What makes you realize after all these years that you are wrong about this?" He replied, ".. through thinking and thinking".  I can't say anything anymore. I let my mind do the talking.... and "Hmmm....", I replied ;-)