Way of The Seekers — Page 95
95 THE Secondly, it is agreed that the ego is like a horse. True, the horse has to be exercised. Within reasonable limits it has to be kept lean but not too lean; fit enough to ride yet not so unruly as to throw the rider. But have you ever seen someone who should have become a good horseman merely by starving the horse? Once during a journey, one of our party who was not much of a horseman, declared he would not ride unless a lean horse was procured for him. Accordingly a lean horse was brought. He appeared to be afraid of this horse too and wanted to know if there was no leaner horse available. Therefore, if a person does not know riding, he cannot learn it by starving the horse. Similarly it is a mistake to believe that by starving the ego, you can tame it or can make it obey your commands. You control the ego not by starving it, but by learning the art of controlling it. Thirdly, it is no use denying that sin is the result not only of the domination of the ego but also of the death of the ego. For instance, shamelessness is caused by the death of the ego. In such cases the ego needs to be revived to enable it to function as required. Thus the ego is like a horse. To make it function properly, sometimes it should be allowed to become lean and sometimes it needs to be fattened. It should neither be completely demolished nor should it be permitted to become too head- strong to obey. The Promised Messiah’s approach to morals differs from Al-Ghazali’s in another respect also. The Promised Messiah (on him be peace) emphasized that the basis of faith is hope and anticipation. The Holy Quran does indeed say that faith lies between hope and fear but nowhere does it say that it lies between hope and despair. About despair, the Holy Quran even says: O my sons, go ye and search for Joseph and his brother and despair not of the mercy of Allah; for none despairs of Allah’s mercy but the unbelieving people. (12:88). The Holy Prophet (on him be peace) is reported to have