Way of The Seekers — Page 99
99 THE unfit to do any work, does he tell the doctor how can he take exercise, being unfit to do any work? He does not say this because there is a difference between the work which he is unfit to do and the exercise the doctor prescribes. Both require effort but one is within his capacity while the other is not. Even to augment physical energy, action is needed. A patient who is too weak to get up and is permanently bedridden would naturally be prescribed exercise consistent with his condition. May be the doctor would only prescribe massage. When he gains some strength, he would be able to sit up and when he is a little stronger he would stand up. The same obtains in the spiritual sphere. A spiritual patient also begins with minor actions and progressively rises to higher levels. If a student finds the 10th grade reader too difficult, he is advised to study the 9th grade reader. He cannot say: Since I cannot read the 10th grade reader, how can I read the one meant for the 9th grade? In the spiritual sphere also progress is made from lower to higher levels of action. Such cases need special remedial treatment which I shall outline presently. But preliminary measures have to be taken which I have already mentioned and which are as follows: 1. Acquisition of thorough knowledge of right and wrong, virtue and vice. 2. Knowledge of appropriate use of each. 3. Self-examination. 4. Frequent recourse to Istighfar. 5. Effort to acquire cognition of God. 6. Reflection over the consequences of good and evil actions. 7. Effort to reflect divine qualities. I shall now outline principles of treatment of such cases. Without doubt, such a person is spiritually sick. Sickness cannot be treated without proper diagnosis. The patient should first determine what is his ailment. Then he should ask himself what does he wish to achieve. The answer is likely to be twofold: purity of heart and reform of conduct. The former