The System of Mushawarat in Jama'at-e-Ahmadiyya — Page 322
T he S ystem of M ushawarat in J ama ' at - e -A hmadiyya that in every community, there are two kinds o f people: the strong and the weak. The strong should not think that everyone should be as strong as they are. Similarly, the weak should not think that others should also become weak. The powerful w ill have to reduce their strength, and the weak w ill have to enhance theirs, only then can they work together. This idea can be elaborated with the example o f a strong bullock and a weak one, both wear ing the same yoke to pull a cart. Their collective effort is the average o f their individual strength. The stronger is re quired to slow down a bit, and the weaker one has to exert him self a bit more. So when giving advice you should opt for the middle way: do not place such heavy burden as it cannot be lifted by the weak, and do not become so indul gent that it becomes impossible to move forward. The second point which you should take into account while offering advice is that this Jama'at has been set up by God, and its progress does not depend on our efforts, but only upon His help and succour. Our own worthless ness should not worry us. Regardless o f what we are, the objectives that we are required to achieve have been set out by God, and it is He Who has entrusted them to us and has commanded us to move forward to achieve them. Our faith and trust in God demands that we should con sider ourselves worthy o f achieving these objectives. No w ise man would entrust the task o f a grown up to a child. No king would assign the m ission meant for a general to a sepoy. How then can we imagine that God would en trust a task to us which we are unable to accomplish, and that He should oblige us to achieve objectives which we are powerless to achieve. N o one knows our weakness and helplessness more than 322