Way of The Seekers — Page 25
25 THE develops. But what does it depend on? If it depends on reason and the requirements of the moment, it is good; It is a moral response to beauty. Otherwise it is just wayward and mean. The two states, however, have the same inner content. One attracts, the other is attracted. The process is reminiscent of what happens at the lower forms of life and matter. Repulsion is a natural disposition. When it assumes a moral form, it is called courage or bravery. What is courage? The same natural disposition to repel which is present in elementary particles. At the human level, it manifests itself as courage. But it has to be appropriated in terms of reason and circumstances, before it can be called moral and admired. Without these qualifications, it is evil or at best only natural. Similar is the case of people who keep calling names or abus- ing others. This act too is an expression of repulsion but without endorsement by reason or justification by probable consequences. The motive in both cases is to repel; to repel an accusation, an attack, or an act of supposed cruelty. Attraction has its own expressions. It draws things to itself. When it appears as greed it expresses itself as scramble for power and financial gain. If it is evil in intent and conse- quences, it becomes an evil. Pleasant manners, good humor, open countenance, praise, love, loveliness, piety, eagerness in propagation of truth, all fall under loveliness whose manifestations they are. Manliness, aggressiveness, etc. , spring from the disposition to destroy. This disposition (Tahawwur in Arabic) means that man’s own destruction is admitted and accepted by him. He declares his own life is of no consequence to him. This emotion can be both rational and irrational. Rationally motivated it is an emotion of a high order. As did Nemat Ullah Shaheed (at Kabul, 1924). He made a firm decision to sacrifice his life, but not his faith. Thus when manliness is conjoined with reason, it becomes sacrifice. A man sees a light, a fire in front of him and jumps into it to immolate himself. It displays a kind of