January 30, 2013 at 5:54 p.m.
By learning the lessons of the past we can bring hope for tomorrow
This is the philosophy Bermuda must take.
(1) Learn from yesterday. We must learn from our mistakes of yesterday; I mean really learn from them, know what they are so as never to go back and make them again.
This hinders progress and is very detrimental; we must aim to always go forward. This is why history is such an important and integral part of development and growth.
We cannot lament on the ills of yesterday, or the mistakes that were made, rather we must study, concentrate, focus on never making them again and going forward with hope for the future. History allows civilizations to grow from strength to strength.
(2) Live for today. You must live in the present to sustain yourself for the future. Aesop's Fables gives an ideal example of this in the story of The Ant and the Grasshopper.
In a field one summer's day a grasshopper was hopping about, chirping and singing to its heart's content. An ant passed by, bearing along with great toil an ear of corn he was taking to the nest. "Why not come and chat with me", said the grasshopper, 'instead of toiling and moiling in that way?"
"I am helping to lay up food for the winter," said the ant, "and recommend you to do the same."
"Why bother about winter?" said the grasshopper; "we have got plenty of food at present." But the ant went on its way and continued its toil.
When the winter came the grasshopper had no food and found itself dying of hunger, while it saw the ants distributing every day corn and grain from the stores they had collected in the summer.
Then the grasshopper knew: "Idleness brings want", and "to work today is to eat tomorrow is best to prepare for the days of necessity". The noble Qur'an dedicates Sura 16, The Bee (al-Nahl). Allah implores us to learn from the hardworking bee to ensure success.
(3) Hope for tomorrow. We must always keep alive the promise of hope for tomorrow, especially if we have learnt from the past and lived for the present; we can only reap the rewards of tomorrow.
Sometimes though, with all the trials and tribulations we have to encounter, the hope of tomorrow looks rather bleak, but Allah begs us not to despair, for joy does come.
However, we must follow the rules of virtue to realise hope for tomorrow. If we continue to be disobedient and wicked, we will reap only despair and destruction. We must follow the path of virtue for a better tomorrow.
The difficult path of virtue is defined as the path of charity or unselfish love. Allah's statement to man in Sura Al Inshiqaq is also supporting this fact, the Qur'an says: "Thou man! verily thou art ever toiling on towards thy Lord painfully toiling - but thou shalt meet Him."
There is no doubt that the path of virtue is not an easy one. But Allah encourages believers to strive for a better tomorrow as the following verses of the Holy Qur'an promise and these are only a few as the Qu'ran is full of messages and prescriptions that ensure hope for tomorrow:
1. "If the people of the towns had but believed and feared Allah, we should indeed have opened out to them (all kinds of) blessings from heaven and earth" (3:96).
2. A pious man is free of sorrow, fear and danger. "Those who are righteous and mend (their lives) on them shall be no fear nor shall they grieve" (7:35).
3. He is safe from the enemies, "But if ye are constant and do right, not the least harm their cunning will do to you? (3:120).
4. He will have Allah's company and help. "For Allah is with those who restrain themselves, and those who do good" (16:128).
5 The deeds of pious persons only are acceptable to Allah. "Allah doth accept the sacrifices of those who are righteous" (5:30).
6. The pious will be honoured in the presence of Allah. "The most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you" (XLIX:13).
7. Allah is the greatest well-wisher of us. He counsels us to live piously as this is the only aim in life. "Verily, We have directed the people of the Book before you and you (O Muslims) to fear Allah" (4:131). Ameen.
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