Reflections

Kareem and Ahmad were neighbors and good friends too. Kareem used to like white color and Ahmad, Green. Whenever they used to purchase clothes or paint their house or decorate it, they used to choose white and green color accordingly. While their liking of the color was different, their friendship was still maintained. Once both of them attended a religious lecture where one scholar specified that the best colour is white as it is being accepted in almost all religions. In Haj, the dress ihram is white and the coffin for a deceased is white too. This speech was liked by Kareem as white color was his choice while Ahmad felt a bit sad about it. Ahmad did not keep quiet and approached other scholars and asked about the choice of green color. He was told that green colour is better as it is liked by many saints and green color flag is hoisted at every religious and spiritual site and certain Muslim states used green color flag too.

Earlier the thoughts and liking of both Kareem and Ahmad were their personal, but now this liking of theirs got changed into a religious belief. While their friendship was not affected by the difference in thinking and personal liking, now the difference in the religious belief affected their friendship and it changed into enmity. This change resulted in their separation. Why is it? Because the religious belief supersedes the other beliefs and liking and we get vulnerable.

What is a thought? Why the human mind brings in the thoughts and from where? The reality is that you are in possession of various capabilities, unlimited energies and strengths and you are a great human being. You are a wise person, you can even acquire wealth, by which you could be respected and could induce fear. Even if you do not possess a degree, you possess knowledge and wisdom. You are a healthy person and not sick and whoever meets you could even get happy. While it is all there, the negative thoughts within you are a biggest barrier and you have become a drop in place of an ocean.

The psychologists state that the thoughts within you could be directed in the right direction and the same could be transformed to achieve success in your life or start a new life altogether.

The problem between Ahmad and Kareem started from their liking of different colors and ended into a difference in belief and enmity. (The writer is a Bangalore based social activist)