Tuesday, June 05, 2012
Self-help
is the habit of confidently standing on one’s own legs. Allah helps those who
help themselves. He has no sympathy for the shirker or idler who cries aloud to
him for help and never puts his own shoulders to the wheel.
Every
man should bear his own burden. To be dependent on others is a curse. Living
upon charity robs us of independence and undermines manly virtues. A nation
that is composed mostly of idlers can never prosper. When a nation is fallen, the
army of drones consume the hard-earned wealth of the few workers.
Like
every other habit, the habit of Self-help should be acquired in infancy.
Children should not be helped too much when they dress or work. He who begins
with crutches retains them to the end. In school, too the habit of Self-help
should be insisted on from the beginning. The students own tendencies should be
given a free-play, so long as they do not lead to manifest mischief. The
teacher’s duty is to help and guide. In games, likewise, the player who relies
on his own efforts is sure to succeed. Even in games like football where
players have, according to the nature of game itself, to depend on their
colleagues, the skill and exertions of individual players are an important
factor.
The
importance of Self-help as a means to individual or national progress and
prosperity, has been out to help our talent virtues and strengthen our
character, while hope from outside tends to weaken us. Most men do not know
their own worth, because they always depend upon others and never exert
themselves. But it they can once dispel this timidity and boldly stand by
themselves, they will find that there is nothing to be afraid of. What once
appeared to be beyond their capacity will soon be quite within their power; and
what was once considered impossible will soon be an easy task.
No
work is well done unless we do it ourselves. Great men have never depended
wholly on subordinates. Khalid himself carefully inspected his army, and nothing
escaped his vigilant eye. Napoleon and Wellington ,
similarly, looked to the minutest needs of their armies. So, to be great, happy
and successful in life, we should never depend on others for what we might do
ourselves.
No comments
Post a Comment