Your Wisdom Is Tested When You're Forever On The Scaffold Of Scrutiny

By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam 7 January 2023 Sanskrit, like Persian, is a repertoire of knowledge and wisdom and both the great languages have a treasure-trove of pithy sayings. One such pithy and profound aphorism in Sanskrit is, ' Ushtraanaam Vivaheshu Geet Gayanti Gardabha ' (in the marriage of a camel, an ass sings the songs). Got to say, so apt and apposite, because if you read a fawning reader's hyperbolic eulogy of a zealot's ridiculously preposterous interpretations of a flawed book, called the Quran, you'll concur with me: " Naseer sb. has developed deep insights into the meaning of the Quran and cleared misconceptions that other scholars over the 14 centuries couldn't! " Marhaba! Marhaba! In classical Persian, there's a word rather strictly used in the realm of mysticism. It's ' Milfazahat'. Some philologists are of the view that it's actually an archaic Arabic word. But that's not an issue. It means, ' To refrain from excessive praise that borders on boot-licking. ' Such praise is indeed apple-polishing as some may dislike the term book-licking, which's more appropriate. When Rumi's Shagird Farhan Isfahani praised Bayazid Bastami and called him the ' Fountainhead of divine wisdom and COMPLETE Quranic understanding, ' Rumi admonished him and said, ' Excessive and cloying praise is a sign of sycophancy which's not a desirable trait in Tasawwuf (Adhyatm/spirituality).' The redoubtable Vachaspati Mishra questioned his supremely enlightened master Mandan Mishra's philosophical treatise and tenets on the Expounded Advaita Vedanta and he never went ga-ga over the exceptional metaphysical nous of Mandana Mishra, who was defeated only once in his entire life and that too was dishonestly. Vachaspati Mishra wrote, 'Chatukarita Baadhak Atva Darshanam' (sycophancy is an impediment to philosophical wisdom). So, this type of Quid Pro Quo or 'Andha Baante Revari Khud Khaye Phir-Phir Apnon Ko De,' must be avoided. This closes all the doors to further knowledge that leads to wisdom and wisdom dissolves into self-realization (Brahma Gyan or Irfaan). A small coterie of your own people and cohorts cannot see the truth that needs criticism, vision, introspection and honesty to emerge. Your wisdom is tested when you're forever on the scaffold of scrutiny. Don't make anyone complacent by extolling him to the 9th clouds. At the same time, don't make cringe-worthy claims and demean yourself. ---- A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He has contributed articles to the world's premier publications in several languages including Persian. URL: https://newageislam.com/spiritual-meditations/wisdom-scaffold-scrutiny/d/128821 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism