The Boy and the Elephant
Reading Time: 2 minutes
Hadhratwala related an incident to illustrate a powerful lesson:
An elephant from the king’s palace had suddenly gone wild. It broke loose and rampaged toward the village. The local people were quickly warned to stay indoors. Shops were hastily closed, and the streets emptied almost instantly.
But a young boy was left outside—and the raging elephant was charging straight toward him.
The boy saw the elephant thundering closer. What could he do? A small pup was lying nearby, unaware of the impending danger. The boy acted quickly. He grabbed the pup by one of its legs, spun it around his head to gain momentum, and hurled it directly at the oncoming elephant.
The startled pup hit the elephant in the face and began yelping loudly. The elephant, equally startled, came to a sudden halt. Its attention shifted to the squealing, clawing pup on its trunk. The elephant began backing away.
Hadhratwala’s comment was: “Look, he was only a boy, but he was hushyar!”
The stampeding elephant did not make him panic. He did not lose his wits. He maintained his senses and composure, and an excellent manoeuvre came to mind. A massive, raging elephant was repelled by a small, quick-thinking boy making use of a little pup.
A weak, young boy succeeded in a major task, and the powerful elephant failed in its purpose. Allah Ta’ala placed the strategy into the boy’s mind and saved him.
When one maintains composure and does not allow the senses to become scattered, even the greatest difficulty can be solved—insha’Allah Ta’ala.
A special quality of being hushyar (alert and composed) is the effect it has on one’s thinking. Allah Ta’ala has made it a feature of keeping calm that the mind will be guided to a suitable plan, leading to success.
Try this exercise: Think back to a time when you were thrown into panic. Ask yourself:
“Had I known then what I have learnt today, would I still have panicked? Would I still have been restless and upset? Would I still have sat down uselessly or hidden under the blankets?”
The answer should be: “Of course not! Had I known then what I know today, I would not have gotten into such a state.”
Some of you may have faced such situations in the past. Others may face them in the future (Allah forbid). In such cases, remember these lessons. Do not become upset or panic-stricken.
Problems can arise from anywhere—your family, students, employees, employer. Your resolution should be: control your temperament and gain control over your thoughts by acting on what you’ve learnt.
Insha’Allah Ta’ala.
Insha’Allah Ta’ala.
In this way, you will not allow yourself to be crushed or overwhelmed. Your inner serenity will remain intact, and others will not find an opportunity to mock or belittle you. Insha’Allah Ta’ala.
We are still discussing Baba Farid Shakr Ganj (rahmatullah alayh)’s second question:
“Who is hushyar?”
All 600 students gave the same reply:
“One who is not pareshan (disturbed) in any situation.”
We are human beings, and we will face difficulties. But if we act promptly and take the correct measures—or if someone is there to prompt us—we will, insha’Allah, overcome every difficulty without going off track.
