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It is not their eyes which are blind, but the hearts in their breast. [The Qur'an 22:46]
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Doubt
Doubt can be a valuable ally, or it can be a potent enemy.
Knowing the difference can take one a long way.
Under a variety of circumstances, there is nothing wrong
with a healthy embrace of skepticism, questioning, doubt or
reserving judgement. Indeed, this can be quite beneficial,
saving one, by the grace of God, from many difficulties and
embarrassments.
For example, if someone is known to lie on, say, a
semi-regular, but unpredictable basis, then, to exercise
caution concerning the declarations of such a person, would
seem to be a prudent thing to do. Whether that individual is
an acquaintance, or a politician, or a government official, or
a business associate, or a writer, or a religious figure or
whatever, to have doubts affords one a margin of protection.
Doubt buys one some time. During this period of grace, one
can check the alleged facts of an assertion. One can raise
questions about inconsistencies and ambiguities. One can
reserve judgement until one has had an opportunity to reflect
on the statement and/or until additional information is
forthcoming which may help resolve the issue.
Having doubts, can save one from rushing to judgement and
making errors that a greater amount of circumspection
might have prevented. Manifesting a certain degree of
skepticism, puts some objective distance between one and a
given issue and permits one to be in a position to explore
other alternatives.
An interesting, but troubling, example of the semi-regular,
but unpredictable, liar is ourselves. In one way or another,
almost all of us lie. These statements of untruth may not
necessarily be lies of some, dark, malevolent purpose, but
they are lies because they satisfy the conditions of what it
means to lie.
These statements distort the truth in some manner.
Furthermore, this distortion is introduced knowingly by the
individual.
We lie to our spouses. We lie to our children. We lie to our
parents. We lie to our friends. We lie to fellow workers. We
lie to customers. We lie to tax officials. We lie to our lawyers.
We lie to our doctors. We lie to ourselves.
Sometimes we lie to spare someone's feelings. Sometimes we
lie because the issue is too personal.
Sometimes we lie to gain a tactical advantage. Sometimes we
lie because we're too embarrassed to tell the truth.
Sometimes we lie in order to please others. Sometimes we lie
to exploit or manipulate a situation.
Sometimes we lie just to upset another person. Sometimes we
lie because the truth sounds too unbelievable. Sometimes we
lie to create a "good" impression of ourselves. Sometimes we
lie because it seems simpler and less involved than telling the
truth does.
We lie to ourselves about the kind of person we are. We lie
to ourselves about how fairly we treat other people. We lie to
ourselves about how honest we are.
We lie to ourselves about our values and commitments. We
lie to ourselves about the extent of our compassion for other
people.
We lie to ourselves about the degree of our selfishness and
inconsiderateness. We lie to ourselves about the nature of
our love for God.
We can lie to ourselves because the ego tries to sell falsehood
as the truth, thus satisfying one of the two conditions for a lie
- namely, to distort the truth. We know we are lying to
ourselves because in our heart of hearts we are aware of
what the ego is doing and why.
The problem is that sometimes our awareness of our lying to
ourselves is very weak and faint, and, as a result, the lie
carries the moment. Given time and the right circumstances
and pressures, the lie may become accepted as truth.
In light of the foregoing comments concerning the way we lie,
one wonders why most of us don't tend to exercise more
doubt and skepticism concerning our own pronouncements.
After all, if one is being prudent to have doubts concerning
other people who sometimes lie, then consistency demands
we demonstrate the same degree of prudence with respect to
ourselves. This is especially so in view of the fact we have
more ample and direct evidence of our own lying than we
have in relation to the possible lying of other people.
Unfortunately, few of us embrace a healthy amount of
skepticism and doubt concerning ourselves. Doubt is usually
reserved for the words, intentions, motivations, attitudes,
opinions and actions of others.
This issue of doubt becomes crucial in relation to considering
the teachings of mystics such as Sufi masters. Are these
people telling the truth? Are they lying? Are they telling
untruths but, somehow, have convinced themselves they are
telling important truths about the nature of things?
Another possibility, of course, is that we may resist the truth
in what they say through the lies we tell ourselves. For
instance, we may tell ourselves we have given the mystical
perspective a fair hearing when we have not.
We may tell ourselves we have no vested interests which
might bias or prejudice our judgements concerning
mysticism, but, in reality, we do have such vested interests.
We may tell ourselves we have an open mind about where the
truth lies, but, in fact, our attitudes, interests, priorities and
desires would not permit us to consider anything as true
except that which we believe already to be the case.
Whom should we doubt - the mystics or ourselves? How far
should we carry this doubt? What are the origins of our
doubt? What will satisfy our doubts? How do we go about
resolving our doubts? These are all very important questions.
Not everyone who claims to be a Sufi master is one.
Consequently, sometimes there are legitimate reasons for an
individual to entertain doubts concerning the alleged
authenticity of a teacher.
As best one can, and there are limits to what can be
accomplished on one's own, one ought to go through a period
of questioning and reserving judgement about such claims.
Reflect on the matter. Meditate about it. Speak to other
people. Read books.
If one can, talk to the person who may or may not be a
genuine Sufi teacher. Obviously, one also should question
one's own motives, attitudes and intentions in this whole
process.
If one is sincere in the way one explores such doubts, the Sufi
masters indicate God will guide one to a correct resolution of
the question concerning authenticity. Of course, they also
indicate one ought to have a healthy doubt concerning the
extent of one's sincerity during this exploration.
Once one decides to take the step of initiation and a teacher
is prepared to accept the responsibility of guiding the
individual, the problem of doubt does not end. Doubt is a
prominent tool in the arsenal of the false self.
The false self does not disappear upon initiation. Rather,
initiation is, in effect, a declaration of war between the allies
of the true self and the allies of the false self.
The forces of the false self use doubt to bait ambushes of
constantly changing character. The command and control
centers of the false self orchestrate terrorist raids by various
cells of doubt.
The intelligence operatives use doubt to demoralize the allies
of the true self by generating confusion and uncertainty.
Doubt is used to mount campaigns of disinformation which
sew the seeds of distrust and suspicion in the hearts of the
allies of the true self.
When one is going through difficult times on the path, as
such times are unavoidable, one will begin to doubt many
things. Among other things, there will be attempts on the part
of the allies of the false self to seduce the individual into
doubting the authenticity of the teacher's knowledge or
ability or love or guidance or compassion or understanding
and so on.
If one allows oneself to be seduced in this manner, one will
have come, in all likelihood, to the end of any possibility of
journeying further or making spiritual progress on the
spiritual path. This is so because according to the Sufi
masters, journeying on the path is, by God's grace, made
possible through the initiate's spiritual relationship to the
teacher or guide.
By doubting the authenticity of the teacher, in effect, the
lifeline which nourishes and sustains the individual on the
path has been sabotaged. If the damage cannot be repaired,
the path will become impassable with respect to any
possibility of forward spiritual movement.
The critical nature of the dire consequences which ensue
from becoming entangled in doubts about the authenticity of
one's teacher has a further twist to it. Pseudo-mystical
teachers will use precisely this warning to bind initiates to
them.
More specifically, when legitimate doubts arise about the
propriety of the "teacher's" conduct or instructions in the
case of an unauthentic guide, the "teacher" will blame the
victim of his or her manipulations and misguidance. Such
"teachers" will say these kind of doubts are but the activities
of the allies of the false self trying to sever the spiritual
relationship between "guide" and initiate, and, therefore, the
initiate should suppress all such doubts.
The realm of doubt is a very tricky affair. In fact, this realm
is so puzzling, frustrating and depressing, many people
despair of ever resolving the problems entailed by the issue of
doubt.
Many of these people withdraw altogether from seeking to
step onto the mystical path. When this occurs, doubt has won
another victory. This is so because people who withdraw
under these circumstance have succumbed to the relentless
pressure of the ego as it casts doubt on the whole mystical
enterprise.
One must learn to swim in the sea of doubt, amidst all of its
currents, waves and storms. Moreover, while swimming in
this sea, one's safety is enhanced considerably if one can tell
the difference between a shark and a dolphin.
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