Seekers Are Genuine, Achievers Are Dubious

By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam 15 November 2024 While reading Khaqani's famous work Tohfat al-ʿErāqayn (A Gift from the Two Iraqs; in reference to western Iran ('Persian Iraq') and Mesopotamia ('Arabic Iraq'), a thought didn't let me proceed further: Seekers are genuine, achievers are dubious. This took me to the oeuvre of the legendary French author and Nobel laureate (1947) Andre Gide. His famous observation flashed through my mind, 'Believe those who are seeking the truth. Doubt those who find it.' In a world filled with information and perspectives, Khaqani and Andre Gide's quotes emphasize the importance of maintaining a sceptical mindset. Both suggest that those who are actively seeking the truth can be trustworthy sources of knowledge. Their genuine curiosity and relentless pursuit of understanding make them credible, as they remain open to new ideas and interpretations. Conversely, Gide and Khaqani encourage doubt towards those who claim to have found the truth. This caution arises from the recognition that absolute certainties can be elusive, and individuals who speak with certainty may possess biases or agendas that compromise objectivity. By embracing doubt, we strengthen our critical thinking and avoid blind acceptance, transparently navigating our complex and ever-evolving search for truth. For a seeker, it's always better to travel than to arrive. A journey of the self or a spiritual sojourn is endless and it must remain so. The attitude that I'm forever a traveller speaks of genuine humility while one's claim to have reached the destination will always invite doubts and jeers. Hakim Sanai writes in his famous book, The Walled Garden of Truth or The Hadiqat al Haqiqa (حدیقه الحقیقه و شریعه الطریقه) that, "You continue to seek. If you're a true seeker, people will say that you've reached or achieved. You must never claim that." Such a great and life-transforming piece of advice! When Rumi requested Shams-e-Tabriz to accept him as his disciple as Shams was 22-yr-older than Rumi, Shams said that among the seekers, no one is a master or disciple. Everyone is a traveller. Mentoring you means I know more than you. But in reality, we all have almost the same degree of self-realization. A seeker is always humble and is never definite or cocksure. Even if he feels that he has reached and realized the truth, he knows with all humility that it's his truth; a subjective one because there's no ultimate or objective truth. Even truth is relative! Buddha never called himself an enlightened person and always averred that his enlightenment could be an illusion ! There's a term for Buddha in Hinayana Buddhism. It's Dwiman (one who considers everything to be inconclusive). Remember, “The best lack all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity” (William Butler Yeats). Today's fanatics, pseudo-intellectuals and those who erroneously think that their faith is the ultimate or their scripture is free from all errors must imbibe the spirit of Khaqani and Gide. ---- 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://www.newageislam.com/spiritual-meditations/seekers-genuine-achievers-dubious/d/133716 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