Soft power and stalwart hearts
BRITAIN’S battered economy is sliding towards a breaking point, according to Bloomberg.
The headline figures make grim reading. The economy is on track to shrink in the second quarter, raising the possibility that the UK is already in a recession.
Headlines like this are enough to scare anyone. However, our religious teachings emphasise that the secret of happiness lies not in material possessions, but within us. Imam Ghazali (d 1105).
The Muslim philosopher whose teachings deeply influenced western scholars like Thomas Aquinas, Dante, Maimonides and Roger Bacon, pointed out that “the heart cannot accept the Divine grace if the laws of God are not obeyed in one’s outward conduct. Only after outward obedience can one proceed to remove the devastating diseases of the heart”.
Here he is referring to moral diseases – arrogance, greed, jealousy and anger. They must be replaced by goodness, humility, and contentedness before one can face the trials and hardships.
One doesn’t have to be an economist or a politician to understand the significance of smaller national GDP or the national debt, manifesting in high inflation, stagnant growth, and poor consumer confidence. These have social and psychological consequences that can cause anxiety, family breakdowns, and an increase in the crime rate. I believe that these issues can be tackled spiritually, and spirituality can come to our rescue.
Perhaps that is what Immanuel Kant meant when he said that “man needs God”, a spiritual being, to rely on and turn to.
Prophet Muhammed (d 632) had this advice for those worried by living cost crises: “Whoever absorbs his heart in love of material things will be overwhelmed by it, misery that will be discomforting, greed that will not make him independent, vain hopes that will never be realised.”
Spiritual people in times of crisis take the following steps:
1. Simplify lifestyle to reduce spending. Do you really need all that stuff?
2. Be generous to others. There are always others in greater need than you.
3. Stay present in the moment. Not even the best financial experts know what will happen to the economy in the future, so stay aware and awake so that you can respond as needed.
We will require more and more of this soft power to build resilience to face the hardships, since the prospects of fatter wage packets are slim.
Dr Musharraf Hussain OBE DL is chief executive officer and imam of Karimia Institute, Nottingham.