The Hay Cannot Pick Up The Mountain - 227

Est. Read time: 3 mins
Edition Number: 227
Adapted from: From Mawlana to Rumi: A Journey to the Heart
Instructor: Mufti Abdul Wahab Waheed

Assalamu Alaykum,

Today’s gem is from Ustadh Feraidoon Mojadedi’s course, From Mawlana to Rumi: A Journey to the Heart. In this gem, Ustadh Feraidoon reminds us to aim high but know your limitations.

Hope you enjoy!

We begin in the Name of Allah ﷻ, the Most Merciful and Compassionate,
We ask that He ﷻ sends Peace and Blessings upon our noble and beloved
Prophet Muhammad ﷺ

Rumi said to aim high, but know your limitations.

For example, if I were to say, "I’m going to produce a Masnavi," that would be the biggest joke of the millennium.

But if I said, "I want to memorize the Masnavi," that’s a high goal, yet achievable. If I dedicated the next ten years full-time to that purpose, it might even be possible. The key is setting ambitious goals that are still within the realm of reality.

The Arabs have two words for hope: la'alla and layta.

• La'alla expresses hope that something might happen. For instance, there’s a proverb: "La'alla al-sultana akramani"—"Maybe the Sultan will show me generosity." The poor man sits by the road, hoping the Sultan might pass by and be kind. It’s hope with a possibility.

• Layta, on the other hand, is used for hopeless wishes. For example, "Layta al-shabab ya'udo"—"I wish my youth could return." That’s a wish that will never come true.

This word appears in the Quran when describing the disbelievers on the Day of Judgment.

After witnessing the animals receive justice (an animal harmed by another will strike back, and then both will turn to dust), the disbelievers will say, "I wish we could turn to dust like them." But it’s a futile wish—it won’t happen.

You can’t turn back time. Years that have passed won’t return, no matter how hard you try. Even with the rise of plastic surgery, people may look young, but they still know how old they are.

So, as Rumi advises, aim high but also remember that the hay cannot pick up a mountain. Know your limitations as well.

There’s a balance between dreaming big and staying grounded.

May Allah ﷻ grant us tawfiq to aim high and stay grounded.

أقول قولي هذا وأستغفر الله لي ولكم، فاستغفروه إنه هو الغفور الرحيم

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