Growing up in a Grown up Manner.

Growing up in a Grown up Manner.

by Nisaar Y. Nadiadwala on Sunday, May 15, 2011 at 2:51pm

  There are four dimensions of growth. Physical growth, Academic growth, Intellectual Growth, and Spiritual growth. Upon entering teenage most of the boys and girls get more concerned about the physical growth, while their parents remain worried about their academic growth. In our society, including the Muslims, a lot of energy, time and money is spent on these two dimensions.

  The reason is clear, many people assume that these two dimensions will get good jobs and good proposals for marriages. So we see crowded coaching classes for better academic grades, and over crowded beauty parlours with girls and boys flocking to update their looks. The most read articles in the periodicals are about beauty and health. Dieting and body building have turned our mirrors into the busiest furniture of  our houses.

   This brings our attention to the other two dimensions of growth unattended by most of us. Intellectual growth and spiritual growth. I have seperated Academic growth from Intellectual growth. There are many graduates who have cleared their exams with colourful grades but they fail in using their education in practical lives.

They may achieve high scores in Mathematics but never check up their accounts or read between the lines of a bank statement.  They may be excellent  in studying Shakespear and Wordsworth's stuff but they rarely able to write a good letter to an editor, their vocabulary may be good but they are not able to draft a strong arguments presenting their views or ideas. The reason is simple : They have not developed their intelligence. People look good, speak stylishly, carry bags of merit cards and certificates but they depend upon others to think and decide on their behalf

    The same goes about spiritual growth. Without learning and implementing revealed knowledge you cannot attain  peace of mind even though you are regular in meditations and earn high salaries  andmove in good cars.  The paramter of spiritual growth or SQ (your spiritual Quotient) is directly proportionate to their attitude with their creator and following His instruction.  Revealed knowledge enhances and beautifies your first three growth and unfortunately very few people focus on it.

   How rightly the Qur'an says : 

He grants Hikmah to whom He pleases, and he, to whom Hikmah is granted, is indeed granted abundant good. But none remember (will receive admonition) except men of understanding .
(Surah Baqarah ch2, verse 269). 

Author : Nisaar Nadiadwala speaks and writes to motivate people to stand up and speak up for truth. He can be reached at nisaar_yusuf@yahoo.com

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