Several disgruntled Muslim youths stood in an
agitated group outside the University Offices,
loudly bewailing the fact that they had not been
admitted to the various academic courses they had
chosen. Without exception, they blamed
circumstances for their failure to gain entry to the
University. Some also blamed the environment for
their having remained out of work for so long. An
elderly gentleman, who was sitting close by, could
not help overhearing their lamentations. Finally, he
could contain himself no longer, and he jumped up
and said to them, “I am sure you feel your
complaints are well-founded, but, why compete at a
level where the seats are all bound to be taken
already? That will get you nowhere. You should
attempt to enter at the top, for that is where you
will find the vacant seats. Produce distinctive
qualifications and there will be no question of your
being rejected. There are always places at the top for
people of merit. Be you a student, businessman,
lawyer or doctor, try to distinguish yourself in
whatever field you have chosen, for that is the sure
way to success. Even if it is only something like a
mousetrap that you have the reputation for making
well, people will come knocking at your door for it.
The real mistake is to produce the same quality of
goods with which the market is already flooded. It
is pointless to do this, then complain about being
discriminated against. If you work hard and bend
your brains to producing something superior in
design and quality to what is already on the market,
people will flock to buy it.
“No society is ever free of prejudice and
narrowmindedness; it is just one unfortunate aspect of
community-living. The difference in this from one
society to another is only one of degree. But these
are barriers which can definitely be surmounted
through diligence and application. Let us suppose
that you have passed an examination with 45
percent marks, giving you a very slight advantage
over a rival who only has forty percent. In such a
case, it is quite conceivable that prejudice could
come in your way, and your application could be
rejected in favour of your rival’s. But let us suppose
that you had eighty percent marks. All the walls of
prejudice would then have to crumble and fall in
the face of superior talent. No one would then dare
deny you your rights. Does it not make sense then
to try your hardest to reach the highest pinnacles of
academic success? It is only a question of working
much harder than your rival. Then the world will
be convinced that you have not only set yourself the
highest standards, but have also lived up to them.
Once launched upon life with superior knowledge
and skills, there is no question of your failing to
find the place you deserve. Every door will open to
you, because it is invariably the highly qualified
who are in demand."
Ref - The Moral Vision
- by Maulana Wahiduddin Khan
