Maulana Wahiduddin Khan | Speaking Tree Website | May 30, 2016
Umar Faruq, the second caliph of Islam, was a man of great wisdom. One of his traits is reported in these words: Kana yatallamu min kulli ahad. That is, “He was able to learn from every person.” It is this spirit that is called the learning spirit. And the learning spirit is the greatest quality of a man or woman.
The opportunities for learning are abundantly present in every circumstance for every human being. But the condition required to draw benefit from this is the quality of openness. If a person is not open he will not be able to learn. The whole world is virtually a global university for learning for every person. Without taking formal admission, one can be a successful student of it.
The only qualification that is required to benefit from this university of learning is the willingness or readiness to receive impressions or ideas. Other than this no formal degree or in the matter of learning. omething is qualification is required.
People generally accept what goes in their favour and tend to get offended if something is said against them. This is the greatest obstacle to learning. A person should be free of prejudice and receptive to new arguments and ideas. One who possesses this quality has the learning spirit. Only such a person can learn from everyone—be it his friend or enemy.
To develop the learning spirit the most important condition is that a person should save himself from getting offended. Becoming offended means to develop displeasure and be angry and resentful.
If you stand in front of the mirror and it tells you that you have dirt on your face, then you will not get angry. Rather, you will accept what the mirror has pointed out to you and immediately wash your face.
The learning spirit is the greatest source of intellectual and personality development. But the condition for making use of it for oneself is that whenever a person tells you something about yourself, you should give him a positive response as you always give to the mirror.