When Hearing becomes Listening

I'm currently reading this book, but I find that while I read, my thoughts constantly divert me since I seem to create opinions and connections too quickly. But first, allow me to briefly discuss some insights I've gained from reading my first four chapters and how they've changed the way I perceive the world.

This book is an Islamic self-help book. I'm not sure if this applies to you if you're not a Muslim, but if you're interested, you can still continue reading. The self-help books I read should, in my opinion, be God-centered since, at the very least, concepts in them are grounded in reality (the Quran, Hadiths, and science when necessary) as opposed to simply the fallible human intellect.

One of the most important lessons I learned from this is that you can only listen if you are heard. It forces me to consider the wider picture and how our relationships with those closest to us affect how we deal with strangers on a daily basis. You can only contribute if you are completely satisfied, so I mostly agree with this concept. It surprises me that Islam took this stance when the Prophet was asked, "To whom should I give charity?" "To yourself and the people that depend on you," was his response. It suggests, in a metaphorical sense, that you should prioritise your needs and those of your closest friends and family before those of those outside of them. If that was how the world operated, everyone would be entirely satisfied and there would be no loneliness in the world.

Nevertheless that's just what I interpreted from the text. I'm always open to hearing new viewpoints, even when yours might be quite different. Which brings me to With The Heart in Mind, another book written by the same author. He contends that emotional intelligence (EQ) should be used to gauge intellectual capacity rather than the intellectual quotient (IQ). Since the Prophet Muhammad is revered in Islam as the central figure in our life, it is obvious to us that, despite being illiterate, how did he interpret what God was saying to him and deliver sermons?

I would like to assume that my thoughts will mostly be god-centered because that is my personal moral compass, even though this may look like a biased opinion and you may think that Islam is the limit for my viewpoints. I find it incomprehensible to base something on a theory.

I'm sure I'll become more open-minded and understanding as I read more. I suppose this is all I have in my thoughts right now. I'm not attempting to force my views on anyone, but I felt that sharing my thoughts and reflecting here was a great thing to do.

I hope my Muslim friends can benefit from this and pick up this book 📕 I believe that it is great for introspection & an interesting view from your norms.

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