Maulana Wahiduddin Khan, born in 1925, in Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh, is an Islamic spiritual scholar who is well-versed in both classical Islamic learning and modern disciplines. The mission of his life has been the establishment of worldwide peace. He has received the Padma Bhushan, the Demiurgus Peace International Award and Sayyidina Imam Al Hassan Peace award for promoting peace in Muslim societies. He has been called ’Islam’s spiritual ambassador to the world’ and is recognised as one of its most influential Muslims1. His books have been translated into sixteen languages and are part of university curricula in six countries. He is the founder of the Centre for Peace and Spirituality based in New Delhi.
German statesman Otto von Bismarck observed that politics is the art of the possible. This aphorism can be extended to include planning. Planning should be done on the basis of what is available of what remains. Such planning can be termed as ‘planning based on remnants’.
In chalking out a course of action, it is preferable to do one's best and accept whatever be the outcome. Quite often unrealistic expectations to see total fulfillment of one’s expectations lead to disappointment. Discontentment with partial results makes it a case of ‘it should be all or nothing’.
This goes against the law of nature. It is sensible to accept and be content with achieving even a part or a fraction of one's expectations. Nations which launched their initiatives with great enthusiasm, ended up as failed states. They could neither achieve what they set out to do, nor retain what they already possessed. The following Hindi maxim applies to their case: “Aadhi chhod ke sajji dhave, aadhi rahe na sajji pave”– “One who runs after the whole, leaving behind the part, loses both the part and the whole”.
A contrary example is the achievements of Japan and Germany. After World War II, both nations lost large areas of land. Germany lost to the Soviet Union the eastern part of its country including part of Berlin. Japan had to surrender the Okinawa Islands, to the United States. Both countries made plans for their future economic development by first setting aside what they had lost. The result was miraculous: Germany, led by its first post-war Chancellor, Konrad Adenauer, emerged as Europe’s industrial leader. Similarly, Japan under the wise leadership of Emperor Hirohito, rose to be the economic superpower of Asia.
This is the miracle of planning based on the remaining part of a whole, unlike planning which entails the pursuit of an erstwhile whole. The best principle in life is not to be concerned with what has been lost, but by planning wisely to avail of what is still extant. Sooner or later, one will emerge as a super achiever. This holds true for both nations and individuals.
Another good example is Singapore. Previously part of Malaysia, Singapore was expelled from the Federation of Malaysia in 1965 and became an independent state. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore likewise adopted the policy of planning based on remnants. Singapore though a small fraction of the size of Malaysia is today far more developed than Malaysia.
The best principle in life is not to be concerned with what has been lost, but by planning wisely to avail of what is still extant.
All individuals and nations have ambitions which they seek to fulfil. Wise planning for the fulfilment of a goal requires adjustment between personal ambition and available resources. Good planning is realistically weighing one’s personal ambitions vis-à-vis available resources. We cannot change the course taken by the external world, nor can we master nature. Our only option is to make a realistic adjustment between our ambitions and the resources available in the real world.
