Fix your Fault

Maybe you know the saying, “When you point one finger at other, than there are three fingers pointing back to you.”
Prophet Jesus (AS) had a version of this wisdom when he said, “Don’t focus on the speck in your brother’s eye while ignoring the log in your own eye.”

Why do we do this? Because criticisms are always centered around ourselves. When we criticize others, we do not expose them, but expose ourselves. We broadcast our own weakness and smallness.

Kabir Das in one of his Hindi Doha says,

Bura Jo Dekhan Main Chala, Bura Naa Milya Koye.
Jo Munn Khoja Apnaa, To Mujhse Bura Naa Koye.

Meaning:

I searched for the crooked, met not a single one
When searched myself, “I” found the crooked one

Instead of finding fault and maligning others, dive deep into your own-self. Amazingly, an honest introspection will reveal that all fault lies with “us” and “my” own perceptions and attitudes. If there is any evil or crookedness, it is in “me”. Correcting this and opting for a loving and compassionate attitude will change one’s perceptions and the world will appear wonderful all over again. Dedicate so much time to the improvement of your true self and your perception, that you have no time to criticize others.

A story in the Mahabharata illustrates the difference in mentality between the good and the bad. Krishna, met with both Yudhishthira and Duryodhana. Krishna asks Yudhishthira to go out into the kingdom and return after finding someone less qualified than himself. Then he asks Duryodhana also to go out into the kingdom and return after finding someone better than himself.

When wicked Duryodhana returns, he tells Krishna that he couldn’t find anyone better than himself. Whereas the saintly Yudhishthira tells that he was unable to find anyone inferior to himself.

Moral of the story is something about human psychology. Good people always look at there own short comings and faults and consider themselves inferiors to others. Where as bad people always look at the short comings and faults of others and consider themselves superiors to others.

Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib(AS) said :

“See the bad inside yourself, and see the good inside others”

-Wish you a good day!
Esoofi