Presence Of Mind by Taqiuddin Nabhani

Slowness in thinking is the problem. This slowness comes from the domination of the West over the country and the domination of its thoughts over the people. Therefore, it may seem at first to the mind that the treatment of this origin is the solution to the problem. However, after close examination, two matters are noticed:

firstly, this is an over-simplification of the problem. Secondly, this means escape from treating the problem. Therefore, this origin has only to be noted during treatment, but the solution does not depend on it. As for the simplification of the problem, the West and its domination is the source of all the predicaments, including slowness of thinking. Focusing the treatment on the basis means that its removal would remove the slowness. Though this is true as a whole, it needs pursuance. Thus, the lack of observance of pursuance is a simplification of the problem. So, the problem is the removal of the basis and the presence of pursuance. The presence of pursuance is necessary, even if the basis is removed. The pursuance is what leads to the removal of what the basis left, not the basis itself. Therefore, pursuance is the origin of the treatment and not the removal of the basis. So pursuance is the solution whether the basis, which is the domination of the West, remained or not. However, the removal of the basis reduces the pursuance and makes it more effective.

Accordingly, pursuance is what the treatment starts with. Pursuance is what removes the effects of this basis. Thus, pursuance is necessary before anything else.

Thus, the treatment of slow thinking is pursuance. Pursuance is inevitable, for there is no solution without it. Therefore, the true treatment of the slowness in thinking, i.e. of the absence of spontaniety or its development, is pursuance. Pursuance is focused on slowness of thinking as follows:

Firstly: It is necessary to present many things to the people and to the individuals so that they think of them. Through their thinking about these things and about what occurs in front of them, slowness in thinking might be noticed. This observance or sensation of the slowness is taken as the starting point in the treatment. So we should take such observance or such sensation and study it thoroughly until we understand its reality. For example, we present to the people something, like their future, their current situation or their history. We find them analyse this future slowly until it slips away from their hands. They also analyse their reality and their history in the same manner. This is despite the fact that analysis of the future is different to the analysis of the reality and to the analysis of history. However, their use of slow thinking and the fact that it became innate to them, makes them take a long time in analysis and they philosophise the automatic things, until the future, the reality or the history becomes vague instead of increasing in clarity. This slowness in thinking is the prominent phenomenon in all of them. So we do not discuss what we presented, whatever it is; rather we take the phenomenon apparent in all of them. We hold it, seize it and attack it strongly; we explain that it is one of the most prominent faults, making it loathsome to the people, to the point that it is right to say to them that honey is the excrement of the bees. If they disliked slowness in thinking, i.e. they hated slow analysis, inclination in them towards speed in thinking would appear. This tendency is the first sign of recovery. If this tendency does not appear clearly, then we have to create it in them. This can be through allusion, or by quick treatments and the effect of the speed. Thus this tendency will exist in some of them, if not in all of them. However, it will not take a long time before it exists in all of them. Thus, presenting the matter and attacking the apparent phenomenon would lead us to the tendency towards speed. This would be the first indication of success. The treatment of slowness does not result from explanation and demonstration, or through speeches and writing books. It rather results from the use of a limited number of words that contain actions, or through the actions themselves. This is pursuance. Accordingly, pursuance is a limited number of words and apparent actions.

Secondly: It is necessary to follow up the presentation and the insistence in this pursuance, until boredom appears to the people or the individuals from this pursuance, as if they were to say, “please, it is enough”. It is not expected that all of the people will say that it is enough. Nor is it satisfactory that one or two people said that.

Rather, it should be felt that the people were fed up with the pursuance. At that point, pursuance is ceased. It is not correct to pursue this until all the people were fed up of it, without feeling or sensing it. Pursuance should not cease just because of a few intelligent individuals, or a small number of the people. It is rather necessary that one follow up till one feels that pursuance would be of no use. At that point one stops pursuance once one felt that.

This is because it is supposed that this feeling existed based on a comprehensive reality and not a reality of a few intelligent individuals.

Thirdly: Pursuance has to vary. This means, after presenting to the people their future, current situation and their history, it is necessary to present to them their life, the monotony of this life and its manner. Their way of life is also presented to them and the protection of this way of life, even by the sword, i.e. force.

Moreover, the outlook towards the one who disagrees with this way should be without tolerance or negligence; it should even be an outlook that reaches hostility. Other matters are then presented, in a varied way. This should include those matters that require thinking and not automatic ones, like the venture, the chair and the plate.

They rather should be of those that need thinking.

Fourthly: One has to be in a state of awareness of the matters when he presents them to the people, aware of their effect and of the people’s thinking regarding them. This is in order that his reflection, i.e. awareness, is a means of testing the validity of the judgements he issues and the correctness of the observances that he expresses. This is also in order to launch the attack in the right place, in the view of the listener and the speaker. If one lost awareness one would lose everything, for there is no advantage from the pursuance or the repetition or the diversity, without the presence of awareness and reflection. Thus, awareness and reflection are among the necessities for success.

As for the ones who will carry out the treatment, it appears at first to the mind that it should be the leaders, sincere ones or those in charge of the people or individuals. In reality, any person can do that with people or with himself, as long as he followed the four conditions. Therefore, the treatment is not designed for a particular person to undertake. It is rather designed in a general way that includes the leaders, sincere ones, guardians and any possible person from the Ummah. Even if you presented the matter to yourself and treated yourself, you would be treated correctly and it would be enough. Therefore, it must be well known that this treatment is the property of every man; every man can undertake it, even if he was one person and even if it was on himself. So what counts is the treatment, not who carries it out.