Defeat: Retreat or A Way Forward

Defeat: Retreat or A Way Forward

Yesterday I met a defeated man. There is no need to introduce this person, reveal his identity, or narrate the whole story of his defeat. However, his condition was such a terrible one that made me write these few lines. A dark black cloud of sadness and grief overshadowed his sweat-soaked forehead, bent down on himself as if his heart was coming out of his chest with the intensity of grief, unable to calm from palpitations, and could not wake up from worries and sorrows. He seemed to be the loneliest and the most isolated and ruined person in the world.

The severity of his defeat was due to the fact related to the nature of that person because he never had the option of defeat in mind, rather he always considered a success as his right. Therefore, enduring defeat now was almost the deadliest result of his life which was intolerable for him at all. Man's options are very limited, he should be prepared for all kinds of situations, but to consider success as his only privilege and eternal right is a deviation from the principles of this universe.

To always be victorious and successful is an attribute of Allah Almighty alone, otherwise, defeat is an essential part of human life. The system of the universe is a combination of victorious and conquered, successful and unsuccessful, dominant and defeated. Therefore, being a successful person does not mean that he has never been defeated, but being a victorious person means that his vision of thinking, strategies, courage, and determination wins, and he does his best for this purpose. He strives, leaves the results to Allah Almighty, prays for his success, and even after his victory he develops humbleness and submission, he does not boost or show off his victory, nor does he deprive others of their rights as a means to reach the destination of his victory or to avoid his defeat.

Like victory, defeat is an essential part of human life. However, there can be many causes of defeat. These include lack of resources, trying harder than one's strengths, choosing the wrong strategies, and so on in the category of apparent causes. In the same way, in spiritual and esoteric causes, reliance on one's self instead of Allah Almighty, the purpose of victory being based on a wrong intention, and the attempt to win by depriving others of their rights, etc. are particularly noteworthy. A big reason in the same category can also be caused by one's people and relatives as they become the biggest obstacle in the way, deprive them of their rights, and try to dictate the lives of others. If one works hard on his own and wants to do something, they repeatedly try to discourage him on baseless grounds, false assumptions, and stupid reasons. Certainly, they cannot help anyone. What's more, no honorable and self-made person wants anyone to help him. But, most of all, such a person cannot allow anyone to capture or suppress his legitimate rights either.

However, it is only to strive and make his best efforts that are in the hands of man, while the result is not in his power, and the desired result is not always achieved. Therefore, defeat should not be considered painful for the soul. Similarly, defeat should not mean retreat. No doubt, there may be silence or a temporary stop for a while under some strategy, but its purpose should be to prepare for the future, to give up should not be its purpose because the loser is the one who accepts defeat, then loses himself by sealing his soul with a stamp of remorse.

I am not saying that defeat does not cause pain, sorrow, anguish, or distress because of course it is very difficult to bear it naturally. But my point is that the celebration of victory is celebrated by everyone, many mourn the loss, but acknowledging defeat and learning from one's mistakes is a heart-wrenching task, such brave people are rare and almost scarce like salt in the flour. Many successes are due to failed experiments. Therefore, if the benefits of defeat are greater than the success, the defeat is paving a path to move forward, and bringing pretexts that foreshadow a prelude to many successes, then this apparent defeat should be considered as a success.

If you are still defeated then it is very rare that the whole journey of your endeavor is wrong. After all, many milestones of this journey might be perfect. In case of failure, by identifying the right and wrong steps, only wrong steps are to be planned to avoid in the future. There is nothing wrong with taking the right steps. So, instead of worrying, one should learn from his defeat and move on.

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