The Need for Positive Thinking

In family life, the main cause of problems is often negative thinking. The simplest way to overcome problems in family life, therefore, is for both husband and wife to develop a positive outlook. Positive thinking elevates both men and women, helping them to rise above minor problems. Those who cultivate a higher mindset are less weighed down by bitterness and complaints. They reach a stage in life where they can overcome negativity and minor grievances with composure.

According to the natural order, no individual—man or woman—receives everything. One person may receive certain blessings while another receives different ones. Problems arise when someone perceives what they have as their inherent right and believes that if another person has something they lack, the other should not possess it either. Such thinking fosters envy and jealousy, damaging relationships.

The Quran teaches that everything in this world is a test. Understanding this principle helps eliminate negative thinking. Partners then recognize that what they have is their personal test, while what others have is theirs. Their main focus should be on fulfilling their own responsibilities and passing their personal test before God. If both partners adopt this perspective, many underlying issues in family life naturally diminish.

In essence, positive thinking is the root of all virtues, while negative thinking is the root of all vices. It is not merely an ethical guideline but a defining feature of a believer’s faith. A believer is one who has truly realized God.

When this realization occurs, individuals naturally come to embody the divine character (Takhalluq bi Akhlaq Allah). Positive thinking becomes the foundation of their behaviour, while negative thinking is consciously rejected. They distance themselves from negativity in the same way that a person with refined taste avoids what is harmful or unpleasant.