Divided you fall (DW#398)
And do not quarrel for then you will lose heart and your power will depart.
(Sūratul Anfāl, No.8, Āyat 46)
When we are part of a team, whether it is a couple, a family, a committee or a team at work, there are bound to be differences in thought and style amongst the team members. Teams that remain strong find ways to appreciate the differences and diversity of thought and approach. They remain focused on the goal rather than get distracted by petty differences.
If on the other hand, for a team that allows differences to turn into quarrels, two things are likely to happen:
- The energy is diverted from the task at hand. Instead of working together to achieve their goals, each person or quarrelling segment begins to work on its own, sometimes in opposition to the other team members. The result is a weakening of the morale of the entire team.
- This results in a huge loss of effectiveness of the entire team. A weakening of power. The Quran uses the word ‘rīh’ to signify this, meaning that "you will lose your wind". Wind which causes sailing ships to move forward and to make progress. And when sails lose their wind, the ships lose momentum and begin to falter on the sea.
Similarly, we may have experienced being on teams where petty disputes cause the team to become demotivated and lose sight of the goal, thereby stopping progress.
Can we find a way to work together despite our differences? Can we envision how powerful our team or community could be if we began to see diversity as a strength rather than a challenge?
As the old saying goes, united we stand and divided we fall . . .
Please scroll down for recommended resources for Quran study and reflection
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