“This is not a correct approach at all…”— Who said this? What is the approach’? Why is the approach not correct?

The line mentioned above is said by APJ Abdul Kalam’s father, Jainulabdeen.

The ‘approach’ discussed in “Strong Roots” is the manner in which people in agony trying to satisfy demonic forces with prayers and offerings. People in sorrow regard their anguish as the expression of anger of the demonic forces. In their process to calm down the demonic forces, Jainulabdeen plays the role of a special helper.

In the opinion of Abdul Kalam’s father, such an approach is incorrect as it is an outcome of the fear-ridden vision of destiny. The correct approach is to endeavour to detect the enemy of fulfilment within oneself.

“One must understand the difference between a fear-ridden vision of destiny and the vision that enables us to seek the enemy of fulfilment within ourselves.”-What do you mean by “.. a fear-ridden vision of destiny”? What is the other vision? Which is to be preferred and why?


In APJ Abdul Kalam’s “Strong Roots”, his father, Jainulabdeen, speaks of two dissimilar visions of destiny. “.fear-ridden vision of destiny” refers to fortune which is created out of fear of the divine being (God). The other vision of destiny is the vision that makes us able to search for the enemy of fulfilment existing within ourselves. People must understand that all their sufferings and problems are a result of their drawbacks.

The second vision of destiny is to be preferred. In the opinion of Kalam’s father, none should fear troubles and failures. On the contrary, they should consider adversity as an opportunity for introspection Once an individual is able to spot his/her drawbacks, he/she will be able to search out the enemy of fulfilment within oneself. Thereby, writing one’s own destiny all by oneself.