Ethics In Islam

       Today, we are afflicted with diseases and calamities. Such a tussle exists between life and death that no one has any chance of escape from it. The signs of Divine Wrath and Indignation are apparently visible at every step. An unending series of calamities have started. Floods, cyclones, earthquakes, famine, hunger, poverty, diseases and unemployment have held in its iron grip the human society, and day by day this grip goes on tightening. The destruction of human life and property by floods, famines and cyclones are on the increase every day. Mental peace and tranquility no more exist. From the rich to the poor, high to low, every one is afflicted with mental chaos and disruption, and this chaos and disruption does not appear coming to an end.

       Here a question arises: Why the human beings are today the target of Divine Wrath? Why these earthly and heavenly calamities are falling upon us? Why disintegration and disruption have broken out in our rank?

       The answer is that this earth is a world of causes. Whatever occurs here, whether a change or a revolution, there are causes or reasons behind it, helping and contributing its occurrence.

       If we survey the past, we will realise that whatever is occurring in our present life, is not a new thing. Long before us, cyclones devastated the lands, earthquakes caused destruction, calamities and famines annihilated human populations.

       The Peoples of Saleh, Samood, Nooh and like them, others fell victim to the Wrath of Allaah and they were annihilated. These Peoples were strong, powerful, rich, fully bestowed with worldly comforts and luxuries, entirely satisfied and content, and highly advanced in the field of material progress. But when their rebellious attitude, arrogance, pride, hatred and misdeeds of loot and arson, murder, pillage, dishonesty, betrayal, rape, drinking liquor and every type of vices entered their soul, the Divine Wrath boiled up and annihilated them in no time.

       If the existing nations of the world examine themselves and their condition, they will find that the vices which formed the cause for the annihilation of the past peoples are present in them as well. Rape is common; liquor is used in public; massacre and pillage of people are rampant; incidents of murder and bloodshed take place daily in every city; incidents of loot and arson, theft, robbery etc., have no limit; immodesty and obscenity, forming a part of modern fashion, have prepared the brier of morality and humanity.

       Along with these vices, the great and serious sins of polytheism, infidelity and irreligiousness are so common that they have surpassed the limits. If one group goes for superiority of race, the other sticks to nationalism; if one group is indulged in racial discrimination, the other in chauvinism; if one group blindly follows its forefathers, the other supports the polytheistic beliefs and customs; in brief, all around in the world, polytheism and infidelity are rampant, resulting in the degradation of man's ethic and manhood. Furthermore, these sins have changed the mutual love and association into rivalry and animosity. The whole world is divided into nations and groups and they are after the destruction of each other. The rivalry and enmity have so much debased man, that a man is no more a man in the real sense. Actually, man has put on the guise of wolf or tiger as the case may be. The same man who was sent with the dignified responsibility of protecting and guarding humanity, has given so clear proof of his bestiality and brutality, that our ears and tongue lack strength to hear or describe. The contemporary history of twentieth century witnesses that in many countries of the world lakhs of innocent children, women and men have been massacred; villages and towns have been burnt to ashes, and all that was done which can never be expected of a man of heart.

       In this age, we find that a country is undergoing economic depression, inflation and disintegration on one hand whereas profiteering, hoarding, black marketing, selfishness, fraud, swindling etc., are flourishing on the other. A handful of capitalists are sucking the blood of lakhs of poor, indigent and helpless people. So cyclones, earthquakes, famine, poverty, worldly and heavenly calamities are the result of our own vicious doings and moral degradation. These calamities also serve as signs of warning to mankind to open their eyes and take account of their selves. It is high time that man should offer his apology to Allaah and for his misdeeds, disobedience and arrogance.

       Unfortunately the end of the people of the present age, who are indulged in vices and acts of disobedience, and have forgotten Allaah Almighty, will be more tragic and pathetic if they did not change their wrong course and reform themselves. May not Allaah treat them on the lines of the People of Israel who were first bestowed with honour, dignity, and innumerable bounties, but when they indulged in the worship of their wrong desires and bad wishes and forgot or avoided Allaah, they were devoid of all bounties, and the Divine Wrath punished them severely. Their faces were disfigured into those of monkeys and swines.

       When the condition of the world has reached to such a dirty state of affairs, the responsibility of the people who believe in Allaah and His Prophet; who are given the title of "Virtue for Nation;" who give the message to do good deeds and abstain from the evil; who disseminate and publish the teachings of Islam, increases. The reason being that on the Doomsday, when the people will be collected and examined for their worldly deeds, they will also be interrogated about the infidelity, polytheism, irreligiousness paganism spreading in the world during their sojourn in this ephemeral world.

       In light of the above interrogation, all the men of the world in general and Muslims in particular are required to examine the ever-deteriorating condition of the people of the world and find ways and means to avoid the calamities which made the past nations their target. The best way is that first we should ask the forgiveness of Allaah for our sins and mistakes and be ashamed of the past deeds. After that we should reform our deeds and repent from sins and violation of Divine Commands. This is the only way.

       It will not be out of place to mention here that the plans, schemes and projects of world governments which are formulated to save the nation from numerous evils and vices cannot be successfully operated or, if operated, cannot give the desired result. It must be remembered that these schemes and projects can be of use only if we beg the forgiveness of Allaah first for our past doing on one hand and sincerely pledge to abstain from them in future on the other. We should also seek His help to guide us on the true path. These things are essential because all calamities or revolutions take place by the Command of Allaah. If we do not repent on our past deeds it would be futile to hope any hope from Allaah. Therefore, first we should beg forgiveness from Allaah and then pledge to be obedient in future. In the last we should seek His help because without it nothing can be done.

       If we kept Allah annoyed by our bad words and mis-deeds, then calamity after calamity will follow which neither man through his plans, schemes or projects, nor anyone else can ward off.

       Wisdom demands that man should first please Allah by seeking His Forgiveness and then prepare plans to eradicate various evils eating away the ethical consciousness of man.

       May Allah save us from all worldly and heavenly calamities and enable us to follow His Path of Right and Truth.

(The End)