Page 27 - The Importance of Following the Good Word

As mentioned in the verse above, a telling attribute of a
believer is his turning to that which he recognizes as just.
Surely, this is the best response to an admonition and re-
minder. In the following verse, Allah relates that the quality
of considering what is reminded, and being compliant, is a
criterion of superiority:
Is he who knows that what has been sent down to you
from your Lord is the truth like him who is blind? It is
only people of intelligence who pay heed. (Surat ar-
Ra`d, 19)
As the verse maintains, those who fail to see the truth,
and, thereby, cannot heed admonitions, are described as "the
blind." Surely, no one would like to be blind when they could
be of those who can see. Therefore, they would not wish to be
blind either in the spiritual sense of the term.
For this reason, a person of conscience would regard a
warning while still in this world as a great blessing, espe-
cially if the admonition issues from a believer, who warns
him in the light of Allah's verses. A conscientious person
does not offer any excuses, or strives to exonerate himself.
For as the verse "… The self indeed commands to evil acts—
except for those my Lord has mercy on.." (Surah Yusuf, 53)
informs, he is aware that the lower-self dislikes being puri-
fied.
In everyday life, people are confronted with many such
examples. For instance, a person may act in a way that is of-
fensive towards someone else, and a believer witnessing his
error may remind him that his behavior is inappropriate, and
that he ought to maintain his composure under all circum-
stances, as this is a command from Allah. In such a situation,

Complying with the Good Word 25