Page 69 - Never Plead Ignorance

HARUN YAHYA 67

those with true devoutness are those who believe in Allah and the Last
Day, the Angels, the Book, and the Prophets, and who, despite their love
for it give away their wealth to their relatives, and to orphans and the very
poor, and to travellers and beggars and to set slaves free, and who estab-
lish salat (the prayer) and pay zakat (regular charity); those who honour
their contracts when they make them, and are steadfast in poverty and in
illness and in battle. Those are the people who are true. They are the peo-
ple who have taqwa. (Surat al-Baqarah: 177)
Adherence to the Qur'an in an effort to seek Allah's Countenance and
to attain His good pleasure, makes a believer always pursue perfection in
manners. Such a person always seeks the good for others and does it for
no price at all. Furthermore, he does not do it to be appreciated. In com-
pliance with the command of Allah, he reacts to bad behaviour with ex-
cellent character. He has fear of Allah, and all his attitudes, decisions and
reactions reflect this fear. That is why, at any moment, he demonstrates ex-
emplary virtuous conduct as much as he is able.
Nevertheless, there exists no mechanism or reason preventing a man
from engaging in misdeeds who does not fear Allah and who believes that
when death befalls him – even if in a few decades – he will cease to exist
for all eternity. It is not reasonable to expect such a person to be patient,
generous or to remain loyal to somebody else for no price. Such a person

simply has no reason to display excellent character, except for the cow-
ardly thought that if he doesn't harm others perhaps they won't harm him
and if he shows good conduct to them perhaps they will show it to him.
On the contrary, he believes such virtuous conduct to be idiotic and a
mere loss, except in the selfish form we note. That is because, he believes
he will not be rewarded in return for his good deeds in this world and he
has no faith in the Hereafter. In this respect, he overcomes every obstacle
to attain his selfish goals. Man is prone to abstain from things likely to
harm him. Especially, if he believes he will receive punishment in return
for bad behaviour, he will never dare to do it. Yet, people who are distant
from religion do not refrain from such behaviour, except from shortsight-
ed self-interest.