Page 30 - The Moral Values of the Qur'an

in the Qur’an.
Believers should never, therefore, claim that they
are entirely pure, but be wary of the vain provocation
of their souls. The admission of Yusuf (Joseph): ‘“Nor
do I absolve my own self (of blame): the (human) soul
is certainly prone to evil, unless my Lord bestows His
Mercy: but, surely, my Lord is Oft-forgiving, Most
Merciful,”’ (Surah Yusuf, 12:53) should always be
borne in mind as a good example of the appropriate
attitude.

People should carefully watch out for the foibles
of the soul and do good and practice self-restraint, as
in another verse it is averred that “men’s souls are
swayed by greed.” (Surat an-Nisa, 4:128) What that
greed may lead men to, is also stated in the Qur’an. It
was the soul of one of Adam’s sons that prompted
him to murder his brother: “The (selfish) soul of the
other led him to the murder of his brother: he
murdered him, and became (himself) one of the lost
ones.” (Surat al-Ma’ida, 5:30). It is the same propensity
to evil that made Samiri lead Moses’ people astray in
his absence. Samiri says “...thus did my soul suggest
to me.” (Surah Ta-Ha, 20:96)

The only way to attain salvation is by curbing the

30