Page 110 - The importance of conscience in the Qur'an

108 The Importance of Conscience in the Qur'an

of the strength of their conviction, and is an example to all
Muslims. After Pharaoh gave the orders for their torture and
execution, they said:
'We will never prefer you to the Clear Signs
which have come to us nor to Him who
brought us into being. Decide on any
judgement you like. Your jurisdiction only
covers the life of this world.' (Surah Ta Ha: 72)
Pharaohs are rulers who lived thousands of years ago. The
pharaoh related in the Qur'an, represents the character of
hundreds of leaders preceding and succeeding him. The
common quality of all these leaders is their summoning to the
Fire. And the leader of these leaders is the shaytan. By not
following their conscience and even more, waging a war against
their conscience, these people have followed the orders of the
shaytan out of greed for the world.
However, the counterparts of Pharaoh are not always
rulers. The character of Pharaoh can be observed in all
disbelievers who deny Allah as he did. With their absolute
persistence in denial and their greed for rank and riches, even
to a lesser degree thousands and millions of pharaohs will
always exist on the earth. They will all end up in the same place
in the hereafter: hell, the place of eternal disgrace and the
wrath of fire.

Another example from the Qur'an
In Surat al-Kahf, Allah relates the example of two men.
One of them was unable to fully comprehend the might of
Allah. He was spoilt by his prosperity and achievements, and did
not think about the hereafter. His friend was a sincere Muslim
who understood Allah's power and spoke with humility and