Page 56 - The importance of conscience in the Qur'an

54 The Importance of Conscience in the Qur'an

Making a decision to kill someone never coincides with
human nature. However, a quality in the self persuades some
people and makes it appear attractive to them. The same holds
true for such acts as theft, immorality, lying, jealousy and vanity.
The verse above shows how the negative indoctrination of
the self steps in. Prophet Adam's son, Prophet Yusuf's brothers
and Samiri committed different crimes. The common point in
all these actions is that they were triggered by the selves of the
perpetrators. Their selves persuaded them to commit these
crimes by showing them as good, when in fact their selves
misled them and dragged them to evil.
What is the source of the power of the self? The answer
is evident in Surat ash-Shams where it is stated that fujoor (all
evil) is inspired in the self. At this point, a question may come
to mind; if people's selves are inspired with evil, does it not
then follow that we have to expect corrupt and immoral
behaviour from everyone?
Here we have to remember another quality of the self;
negative inspiration is not the only power in the self. A second
reading of verses 7-10 in Surat ash-Shams will make it clear
that the self is also inspired into guarding against evil. This
means that positive powers, as well as negative powers, are
present in the self. The self of every human being possesses
both a power that commands evil and presents it as good, and
a positive power that commands guarding against evil, and
choosing what is good and beautiful. This positive power is
conscience. What distinguishes people from one another is
their leading their lives either by following their conscience or
the negative aspects of their selves.