Page 36 - Passivity in Religion

PASSIVITY IN RELIGION

nothing. Or did those with sickness in their hearts imagine
that Allah would not expose their malevolence? (Surah
Muhammad, 28-29)

They Aim to Divert the Muslims by Involving

Them in Futile Pursuits
Time, for a believer, is very dear; he strives to spend every mo-
ment of his life to earn Allah's consent. Throughout his life, there
are many responsibilities a believer must fulfill; attaining a more
profound faith and strengthening it, attaining moral perfection of
which he is capable, making an effort to communicate the Qur'an's
morality, carrying out the intellectual struggle against those ideolo-
gies hostile to religion, extending a helping hand to those in need,
and continuously engaging in other good deeds. In other words,
believers have to refrain from all sorts of vain works that will po-
tentially impede their efforts. Our Lord has referred to this quality
of the believers as follows:
[Believers are] those who keep away from what is vain. (Surat
al-Muminun, 3)
In another verse, Allah relates that believers turn away from all fu-
tile pursuits as follows:
When they hear vain talk they turn away from it and say, "We
have our mission and you have your mission. Peace be upon
you. We do not desire the company of the ignorant." (Surat al-
Qasas, 55)
Those who try to demoralize the Muslims aim to waste the time of
the believers by keeping them occupied with vain and worthless
tasks, so as to draw their attention away from their higher responsi-
bilities. By introducing matters that distract believers from the re-
membrance of Allah, and that they are answerable to Him in the
Hereafter, they aim to preoccupy the believers. The Qur'an mentions

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