Page 77 - Passivity in Religion

The Characteristics of the Passive

better marriage prospects, or education, they then easily accept it,
and forget about Allah and the morality of religion. Actually, if
these offers are compatible with Allah's approval, they can accept
them as a Muslim ought to. However, because they are looking for
a way to escape from being imposed upon by religious morality,
they use such occasions as a means by which they can remove
themselves from the company of Muslims. In matters such as va-
cations, shopping and entertainment, they are also very vulnera-
ble to the influence of societies that are ignorant of the religion.
They too easily choose entertainment over worshipping Allah, or
doing something else that would gain His favor. These people are
very much like those in the days of our Prophet (saas) who, when
they saw the opportunity to amuse themselves, left him to indulge
themselves in the meaningless activities peculiar to people who
are ignorant of the religion. Allah tells us in the Qur'an about such
people:
But when they see a chance of trade or entertainment they
scatter off to it and leave you standing there. Say: "What is
with Allah is better than trade or entertainment. Allah is
the Best of Providers." (Surat al-Jumu‘a, 11)
Certainly, the fact that these people are so open to ideas incul-
cated by Satan, reflects part of a divine purpose, as well as there
being an important lesson in it for Muslims. It is a means by which
those who are sincere, and who fear Allah, recognize and separate
themselves from those with sickness in their hearts. Allah reveals
this truth in the Qur'an:
[It is] so that He can make what Satan insinuates a trial for
those with sickness in their hearts and for those whose
hearts are hard—the wrongdoers are entrenched in hostil-
ity. (Surat al-Hajj, 53)
In another verse, He says, "[It is] so that Allah can sift the bad
out from the good, and pile the bad on top of one another, heap-

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