Page 114 - The Worst Slander: Idolatry

112 THE WORST SLANDER: IDOLATRY

or physical assault. But those who are free of covert or open
idolatry never forget their destiny, never fall prey to their
emotions or sorrows, and are never troubled. They remem-
ber that Allah controls all things and that whatever happens
is part of His destiny for them. Therefore, they respond to
evil with good, just as Allah commands in the Qur'an.
They may experience events that would alarm unbeliev-
ers, and that would be quite natural. However, sincere
believers do not feel fear or concern, for they have placed
their full trust in Allah. For example, if sincere believers lose
their family and possessions in a single moment, they
remain fully submitted to Allah even at that very instant. In
the face of what unbelievers would consider a disaster, their
faith, submission, and trust in Allah does not waver. They
will never grieve or give way to pessimism, sorrow, and
despair.
People must honestly think about how they would react
to such situations and then take precautions so that they
will not succumb to covert idolatry. Just thinking that such
a little thing will do no harm, regarding ignorant reactions as
normal under difficult circumstances, or basing their reac-
tions upon those exhibited by most other people may lead
to covert idolatry. Allah reveals in the Qur'an:

If you obeyed most of those on earth, they would mis-
guide you from Allah's Way. They follow nothing but
conjecture. They are only guessing. (Surat al-An'am:
116)
Another factor that may lead to covert idolatry is the
belief that people are successful due to their own efforts.