Page 64 - The Debased Culture of Superficiality

62 THE DEBASED CULTURE OF SUPERFICIALITY

but beneficial. In the Qur’an, Allah says that Muslims turn
away from shallow, pointless conversations:
. . . those who turn away from worthless talk. (Surat al-
Muminun: 3)
And the following verse points out that, with their noble
behavior, they are far removed from such a shallow envi-
ronment:
Those who do not bear false witness and who, when
they pass by worthless talk, pass by with dignity. (Surat
al-Furqan: 72)

Those who engage in shallow conversations see nothing
wrong in using coarse words in the name of intimacy. In the
conversations of those who live in the culture of superficial-
ity, it is natural to raise their voices in a way that expresses
their surprise or resentment, to humiliate those they are talk-
ing about by using a tone of voice and accent that under-
scores their mockery. However, anyone who realizes he will
be held responsible for everything he has done in his life-
time that is not in accord with the Qur’an will try to speak
and act so as not to be ashamed on the Day of Judgment. He
will strictly avoid conversations that will debase him and
put him on the same level as superficial people. But no one
who has adopted superficiality as a culture has any of these
worries. They ignore the fact that Allah sees them at all times
and that they must give an account of their every moment.
Therefore, they believe that they can speak however they
like. However, Allah reveals in the Qur’an that every word
a person utters is recorded and warns humans against
falling into this kind of error: