Page 74 - The Debased Culture of Superficiality
P. 74

72          THE DEBASED CULTURE OF SUPERFICIALITY



            movements and ways of using the voice. For example, a per-
            son may lower his voice in the course of a conversation,
            meaning that some special information not to be heard by
            everyone is about to be given to a selected confidant. Mostly
            women use this tone of voice when speaking about another
            or mocking someone. Similarly, they sometimes lower their
            voices at certain points in the conversation and roll their
            words in their mouths to prevent others from understanding
            what they are saying, and so that only the one to whom
            they’re speaking will understand.
               Generally in this culture all facial expressions are used
            for a negative purpose, distorting the natural lines of the
            face. When having a conversation full of resentment, for
            example, these people narrow their eyes and purse their
            lips. So the face takes on an unpleasant expression, and their
            words come out with an unnatural emphasis. In the same
            way, some carefully put on unnatural accents that they
            regard as modern, rolling their words in their mouths or
            lisp, making themselves hard to understand.
               Gossip is widespread in this debased culture, especially
            among women. They talk about the most basic subjects,
            engaging in endless conversations filled with malice, dissen-
            sion, jealousy and resentment about people. They never
            think of this truth that Allah has revealed in the Qur’an:
                . . . Three men cannot confer together secretly without
                Him being the fourth of them, or five without Him
                being the sixth of them, or fewer than that or more with-
                out Him being with them wherever they are. Then He
                will inform them on the Day of Resurrection of what
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