Page 82 - The Debased Culture of Superficiality

80 THE DEBASED CULTURE OF SUPERFICIALITY

people laugh uproariously. They retort, “Who is better
then, our deities or him?” They only say this to you for
argument’s sake. They are indeed a disputatious people.
He is only a servant on whom We bestowed Our bless-
ing and whom We made an example for the tribe of
Israel. (Surat az-Zukhruf : 57-59)
People in every age have spoken in this unseemly way.
Jokes against religion do not make people uncomfortable if
they have a weak attachment to religion. Even if some peo-
ple feel discomfort at such humor, it is not enough to make
them withdraw from that environment. But the hearts of
Muslims have been created to take pleasure in remembering
Allah, to practice Islamic morality. For this reason, they
immediately separate themselves from any environment
dominated by an irreligious sense of humor. In the Qur’an,
Allah commands those with faith to leave such environ-
ments:
It has been sent down to you in the Book that when you
hear Allah’s signs being rejected and mocked at by peo-
ple, you must not sit with them till they start talking of
other things. If you do you are just the same as them.
Allah will gather all the hypocrites and unbelievers into
Hell. (Surat an-Nisa’: 140)
Places of superficial entertainment will awaken in a truly
religious person the desire to protect and defend Islam. Such
a person will never allow topics to enter conversation that
are not respectful toward Allah and religion. Because of his
love and respect for Allah and his attachment to Him, he
remains on guard against ideas and suggestions opposed to