Page 49 - The Profound Darkness of the Hypocrite

A D N A N O K TA R ( H A R U N Y A H Y A )

replace what is better with what is inferior? Go back to Egypt, then you
will have what you are asking for.' Abasement and destitution were stamped
upon them. They brought down anger from God upon themselves. That
was because they rejected God's Signs and killed the Prophets without
any right to do so. That was because they rebelled and went beyond the
limits. (Surat al-Baqara, 60-61)

As explained in the verses, God granted food and fountains of water to the

Israelites who had escaped from Egypt with the Prophet Moses (pbuh). But instead

of being thankful for these blessings, they said: "Moses, we will not put up with

just one kind of food so ask your Lord to supply to us some of what the earth

produces – its green vegetables, cucumbers, grains, lentils and onions." But of

course by saying 'green vegetables, cucumbers, grains, lentils and onions', they

didn't just mean the food itself that they craved. In that period, the dynasty of the

Pharaoh had specific methods for cooking these foods, so in fact they were in ad-

miration of this flamboyant culture of food.

Similar to that, the statue of the golden calf, which is a symbol of wealth and

flamboyant life in Pharaoh's society, was also an item of admiration for them.

They were really infatuated with the snobbish life of the Pharaoh. In the same

vein, they adored the language the Egyptians spoke. Normally, Israelites' language

was Hebrew, but they thought the language of the Pharaoh was more elitist, and

they wanted to taste this elitist lifestyle by using the same language.

For this reason, at the expense of living under the tyrannous and brutish

sway of the Pharaoh, they were risking their lives and they still thirsted to reap

benefits from the extravagance and dazzling life style of that system. The admiration

for that materialist system was always there in their subconscious minds. No

matter how much the Prophet Moses (pbuh) explained the true path to them,

they were still not convinced because they were yearning for the Pharaoh's system.

This made them impossible to convince, and they were continuously -in secret or

explicitly- expressing their desire to return to their old lives.

Indeed, the Israelites' thoughts and admiration is not exclusive to them.

With their example, God introduces us to a certain type of character that we
need to know well. In every period of time, these characteristics are manifested
in people who simply do not adopt the true faith in perfection. In the contemporary
world, these characteristics are manifested as a particular attribute in hypocrites.
In fact, we can encounter people who can't let past lives go and long for them,
even though they are together with Muslims afterward. And throughout history,
every Muslim community has had these kinds of people. In fact, when they start
living among the Muslims, these people start living beautiful lives incomparable

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