Page 73 - Deep Thinking

Those Things that Need to be Thought About 71

While Reading a Paper or Watching TV…
People follow the daily papers and TV news either during the day or
when they return home in the evening. In such reports, there are issues for
a conscientious person to think over, take heed from, and in which to see
the signs of Allah.

What the Frequency of Cases of Violence, Robbery and
Homicide Make One Think
Everyday, on the local pages of the newspapers or on TV news, one
comes across many reports of homicide, wounding, theft, robbery, swin-
dle and suicide. The frequent occurrence of these events, and a large num-
ber of people's being so disposed to commit such crimes indicate the harm
from which people who do not live by the religion of Allah suffer.
Someone's kidnapping a small child for ransom, causing him great fear,
and even killing him, another's pointing a gun at the face of a man and
shooting him without hesitation, another's accepting a bribe, or committing
suicide or swindling… all these are indications that these people do not
fear Allah and do not believe in the Hereafter. Someone who fears Allah
and knows that he will give account in the Hereafter would never do any
of these things. Each of these are acts that will be recompensed with Hell
in the Hereafter, if the perpetrator does not turn in repentance from them
and if Allah does not forgive and show mercy.
Someone may say: "I am an atheist. I do not believe in Allah, yet I do
not accept bribes". However, this statement of a person with no fear of
Allah is not at all convincing. It is very likely that he would decline to keep
this promise if the conditions change. For instance, if this person has to
find money for a very urgent cause, and happens to be in a situation in
which he has the opportunity to steal or accept a bribe, he might not hold
his promise. Or such a person is not expected to keep his word when his
own life is at stake. Although this person may avoid taking bribes in diffi-
cult situations, he may be apt to commit other forbidden acts. A person
who believes, however, never does anything whatsoever for which he can-
not give account in the Hereafter, no matter how extreme the circum-
stances.