Page 74 - The Religion Of The Ignorant

THE RELIGION OF THE IGNORANT

believed in Allah and the Last Day and to have given of
what Allah has provided for them? Allah knows everything
about them. (Surat an-Nisa', 37-39)
It is stated in other verses that parsimony is a characteristic of
unbelievers:
Have you seen him who turns away and gives little, and that
grudgingly? (Surat an-Najm, 33-34)
In Surat al-Qalam garden owners with the parsimonious charac-
ter of Ignorantism are referred to. The verses read:
We have tried them as We tried the owners of the garden
when they swore that they would harvest in the morning
but did not say the redeeming words, "If Allah wills." (Surat
al-Qalam, 17-18)
In the morning they called out to one another, "Leave early
for your land if you want to pick the fruit." So they set off,
quietly saying to one another, "Do not let any poor man into
it today while you are there." (Surat al-Qalam, 21-24)
The garden owners described in the verses try to go to their
work without encountering any poor people, because they do not
wish to help them. When they do meet one, however, they will be
obliged to give them money, out of their concern that people will
form an unwelcome opinion of them. In short, they have a most in-
sincere, hypocritical and vulgar character—one of the classic features
of the Religion of the Ignorant.
Believers of noble characters seek only the approval of Allah and
compete with one another in doing good. In order to please Allah,
what matters is not the skill that people show in accumulating wealth
and property, but how much they consider His approval in what
they do. The cleverness acceptable in the Sight of Allah is attentive-
ness and consciousness to constantly observe the interests of believ-

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