Page 20 - The Solution To Secret Sorrows
P. 20
THE SOLUTION TO SECRET SORROWS
instead of behaving in accordance with the Qur'an.
When speaking of such people, not only those who openly re-
ject the instructions of the faith and demonstrate irreligious behav-
ior should come to mind. The people concerned may conform to
most provisions of the Qur'an and behave like believers throughout
a large portion of their lives. On certain matters, however, they may
not like to be aware that according to the Qur'an, they are in the
wrong. Or they may not be able to understand that such is the case.
Some who live as Muslims may think that some of their beliefs and
actions do not conflict with the Qur'an, and that they do not venture
into what is described as forbidden and sinful.
For example, some people do not understand—or do not want
to—that emotionalism is a character trait contrary to the morality of
the Qur'an. This can be seen clearly in a number of verses. Upon the
death of a relative, for instance, a Muslim realizes that the person
has not perished but that for him eternal life is a new beginning.
And if the relative was one of the faithful, he takes pleasure in hop-
ing that he will enter Paradise. In addition, death is a part of one's
destiny, predetermined by Allah. Like everything else, Allah brings
death for a reason.
As a result, the believer knows that even in the case of a rela-
tive, there is a blessing in his death and behaves in such a way as to
show his contentment. But despite being aware of this truth, many
people show ignorant behavior when faced with death. They be-
have emotionally and react in an excessive manner.
Those who do not consider that such behavioral defects conflict
with the morality of the Qur'an see no reason not to continue this be-
havior. At certain moments of their lives, they live like ignorant peo-
ple, exhibiting the same characteristics, suffering the kind of
troubles that believers do not suffer, prevalent amongst ignorant
18