Page 84 - The Solution To Secret Sorrows

THE SOLUTION TO SECRET SORROWS

"I do not say my self was free from blame. The self indeed
commands to evil acts—except for those my Lord has mercy
on. My Lord, He is Forgiving, Merciful." (Surah Yusuf: 53)

- Silence
Another reaction that reveals insincerity is when people who
normally display a lively, cheerful character and engage in sus-
tained, warm conversations, are confronted with criticism.
Suddenly they fall silent and seem unable to speak. Believers in the
true faith lose none of their eager willpower, even under the most
difficult circumstances. On the contrary, such circumstances make
them more eager still and they show the strength of their faith by
making even greater efforts.
In such circumstances, of course, people who prefer to remain
silent rather than provide satisfactory explanations do so as a
protest. In this way, they want to wear down the believer who is
warning them. But when they are told that this behavior is un-
seemly, they offer the excuse that they said nothing because nothing
crossed their minds.
Behavior of this type is carried out cunningly and cannot be
proved. Again, it can be detected and recognized only with the sixth
sense. An insincere person takes advantage of the lack of proof and
continues his protest. But with this ugly obstinacy, he loses both
Allah's approval and the trust, respect and affection of the faithful.
Because of his crafty plans, the person in question has an extremely
confused spiritual state. He lives with a troubled conscience, know-
ing that what he's done is insincere, and lives with continual tension
and discomfort. This, too, is one of the torments given by Allah to
people who practice insincerity.

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