Page 40 - Beauties for Life in the Qur'an

38 BEAUTIES FOR LIFE IN THE QUR'AN

Prophet Ya'qub (as) had expressed earlier. We understand from
the related verses that we must not give way to such ill-inten-
tioned and insidious people as they reveal their weaknesses.

Considering All Alternatives
while Taking Precautions
Neglect is an attribute unique to the people of ignorance.
Indeed, in ignorant societies, many problems are not solved be-
cause people remain indifferent. That is why people who live in
ignorant societies often suffer from the unfavorable conse-
quences of neglect.
In the Qur'an, Allah stresses the erroneous nature of this atti-
tude, and encourages believers to be meticulous about taking
various measures.
From the following verse, we understand that considering all
alternatives is the most appropriate behavior:
He said: "My sons! You must not enter through a single gate. Go
in through different gates. But I cannot save you from Allah at
all, for judgment comes from no one but Allah. In Him I put my
trust. Let all those who put their trust, put it in Him alone."
(Surah Yusuf: 67)
The Prophet Yusuf (as) advised his sons, when they decided to
travel to Egypt, to enter the city from several gates. This is in-
deed a wise measure, for it ensures the security of both life and
possessions. If they had entered through a single gate, they
might have been vulnerable to danger. Using one's intellect,
which Allah granted to humanity as a gift so that people could
decide upon the best method to use, is the wisdom that under-
lies this advice. For this reason, taking broad precautions com-
plies with the Qur'an. Furthermore, such occasions clearly