Wednesday 29 December 2010

Filling up the psychological gap

Bismillahirohmanirohim (In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful and the Most Compassionate)

The revelation began with the words, "Read in the name of your Lord Who created" (surah al-Alaq verse1) and ended with the verse "... Today I have completed your religion for you and have bestowed upon you My Bounty in full measure, and have been pleased to assign for you Islam as your religion ..."(Surah al-mai'dah verse 3) Hence it shows how important knowledge is in the religion, in life in this world and the hereafter.

To undertake reading in science for example without reference to religion will neither benefit humanity nor lead it to the comprehensive knowledge necessary for building and maintaining civilised society. I didn't read a lot in the past and when I read, the material usually doesn't have to do anything with religion. This kind of knowledge will lead to those who know only the outer aspects of worldly life, but who, in regard to the afterlife are very negligent in reference to this ayat in the Qur'an "Do they not reflect on themselves? Allah created the heavens and the earth and whatever lies between them in Truth and for an appointed term. Yet many people deny that they will meet their Lord." (Surah al-Rum verse 8)  

"Then, We revealed the Book to you, (O Muhammad) with Truth, confirming what ever of the Book was revealed before, and protecting and guarding over it. Judge, then, in the affairs of men in accordance with the Law that Allah has revealed, and do not follow their desires in disregard of the Truth which has come to you. To each of you have We prescribed a law and a way. And had Allah so willed , He would surely have made you one single community; instead, (He gave each of you a Law and a way of life) in order to test you by what He gave you. Vie then, with one another in good works. Unto Allah is the return of all of you; and He will then make you understand the truth concerning the matters on which you disagreed" (Surah al-Mai'dah verse 48). "The All-Merciful taught the Qur'an, created humanity, and taught its expression..." (Surah ar-Rahman verse 1-4)

In this entry I would like to associate knowledge with psychology. It is very common to see that we always try to fill a psychological gap when facing difficulties or after accomplish something by saying something like "I am the only thing that is obstructing my achievement" or "the reason why this thing is a success is because I made it so!" In response to this Allah has revealed in His Glorious Holy Qur'an "Nay but humanity transgresses all bounds when it looks upon itself as self-sufficient". (Surah al-Alaq verse 7)

We normally think that we have total control in our accomplishments within the environment when it is actually Allah's doing.  When we try to fill our mind with this kind of psychological gap of being self-sufficient, "Those who turn from remembering Me shall live lives of misery; We shall raise him blind on the Day of Resurrection,". (Surah Ta Ha verse 124)

We usually try our utmost to succeed sometimes at the expense of defying the laws of the world/universe. This will then cause imbalance and will abuse environment and physical of ones body which in a way will live lives in misery. If one were to remember Him (Allah) , one were to be cautious of boundaries created by Him and will go beyond one's limitation on certain actions.

Going slightly off topic, my friend always mentions that some muslims do not eat pork because of the prohibition in the Qur'an but ignores the prohibition of intoxication/alcohol. Pork may be substitute with other halal meat, but there is no substitute in getting 'high'.  This in my opinion is a problem with the mind of needing to satisfy it psychologically. Needing a substance to be 'happy' when actually there is already much joy created in this world and these are the people who cannot live by the Law of this world. It is so easy to find happiness and be happy without these substances which are also used at times to enhance performance/capabilities to achieve success/happiness.

An example in the Qur'an mentions the prohibitions on intoxication "Believers! Intoxicants, games of chance, idolaltrous sacrifices at altars, and divining arrows are all abominations, the handiwork of Satan. So turn wholly away from it that you may attain to true success." (Surah al-Mai'dah verse 90).
Just to add on a little, " Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, reported: Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) observed, Whoever fornicates is not a believer so long as he commits it and no thief who steals is a believer as long as he commits theft, and no drunkard who drinks wine is a believer as long as he drinks it" (Sahih Bukhari and Muslim)

Hence the abuse of ones body will be avoided and it will be easier to attain success through the help of Allah.

This is just an opinion of mine that if one could not live the laws and boundaries of this world, one would not be able to live the laws and boundaries of the jannah(paradise) where people who are obedient and those who is a believer will be in jannah. A wise man once said to me "A muslim should be a prisoner in this world so that he may attain the leisure of the hereafter. If you choose to have leisure in this world, do not expect to achieve the leisure of the hereafter. Choose one and I hope you will choose the right one."

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