The Philosophy of Islamic Teachings (11)

"And worship Al'lah and associate nothing with Him, and be kind to the parents, the relatives, the orphans, the needy, to the neighbour who is kindred to you and to the stranger, to the companion who is beside you, to the traveller and to those who possess your right hands. Verily, Al'lah loves not the proud and the boastful. Who are greedy and incite others to be stingy, and conceal what Al'lah has given them of His magnanimity. And for the disbelievers We have prepared a humiliating punishment." (4:37-38) 

True Courage 

Among the natural conditions of man is one that resembles courage. It is this natural condition of courage that leads the child to put his hand in the fire. In this condition man fearlessly faces tigers and other wild beasts, and is prepared to fight alone against a large number of people. Such a person is considered very brave. But this is only a natural condition which is found even in wild animals and dogs. True courage, one of the highest moral qualities, is conditioned by place and occasion, as God's Holy Word teaches us in the following verses: 

"And the patient in poverty and misfortune, and the steadfast and steadfast in time of war". (2:178) 

"And those who persevere in seeking the favour of their Lord" (13:23). 

"Those to whom men said, "The people have gathered against you, so fear them"; but this only increased their faith, and they said, "Sufficient for us is Al'lah, what an excellent Guardian!"" (3:174). 

Their bravery, therefore, is not like that of dogs and wild animals, which comes from their natural instincts and encompasses only one aspect. Their bravery has two facets. Sometimes their personal courage enables them to fight and conquer their own passions; and sometimes they see fit to fight an enemy, and they attack him, not from the impulse of their excited passion, but to defend the truth. They do not trust in themselves, but trust in God and behave with courage.

"Do not be like those who went out of their houses to boast of their deeds, to boast before people." (8:48) 

These verses show that true courage derives from steadfastness. To stand firm in the face of all personal passions, in the face of all calamities that attack as enemies, and not to run away as a coward, is proof of true courage. There is, therefore, a great difference between human courage and that of a wild animal. The wild animal reacts in only one way, when provoked, but the man who possesses true courage can choose between confrontation and non-resistance, according to what the occasion demands. 

Truthfulness 

One of man's natural qualities is truthfulness. As a rule, man does not wish to lie, unless some selfish motive induces him to do so. He is repulsed by lying and resists resorting to it. He feels contempt and dislike for him who has been proved to have lied. But this natural tendency cannot be considered a moral quality. Even children and the insane display it. A person cannot be called truthful as long as he does not discard the motives that lead him away from the truth. He who tells the truth when his own interests are not affected, but who is ready to lie when it concerns his honour, his property and his life, fleeing from the truth, is not superior to a child or an insane person. Do insane persons and minors not tell such a truth? There are hardly any in the world who would tell a lie without reason. Truthfulness that is abandoned to avoid threatening harm is not a moral quality. The occasion that most demands that we tell the truth is when we fear loss of life, property or honour. In this context Divine teaching states:

"Therefore abstain from the uncleanness of idols and avoid false speech". (22:31).  

This shows us that falsehood is also an idol, and that he who trusts in it ceases to trust in God. Hence, the one who would lie would lose God. 

"And witnesses must not refuse when they are called." (2:283) 

"And do not hide the testimony. Let him who conceals it know that he has a sinful heart." (2:284) 

"And when you speak, observe justice, even if the person concerned is a relative". (6:153)

"Be strict in the observance of justice, acting as witnesses for the cause of Al'lah, even if it is against yourselves or against your parents and relatives." (4:136) 

"And let not the enmity of a people incite you to act unjustly". (5:

"The truthful men and the truthful women ... For all of them Al'lah has prepared forgiveness and a magnificent reward". (33:36) 

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"They exhort one another to accept the truth and encourage one another to persevere". (103:4) 

"And those who do not bear false witness." (25:73) 

Patience 

One of man's natural qualities is patience in the face of sickness and affliction, to which he resorts after many complaints and lamentations. It is natural for a man to groan and moan in the face of afflictions, and in the end, after relieving himself, to retreat. Both conditions are natural, but they are in no sense part of a moral quality. In this context, the relevant moral quality is to regard any loss suffered as a means of giving back to God what He had given us, without complaining about it. We must affirm that it was a gift from God, which He has withdrawn, and that our duty is to accept God's will. In this context the Holy Quran warns us:

"And We shall test you with some fear and famine, and with the loss of wealth, and of lives, and of fruits; but give glad tidings to the patient. Those who, when afflicted by misfortune, say: "Verily, to Al'lah we belong, and to Him we shall return." (2:156-157) 

This moral quality is called patience, or forbearance before the Divine will. In one aspect it could be called equity or justice. In the course of a man's life, God Most High arranges a thousand matters according to his wishes, and bestows upon him an infinite number of favours so that it would be ungrateful for man to turn away when God asks him to submit to His will, showing himself critical, losing his faith and choosing the wrong path, showing himself dissatisfied with God's wishes. 

(lpbD) - peace and blessings of God be upon him. 

[We will continue with the 12th installment, where we will discuss such topics as "Sympathy for Humanity" and "The Search for a Supreme Being".]