The Philosophy of Islamic Teachings (8)

Five remedies against lust

In these verses, God Most High not only provides us with excellent teachings for attaining chastity, but also gives us five remedies against lust. These are: to refrain from looking forbiddenly at others; to refrain from listening to their voices and tales of their beauty; to avoid occasions when one fears being tempted to commit this vice; and to control oneself during celibacy, by fasting, eating light food, etc.

We can confidently assert that these excellent teachings and the means of obeying them, contained in the Holy Quran, are unique to Islam. It must be borne in mind that since the natural condition of man, the source of his passions, is such that he cannot master it without a total transformation, it is natural that his passions should be dangerously excited when the occasion for committing this vice offers itself. Therefore, God Most High does not authorise us to look freely at women, nor to contemplate their beauty, nor to observe their movements in dancing, etc., if we do so with pure looks. Neither does He teach us to listen to their songs, nor to listen to accounts of their beauty, so long as we do so with pure ears. He teaches us to refrain from looking, however pure our intentions may be, and forbids us to listen to their sweet voices and accounts of their beauty, even with a pure heart. He teaches us to despise these things as we despise carrion, lest we stumble. For it is certain that sooner or later the free look would cause us to fall.

As God Most High desires that our eyes, hearts and our whole body should always remain pure, He has given us this excellent teaching. There is no doubt that free looks lead to danger. If we offer tender bread to a hungry dog, it would be a vain wish to hope that the dog would not heed it. God Most High, then, wished that no occasion should arise for the secret exercise of the human faculties, and that man should never be confronted with anything that might excite dangerous tendencies in him.

This is the philosophy on which the Islamic rules concerning the wearing of the veil are based. The Book of God does not intend to confine women as prisoners, although this is the concept held by those who are ignorant of the actual Islamic rules. The purpose of these rules is to make men and women refrain from looking at each other freely, and from showing off their adornment and beauty. For in this lies the good of both sexes.

It is to be noted that restraint of gaze, looking only at what is proper, is called in Arabic "ghadde basar", an expression used in this context in the Holy Quran. It is not worthy of a pious person who wishes to maintain purity of heart to raise his gaze and look in all directions like an animal. It is essential for man to practice the custom of "ghadde basar" in social life. It is a virtuous habit, through which his natural impulses are converted into higher moral qualities without affecting his social needs. It is this quality that is called chastity in Islam.

Honesty

The second quality that falls under the category of abstaining from evil is called honesty or integrity. It consists of not harming others by illegally or dishonestly taking their property. Integrity is one of the natural conditions of man. For this reason, a child who follows his natural impulse, and who has acquired no bad habits, will object to sucking the milk of a woman other than his mother. If a wet-nurse is not appointed for him when he is a newborn and still unaware of the external world, it will be difficult for the wet-nurse to nurse the child. He is naturally averse to being nursed by a woman other than his mother. This aversion sometimes causes him great suffering, bringing him in extreme cases to the brink of death. What is the secret of such aversion? It is simply that the child does not wish to leave his mother and accept someone else.

There is no doubt that this childish habit lies at the root of all honesty and integrity. The quality of integrity cannot be attributed to anyone whose heart is not filled with hatred of other people's property, as is the case with a child. But a child does not always use this habit on due occasion and, as a consequence, imposes great sufferings on himself. Habit is but a natural condition which shows itself involuntarily; it is not therefore a moral quality - though it is the root of the moral quality of integrity. Just as one cannot call a child who demonstrates such a habit pious or trustworthy, so one cannot ascribe this moral quality to a person who does not practise this natural habit on due occasion.

It is very difficult to become a person of integrity and trustworthiness. If a person does not keep all the standards of integrity, he cannot be called fully honest or trustworthy. In this regard, God Most High has instructed us on different aspects of integrity in the following verses:

"And do not hand over control of the property belonging to you, which Al'lah has given you as a means of livelihood, to those who are mentally incapable of handling it properly. Therefore, feed them and clothe them properly, and speak kind words to them. And test the understanding of the orphans until they reach the age of marriage. Then, if ye find them of sound mind, give them their goods, and do not squander them in extravagance and haste before they grow up: he who is rich let him abstain, and he who is poor let him make reasonable use of them. And when you give them their property, call witnesses in their presence. And remember that Al'lah is sufficient to keep accounts." (4:6-7)

If there are minor owners or orphans among you, and if it is feared that because of their poor judgment they will squander their property, you should take control of it as guardian-counsellors, and not hand it over to them, for the whole system of commerce and social security depends on the proper administration of property. A part of the income produced by this property is to be devoted to the maintenance of its owner, and you should teach him all equitable values, which will help to develop his reason and understanding, and give him proper training so that he will not remain immature and ignorant. If he is the son of a merchant, he may be instructed in business and trade, and if his father had another trade or profession you may instruct him properly, examining him regularly to see if he is progressing. And when he reaches maturity, about eighteen years of age, and you see that he has developed sufficient intelligence to manage his own property, give it to him. Do not squander it while it is under your management, fearing that when the owner reaches maturity he will take it from you. If the guardian is rich, he should refrain from charging the expenses of administering the property; if he is poor, let him return the remuneration due.

It was customary among the Arabs for the guardians of an orphan to use the property as capital for business, securing the orphan's future from the proceeds and leaving the capital intact. The guardian was paid a fair remuneration for administering the property. This verse refers to such a system. The Holy Quran further says: "And when you give them their property, call witnesses in their presence."

"And let those fear Allah who, if they should leave behind them a weak offspring, would anguish over it. So let them fear Allah and speak the just word. Verily, those who devour unjustly the property of the fatherless do but swallow fire in their bowels, and they will burn in a flaming fire." (4:10-11)

The many aspects of honesty and integrity set forth by God Most High in these verses stand out. A truly honest person will keep all these teachings in mind. If this were not done with perfect intelligence, a person's superficial honesty would hide many deceptions. Elsewhere it is stated:

"And do not devour one another's goods by falsehood, nor offer them as a bribe to the authorities in order to knowingly and unjustly appropriate for yourselves a portion of another's resources." (2:189)

"Verily, Allah commands you to give what is entrusted to you to those who are entitled to it". (4:59)

"Al'lah does not love traitors" (8:59).

"And when you measure, give a full measure, and weigh with a balanced scale". (17:36)

"And do not pay people less than the real value of their things, and do not act corruptly in the land by committing wickedness". (26:184)

This means that we are not to go about the world with evil intentions, stealing purses or other things, or illegally seizing other people's goods.

"Do not exchange evil for good." (4:3)

i.e., just as it is unlawful to embezzle funds, so it is unlawful to sell defective goods, concealing the defects, and to exchange defective goods for goods in good condition.

In all these verses, God Most High has described dishonest practices so comprehensively that no deception of any kind is omitted. He does not merely forbid theft, lest the fool should think that while theft is forbidden, other unlawful means of acquiring the property of others are permitted. The real shrewdness lies in prohibiting all unjust methods of seizing the property of others. In short, a person who does not possess the quality of integrity in all its aspects cannot be considered honest, even if in certain things he behaves honourably. For in such cases it would be his natural condition, devoid of reasonable discrimination and perception.

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

[We will continue with the 9th installment, where we will continue to explain remedies proposed by the Holy Quran for the abstention from evil.]