Post by Islamic Revival on Jun 27, 2004 12:12:11 GMT -5
Self-Justification: the Whispers of Shaytan [/u]
A Muslim who grows up in Western society learns how to think and act in a way alien to Islam. Although often brought up in a Muslim household some Muslim youth are unfortunately swayed by the rotten fruits of Western society, drugs, alcohol and illicit relationships. They are tempted by these rotten fruits and end up in a downward spiral growing further away from Islam every day.
Initially the Salah (prayer) is performed now and again, then restricted to Friday and then only to Eid. The degrees to which people go into committing haram differ and everyone knows someone who they perceive as worse than themselves and better than themselves. One of the worst mental diseases that people have is that of self-justification, it is one of the key issues that allows people to drift away from Islam justifying this to themselves every step of the way. Initially they may have the occasional joint, then it becomes a regular habit and they move on to harder substances to increase the high. Even though Muslims feel guilty when committing overtly haram actions like drinking alcohol, taking drugs or engaging in haram relationships with the opposite sex, eventually the guilt wears off and they begin to justify these actions to themselves.
We must realise that self-justifying an action will not make it Halal and doesn’t remove the inevitable reality of standing in front of Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’aala) on the Day of Judgement, with nothing except our deeds. It is the Western concept of individualism that breeds the mentality of pure greed and selfishness where people even steal and backstab their own families to achieve their sick version of enjoyment.
Types of Self-Justification
There are different types of excuses or self–justifications which individuals carry. People normally carry a combination of them. Some of the most common types of self-justifications that people hold are the following:
"At least I’m better than others"
"I will change in the future"
"I’m not ready for it yet, its too difficult to change"
"As long as I’m pure inside, Allah will forgive me"
"At least I’m better than others"
The individual who holds this idea looks at the extreme actions of people which they consider as ‘bad" such as stealing from Muslims, rape or eating pork and compare their own actions to them. They feel reassured that they are better than those who undertake those actions. When they commit haram or neglect the Islamic duties (fara’id) they think to themselves that at least they are not like others, at least they perform some actions of Islam. If they take drugs they say, "at least I don’t drink alcohol". If they have haram relations with the opposite sex they say, "at least I have the intention of marriage". When involving in haram contracts they believe, "at least I don’t steal". If they miss the obligatory Salah (prayers) they justify it to themselves by thinking, ‘at least I pray on Friday’.
By extending their logic you could say, ‘at least a homosexual isn’t a rapist’ and ‘at least an alcoholic doesn’t eat pork’. The problem with this argument is, who defines what type of behaviour is bad and what is good? Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’aala) is the one who defines the good actions from the bad actions. Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’aala) views the Halal actions as good and all the haram actions as evil. So in the sight of Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’aala) missing Salah, being rebellious to your parents, eating pork, rape, socialising with non-related members of the opposite sex, homosexuality, taking intoxicating drugs, drinking alcohol and adultery are all haram and from the munkaraat (evil) actions that lead to the hellfire.
"I will change in the future"
This notion is commonly held by many youth. They believe that they will change in the future when they become older, they will settle down, get married, have children, go to Hajj, kiss the black stone and begin practising Islam. This excuse allows them to justify the haram to themselves.
If it was as simple as that, everyone can act as they please with the hope of changing someday in the future. How many of us know of young people who have died? How many of us know of cases where boyfriend and girlfriend have died in car accidents?
Muslims and non-Muslims alike can agree that the most definite thing in life is death. If this is the case, how can we act as if we are going to live forever?
The Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said to Abdullah bin Umar (ra),
"If you awoke in the morning, do not speak to yourself of the evening, and if you reach the evening, do not speak to yourself of the morning. Take from your life for your death, and from your health for your illness, as you, oh Abdullah, do not know what your name will be tomorrow" [Bukhari].
The Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said,
"The clever one is he who disciplined himself and worked for what is after death, and the feeble one is he who followed his desires, then made (vain) prayers to Allah."
Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’aala) said,
"Say: The Death from which you flee will truly overtake you: then will you be sent back to the Knower of all things secret and open: and He will tell you (the truth of) the things that you did!" [TMQ Al-Jumu’a: 8].
Besides the inevitable reality of death, do we believe that Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’aala) will accept our good deeds in the future whilst we committed haram during our youth? Do we think that performing Salah and avoiding the evil temptations in our old age when it is easier to do so will grant us Jannah?
"Until, when death comes to one of them, he says: "O my Lord! Send me back (to life), in order that I may do good in that which I have left behind!" - No! It is but a word that he speaks; and behind them is a Partition until the Day they are raised up. Then when the Trumpet is blown, there will be no more kinship among them that day, nor will they ask of one another! Then those whose scales (of good deeds) are heavy, they are the successful. And those whose scales (of good deeds) are light, they are those who lose their own selves; in Hell will they abide" [TMQ Al-Mu’minun: 99-103].
"I’m not ready for it yet, it’s too difficult to change"
The true meaning behind this excuse is that people don’t want to leave the haram they’re committing. They have got so used to their lifestyle that they can’t perceive it any other way. The thought of waking up for Fajr Salah, having to continuously study Islam or not ‘chilling’ with the opposite sex is too much for them. There are obvious contradictions in their behaviour; many of them will spend a lot of time on things they enjoy whether its playing computer games, physical training, sports or ‘looking good’. In reality these people are lazy when it comes to Islam, they may spend so much effort in fitting in with the crowd and keeping up with the latest trend yet they are not willing to spend effort in staying away from the fire of hell and attempting to gain Jannah (paradise) and the pleasure of Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’aala).
We need to realise that in order to become Islamic personalities we have to live our life according to the objective that Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’aala) has set for us. Why is it that many work hard when it comes to their exams, yet pay little attention to the true exam of life? Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’aala) didn’t create us for play.
A Muslim who grows up in Western society learns how to think and act in a way alien to Islam. Although often brought up in a Muslim household some Muslim youth are unfortunately swayed by the rotten fruits of Western society, drugs, alcohol and illicit relationships. They are tempted by these rotten fruits and end up in a downward spiral growing further away from Islam every day.
Initially the Salah (prayer) is performed now and again, then restricted to Friday and then only to Eid. The degrees to which people go into committing haram differ and everyone knows someone who they perceive as worse than themselves and better than themselves. One of the worst mental diseases that people have is that of self-justification, it is one of the key issues that allows people to drift away from Islam justifying this to themselves every step of the way. Initially they may have the occasional joint, then it becomes a regular habit and they move on to harder substances to increase the high. Even though Muslims feel guilty when committing overtly haram actions like drinking alcohol, taking drugs or engaging in haram relationships with the opposite sex, eventually the guilt wears off and they begin to justify these actions to themselves.
We must realise that self-justifying an action will not make it Halal and doesn’t remove the inevitable reality of standing in front of Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’aala) on the Day of Judgement, with nothing except our deeds. It is the Western concept of individualism that breeds the mentality of pure greed and selfishness where people even steal and backstab their own families to achieve their sick version of enjoyment.
Types of Self-Justification
There are different types of excuses or self–justifications which individuals carry. People normally carry a combination of them. Some of the most common types of self-justifications that people hold are the following:
"At least I’m better than others"
"I will change in the future"
"I’m not ready for it yet, its too difficult to change"
"As long as I’m pure inside, Allah will forgive me"
"At least I’m better than others"
The individual who holds this idea looks at the extreme actions of people which they consider as ‘bad" such as stealing from Muslims, rape or eating pork and compare their own actions to them. They feel reassured that they are better than those who undertake those actions. When they commit haram or neglect the Islamic duties (fara’id) they think to themselves that at least they are not like others, at least they perform some actions of Islam. If they take drugs they say, "at least I don’t drink alcohol". If they have haram relations with the opposite sex they say, "at least I have the intention of marriage". When involving in haram contracts they believe, "at least I don’t steal". If they miss the obligatory Salah (prayers) they justify it to themselves by thinking, ‘at least I pray on Friday’.
By extending their logic you could say, ‘at least a homosexual isn’t a rapist’ and ‘at least an alcoholic doesn’t eat pork’. The problem with this argument is, who defines what type of behaviour is bad and what is good? Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’aala) is the one who defines the good actions from the bad actions. Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’aala) views the Halal actions as good and all the haram actions as evil. So in the sight of Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’aala) missing Salah, being rebellious to your parents, eating pork, rape, socialising with non-related members of the opposite sex, homosexuality, taking intoxicating drugs, drinking alcohol and adultery are all haram and from the munkaraat (evil) actions that lead to the hellfire.
"I will change in the future"
This notion is commonly held by many youth. They believe that they will change in the future when they become older, they will settle down, get married, have children, go to Hajj, kiss the black stone and begin practising Islam. This excuse allows them to justify the haram to themselves.
If it was as simple as that, everyone can act as they please with the hope of changing someday in the future. How many of us know of young people who have died? How many of us know of cases where boyfriend and girlfriend have died in car accidents?
Muslims and non-Muslims alike can agree that the most definite thing in life is death. If this is the case, how can we act as if we are going to live forever?
The Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said to Abdullah bin Umar (ra),
"If you awoke in the morning, do not speak to yourself of the evening, and if you reach the evening, do not speak to yourself of the morning. Take from your life for your death, and from your health for your illness, as you, oh Abdullah, do not know what your name will be tomorrow" [Bukhari].
The Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said,
"The clever one is he who disciplined himself and worked for what is after death, and the feeble one is he who followed his desires, then made (vain) prayers to Allah."
Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’aala) said,
"Say: The Death from which you flee will truly overtake you: then will you be sent back to the Knower of all things secret and open: and He will tell you (the truth of) the things that you did!" [TMQ Al-Jumu’a: 8].
Besides the inevitable reality of death, do we believe that Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’aala) will accept our good deeds in the future whilst we committed haram during our youth? Do we think that performing Salah and avoiding the evil temptations in our old age when it is easier to do so will grant us Jannah?
"Until, when death comes to one of them, he says: "O my Lord! Send me back (to life), in order that I may do good in that which I have left behind!" - No! It is but a word that he speaks; and behind them is a Partition until the Day they are raised up. Then when the Trumpet is blown, there will be no more kinship among them that day, nor will they ask of one another! Then those whose scales (of good deeds) are heavy, they are the successful. And those whose scales (of good deeds) are light, they are those who lose their own selves; in Hell will they abide" [TMQ Al-Mu’minun: 99-103].
"I’m not ready for it yet, it’s too difficult to change"
The true meaning behind this excuse is that people don’t want to leave the haram they’re committing. They have got so used to their lifestyle that they can’t perceive it any other way. The thought of waking up for Fajr Salah, having to continuously study Islam or not ‘chilling’ with the opposite sex is too much for them. There are obvious contradictions in their behaviour; many of them will spend a lot of time on things they enjoy whether its playing computer games, physical training, sports or ‘looking good’. In reality these people are lazy when it comes to Islam, they may spend so much effort in fitting in with the crowd and keeping up with the latest trend yet they are not willing to spend effort in staying away from the fire of hell and attempting to gain Jannah (paradise) and the pleasure of Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’aala).
We need to realise that in order to become Islamic personalities we have to live our life according to the objective that Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’aala) has set for us. Why is it that many work hard when it comes to their exams, yet pay little attention to the true exam of life? Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’aala) didn’t create us for play.
