Betraying the trust

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OUR souls are indeed a trust with us. We have to guard them against all temptation. Those who commit crime or indulge in evil practices betray that trust.

The earthly life is in fact a testing ground and as such our salvation lies in the successful completion of the probationary period.

We should not, therefore, get involved in activities which are against the Quranic injunctions and the traditions of Holy Prophet (pbuh). Some of those whose acts, which entail the displeasure of Allah, are detailed below:

(a) Those who are ungrateful (39:7). Allah is independent of all wants and does not need our prayers and prostrations. However, man’s gratitude and submission earn Allah’s pleasure. Man’s ingratitude and rebellion, on the contrary, are displeasing to Allah.

(b) Those who are wrongdoers (42:40). In addition to our misdeeds, the retribution of evil is equal to the evil done. For instance, if we tolerate wrong or encourage wrong by allowing it to become rampart, when we can prevent it, we fail in our duty to Allah. Most commentators stress absolute prohibition of going beyond what is right when defending one self against tyranny and oppression.

(c) Those who are proud and boasters (57:23). Allah does not love the egoist and those who brag about themselves. The righteous does not grumble if someone else has got worldly possession, nor those who out of self-conceit act in a boastful manner. About his own assets, he neither covets nor boasts. If he has any advantage, he shares it with other people as the benefit so accrued is not due to his own efforts, but is a Divine gift.

(d) Those who are extravagant. Allah does not like those who are prodigal (6:141). The meaning of Allah’s commandment is that we should be moderate in enjoying the Divine blessings and be grateful to Allah. We should not indulge in the wastage of Allah’s gifted resources. If we do so, we take away something from other needy persons. Allah would not like our selfishness. In any case, we should not waste Allah’s bounties as He does not love the wasteful.

(e) Those who are arrogant and do not believe in Hereafter. (16:22-23). Everything points to Allah, the one True eternal God. If so, there is a Hereafter for He has declared it. Insofar as people do not believe this; the fault is in their Will. They are too arrogant to accept the idea of man’s utter dependence on and responsibility to Supreme Being. Allah does not love the arrogant. Such men deprive themselves of Allah’s grace.

(f) Those who are Transgressors (2:190). Divine commandments set out certain conditions to wage war in the way of Allah against those who fight the faithful. To be more specific, war is permissible in self-defence and under well-defined limits. When undertaken, it must be pushed vigorously, but only to restore peace and freedom for the worship of Allah. In any case, the strict limits must not be transgressed.

(g) Those who betray the trust. (22:38). Allah does not like the traitors who deny the truth. But Allah will surely defend the believers.

(h) Those who make good things unlawful. (5:87). According to Divine revelation, the faithful should not deprive themselves of the good things of life, which Allah has made lawful for them; the bonds of what is right should not, however, be transgressed as Allah does not like such people.

(i) Those who dispute the signs of Allah (40:35). Those who dispute Allah’s revelation with no authority having come to them, are greatly odious in the sight of Allah. The arrogant transgressors having closed their hearts to the message of Allah and to every appeal made to them, it followed by Allah’s law that their hearts were sealed and their senses become impervious to good. Or in other words, their hearts are hardened; they do not listen to the advice that falls on their ears. (2:7 & 7:100).

(j) Those who are proud and walk in insolence. (31:18). The English translation of the verse reads ‘And swell not thy cheek (for pride) at men. Nor walk in insolence through the earth, for Allah loveth not any ‘arrogant boaster’. According to a commentator, the word ‘cheek’ in English too means arrogance or effrontery with a slightly different shade added viz: effrontery from one in an inferior position to one in a superior position. The Arabic usage is wider and includes smug self-satisfaction and sense of lofty superiority.

(k) Those who are vainglorious. (28:76) In order to fully understand this aspect, the Holy Quran has described the behaviour of Qarun, who was one of the followers of Prophet Moses. Allah had bestowed upon him enormous treasures that a team of wrestlers could hardly lift their keys. According to the Jewish religious books, the weight of the keys was stated to be equivalent to the load of 300 mules. Under the influence of false pride and self-exaltation he acted insolently towards his own folk. Thereupon, his people told him ‘Exult not for Allah loveth not those who exult in riches’.

(l) Those who are faithless and commit crimes. For Allah loveth not those who are given to perfidy and crime. (4:107)

Besides, there are certain other persons whose acts Allah dislikes. They include (1) those who are treacherous (8:58) and (2) those who seek mischief in the land. (28:77). If we want to be among the honoured supplicants of Allah, we should lead our worldly life like a true believer. The purpose in view can be achieved, as in ordained by Allah (1:6&7), by following the path of those whom Allah has blessed and not of those who have earned His anger as well as of those who have gone astray.


Courtesy: Daily Dawn/ Mr. Shaikh Khurshid Hasan