Are We Approaching To Moral Death?

The history tells us that, political, economic and military decay of the communities and the civilizations who met their awful end started from worsening of their moral traits. The western civilization today seems rapidly heading towards the same extinction with the same reasons. Even the state of ignominy we, the Muslims, are in, is the result of our weakness of belief and moral downfall. While studying the moral position, we ignore what are the trends of the society and generally stipulate only the moral evils of an individual to be a liar, reviling, insolent, foulmouthed or showy, wicked and fraudulent. Thus the subject gets shortened and horrible consequences of immorality remain hidden. Societies are an assemblage of the individuals, so in case of moral corruption they are like dustbins of their rotten ethic values. History examines the collective nature of the societies as we mention the formation of the individuals’ minds. The community and society, void of the moral treasure, are ravages in the same way as morally destitute individual is hit by wreck.

Imagine of the children whose father is ill tempered and wrathful. Irrespective of his own badness he harshly scolds and beats them on only the petty matters. We can easily judge to what extent damaging impact of his sickened behavior will be for the mental and emotional growth of the children. Can there be a pleasant environment of house where a rake, hoodlum and drunken husband, who boorishly belaboring his wife on only trivial issues and slightest provocations. And on the contrary can a peaceful atmosphere be developed between a couple where the wife is quarrelsome, impudent and abusive, never caring about the honor of her husband. Neither respects him nor fulfils his genuine demands. And also envisage how much aggrieved and miserable the parents will be whose children are disobedient and unscrupulous.

Now move out of the boundary walls of the houses to peep at work places. What the feelings of the employee would be whose boss is surly and caviling. Only disapproves and criticizes and never says a word of appreciation. Encouraging is out of his dictionary and only reproves on minor mistakes. Conceive of a factory and mill owner who is notorious for exploiting his labors for his unfair advantages. He encroaches upon the rights of the workers. Pours invectives from his mouth and he knows not the encouraging language. And miss not the workers in public or private sector who are lazy, work shirkers and disloyal to their establishments. They are unperceptive of dutifulness and honesty in their work.

Visualize the situation of the markets where the business community, being aware of what the Messenger of Allah, be peace and blessings of Allah upon him, has said: “An honest trader will be resurrected among the Prophets, Siddiqeen and Shuhada” is in habit of making profits by black marketing, hoarding of the necessary commodities, food adulteration, wangling and always make their customers subject to short in weight and measuring.

And think of the society where the religious guides and leaders are ready to give concessions to the wrongdoers and for their worldly gains they compromise with the governments on Hudud (the limits of lawful and prohibited laid by Allah, SWT) on teachings of the Holy Prophet, SAW and ethical norms. They are careless about a sincere Dawa venture and have abandoned the duty of enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong. They are heedless of establishing the truth and refuting the wrong. Instead of uttering the truth of Islam in the presence of tyrant rulers they prefer to be the lackeys of the despotic rulers. They are no more the models of contentment and piety. Living in the desert of mugged up texts of the religious books but are badly in short of the comprehension of those religious classics. They have a bit command over the categorical references but lack the wisdom behind what is in the text and are inadequate in depth of interpretative skill. They quote the verses from the Holy Quran and Ahadith of the Messenger of Allah, be peace and blessings upon him, but are ignorant of the spirit of Deen.

Think of the ultimate destiny of the nation where the authorities, under obligation to maintain law and order and provide peace and justice to the people, themselves are the killers of peace and justice. They are hand in gloves with those who loot and plunder. Despite being subject to the infringements of the law breakers, the people do not go to the police stations and courts because they are apprehensive of getting humiliated and embarrassed there. There are many folds of justice, for the poor entirely different from those who have influence and approach. The rich are acquitted even after gulping down billions of the bank loans but the poor are either thrown behind the jail bars or they have to suffer distraint, failing in making payments of the bank debts of ordinary amounts. There are many ways of ‘laundering’ for even those who are in power, their retinues, their party members and influential political groups, sunk in the corruption causing huge losses to the national economy.

Consider about the society where in working environment there is no mutual respect, no cooperation, and no sympathy for each other. All are seen pulling each other’s leg with utmost effort to cause harm for others. The norms of mutual trust, honesty, truthfulness and righteousness are missing. The politicians are selfish, opportunists and avaricious. They have no regard of the promises made and agreements signed by them. They fail to show the shrewdness and coming up to a civilized political culture and contrivance to run the state affairs. Neither they are trustworthy nor have a spirit to sincerely serve their nation. They are unable to show sufficient sagacity for resolving the problems of the people. Under these corrupt leaders entire work force of the government servants becomes used to dishonest practices. Bribery and undue intercessions and recommendations are the last resort for the people to get their problems solved.

We have to admit that there is hardly something different, from what has been portrayed in the lines above, in almost all of the Muslim countries. The signs of decline are visible everywhere. No field of life is safe from a downward incline. We are divesting the warmth of Iman and radiance of morality, which are really preventive measures for the morally ailing societies. Our relief depends upon how much we follow the teachings of Islam. Our Holy Prophet, be peace and blessings upon him, morally and spiritually raised the people to the heights who were at the lowest rank of their morality. Moral values are strong ramparts safeguarding the Faith. If they are removed from around it, not only the rituals and rites of Ibadah become direct target of satanic tricks but the sense of servitude to Allah, SWT, gets faded and then gradually disappears. In result all that has been mentioned above becomes evident. Then ‘Nature’ starts its operation about which we have been warned in the Quran:
“Say, ‘He has power to send upon you affliction from above you or from under your feet or to confuse you in party strife (so you become sects) and makes you taste the violence of one another.” Look how We diversify the Signs that they may understand.” (Al-Anam: 65)

And if reaching this point no attempt of recouping becomes manifest then the next stage is hegemony of any super power, when it enters the towns despoils it and makes the most honourable amongst the people the lowest. Rein of power is given to means and debauched of the society who push the country to extreme of deterioration. Do we see nothing like this?