Not to show an erroneous courage saying, 'I can compensate it anyhow'

People generally show sensitivity towards events they consider important and people they attach importance. They avoid to make even an insignificant error in these issues. In order for everything to progress in a flawless manner they do whatever they can. They show meticulous care to people they value and try not to  give any harm to them. They protect and take care of these people both financially and spiritually and constantly seek ways to make them happy.

Surely such a model of love and loyalty based on the love and consent of Allah is a great blessing. For this reason such an understanding of love is a form of morality satan never desires.

It is very difficult for satan to influence the people who have embraced such a morality of love. For this reason he strives to approach such people cunningly, through devious means. His purpose is to harm the love among people who have an understanding of “profound love.” In the Qur’an Allah relates that satan tries to drive a wedge between people:

Say to My slaves that they should only say the best. Satan wants  to stir up trouble between them. Satan is an outright enemy to man. (Surat al-Isra, 53)

By such inculcation of satan, some people may also even display an errant attitude towards people they cherish and pay meticulous care for Allah’s sake.

Surely a person may unintentionally commit many errors. But he commits them all because he fails to think carefully, calculate its consequences or because he is taken unawares. However satan’s goal is not limited to these.

Satan seeks a conscious errant attitude that will turn Muslims against one another.

Satan strives to distance a person from the morality of the Qur’an and thinking in the light of the Qur’an and, as a result, make concessions to experience sincere love. In order to drag man in such an errant attitude he inculcates the rationale, “I can compensate it anyhow.”

Indeed, a person who is well aware of the essentials of profound love also knows that such a rationale has no place in real love. He knows that he must not offend the one he loves, even for once or for a very short time, either in the physical or spiritual sense. He is very well aware that a contrary attitude would be to waste love; and that displaying such an errant attitude would definitely have a recompense. He is also conscious that it is not likely for a person who acts thinking “ I can compensate it anyhow” does not “experience love” in its real sense and “knows how to love.” He is aware that in the case of true love a person never approaches the other side with such a rationale no matter what the grounds may be. He also knows that while displaying so meticulousness and sensitivity in his love, this rationale may do away with all the beautiful attitudes he has so far displayed.

However although they are well aware of these facts, satan sometimes tempts people towards displaying such a flawed morality. He inculcates people saying that for that certain moment there will not be any inconvenience in complying with the instigations of his lower-self, for he can compensate for that attitude at any time he wishes. Surely until one breathes his last, he always has the opportunity to compensate for his errors. Yet the fact that he has such an opportunity can not be put forward as a pretext to assume errant an attitude on purpose. If he unintentionally commits an error, he does his best to compensate it, and if Allah wills, he can really do it. Yet assuming such an errant attitude on purpose, that is, by taking shelter behind such an opportunity, is a totally different situation.

First of all, this is not an act in compliance with the consent of Allah and the religion of Islam. A person who loves Allah avoids an act that is not pleasing to Him, no matter what the circumstances may be. For an attitude which he knows Allah is not pleased with, he never thinks, “I can compensate it anyhow” and assumes that attitude with courage. Fear of Allah detains him from such an erroneous courage.

The second point is that; a person can never be sure whether he will live another second. A person who is aware that he may die any moment and believes in the Hereafter never relies on the rationale, “I can compensate it anyhow” and assumes an unbecoming attitude. He can not show the courage to commit an act which is not in compliance with the morality of the Qur’an of which he knows he can not give an account of when he dies. He knows that he may feel an immense remorse for all eternity for committing such an act.

Similarly the person to whom a person shows an erroneous courage may also die any moment. Therefore a person does not have a guarantee to make up for his attitude. Surely there is goodness in all events. Even if that person dies, man can still express his regret to Allah. However a believer still considers this possibility and avoids to display such an erroneous attitude. This aside, sometimes compensation of situations one deems to be easy may not be so. As a trial in the destiny, Allah may create a situation that will demand more effort on that person’s part.

Sometimes making up for a mistake may take a longer time than assumed. Only saying a good word or displaying a favorable attitude may not fully suffice to make up the error in question. Earning the trust, love and respect of a person may be possible after a consistent display of moral perfection for an extended period which would serve as a guarantee not to display that erroneous courage again. A person should assure Muslims with his morality and fear of Allah, by abstaining from an attitude that does not conform to the morality of the Qur’an. Sometimes, it may take weeks or even months to make up for an erroneous attitude momentarily displayed by the incitement of the lower-self. Therefore, a person with awe of Allah in his heart must not run the risk of losing such a blessing in return for such a trivial desire stemming from the lower-self.

In the Qur’an Allah relates that the kind of attitude that will build up trust in the hearts of Muslims is to “display moral excellence unceasingly” , for this is the sign of sincere faith. It is not possible for a person having fear of Allah to sometimes adopt moral excellence and other times to have moral failings, for one of them is a sign of fear of Allah while the other is just the contrary. A person can not experience these two feelings at the same time. The existence of  a part in one’s life which reveals absence of fear of Allah renders that person’s faith doubtful. (Allah knows the truth)

For this reason a person with genuine faith should avoid taking upon himself such a doubt. Having a sincere faith in Allah requires living by the requisites of this faith and sincerity at every moment of one’s life. One must never knowingly commit an erroneous act saying, “I can compensate it anyhow”, for it can bring forth a great remorse both in this world and beyond. A believer must aim “to conduct himself in the way that would most earn Allah’s good pleasure” at every moment of his life. No matter how much his lower-self incites him and satan entices, he must never make concessions to the morality of the Qur’an.
 

Wealth and sons are the embellishment of the life of the world. But, in your Lord’s sight, right actions which are lasting bring a better reward and are a better basis for hope. (Surat al-Kahf, 46)

Allah augments those who are guided by giving them greater guidance. In your Lord’s sight, right actions which are lasting are better both in reward and end result. (Surah Maryam, 76)