We all were taught this hadith which is narrated on the authority of Abu Hurairah where Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) says that, "Faith has over seventy branches or over sixty branches, the most excellent of which is the declaration that there is no god but Allah, and the humblest of which is the removal of what is injurious from the path: and modesty is the branch of faith" [Sahih Muslim Book 1:Hadith 53].
As a child I always wondered why saying there is only one God or even acknowledging the existence of God has higher meaning than helping a needy or speaking good word to a stranger or even taking care of your old parents. I struggled to answer myself this question. Years passed, I still had this question at the back of my mind unanswered. Not very long time ago I walked past a slowly moving van on my opposite side, they were asking for donations for an ailing lady. I ran towards this van and gave some money to them. This thing again got me wondering why did I help her? Who is she to me? How does it matter to me if she dies out of that illness?
If one goes with the naturalistic worldview, he/she cannot answer this question because for him/her, the ailing lady is just the rearrangement of atoms.
These questions can only be answered once you put God in perspective, the right and wrong only have a meaning once you put God in picture, one cannot argue feeding poor is morally right and killing someone is morally wrong unless he/she has a criterion to base their definitions of right and wrong. Now one with the naturalistic worldview may argue using hedonistic principles of liberalism; but liberalism is itself built on the remnants of Christianity where morals essentially come from God, also he/she can be asked how hurting others is essentially morally wrong thing to do. Same question can be asked to one arguing using Harm principle of John Stuart Mill. How hurting others is morally wrong thing to do?
To answer this, one needs to understand that a set of dependable morals cannot exist on their own, they need an independent criterion out of that set to exist and have meaning, and that’s where God comes in. In the book Ihya Ulumuddin by Imam Al Ghazali (R.A), a famous 11th century scholar. The knowledge of moral principles, Imam Al Ghazali (R.A) conceived, as coming not through rational reflection but by immediate intuition of the divine character revealing itself.
Everything starts to make sense once we put God in picture. Now again why did I help that ailing lady, because God put this intuition in me that helping her is morally good thing to do. On top of that, God tells us through his divine decree what is right and what is wrong, Allah states in Quran that
"it is not righteousness that ye turn your faces towards East or West; but it is righteousness to believe in Allah and the Last Day, and the Angels, and the Book and the Messengers; to spend of your substance, out of love for Him, for your kin, for orphans, for the needy, for the wayfarer, for those who ask, and for the ransom of slaves; to be steadfast in prayer, and practice regular charity, to fulfill the contracts which we have made; and to be firm and patient, in pain (or suffering) and adversity, and throughout all periods of panic. Such are the people of truth, the God fearing (Quran 2:177). Also in a hadith recorded in Hadith Qudsi [sayings of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) as revealed to him by Allah], it is said that,
God on the Day of Judgment, will be displeased with those who do not care for the sick people, and who do not give food to those who ask. God will interrogate them and demand explanation from them. This hadith is seen as a reminder of human being's obligation to respond to the needs of others.
Why acknowledging God’s existence has higher meaning than taking care of your older parents or helping a poor? You can only say taking care of your old parents is one’s duty or is morally good thing to do once you base your morality on the criterion made by God. God needs to be on the top of the list of over 70 branches of Iman as all other branches following it will only make meaning or sense once you judge right and wrong based on the criterion made by God, and once you remove God from the top everything will start to lose its essence.
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If u define God on the basis of morality than how we came to know that only Allah is true God
ReplyDeleteMy Argument was for God not for a God of specific religion. I gave an example that Liberalism is built on remnants of Christianity. So I wasn't arguing for Allah you see, I was arguing for God in general.
DeleteGod, a very narcissistic project in the history of mankind, there is no allah, god, or shiva, who exist in the realm of the world. Frankly speaking, morals existed before the concept of almighty was there. Not going with any hedonistic principles, but with simple facts. Morality is a virtue of humanity, which God or as per say the business of god has quiet prolifically monopolized. If you help someone with an idea of getting heaven at the end, then you are an idiot and noting else. Help others for their smile, for the sake of helping, and not for getting anything in return. Not only god but the atheist all around the world help each other.
DeleteFor us to even entertain your argument of , helping others for the sake of helping, is morally right thing to do. You should first substantiate your first premise that morals existed before the concept of God came into exist . Next thing about the religion monopolising the morality is that you want to be consistent with worldview, and now that when you are consistent with your worldview mind answering us , What is the purpose of helping others ? or what is the meaning of helping others ? while being Nihilist at the same time.
DeleteAlso if u say atheists help each other all around the world then you mean they are not consistent with their worldview. Because helping each other has no ultimate purpose whatsoever.
Aspiring work 🙌
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