SENSE OF DISILLUSIONMENT

The Second Caliph, Umar ibn Khattab, often expressed his sense of disillusionment with people he had come to like, when on further acquaintance with them he discovered them to be idle. His feelings have been expressed in this saying: “On learning that he does not work, he appears to me of no value [he has debased himself in my eyes]”. Whichever way you look at idleness, there is no gainsaying the fact that it is a great evil. It causes one to fritter away one’s best talents and leaves one unqualified to face life. A student who is too lazy to study cannot ever hope to acquire knowledge or have his critical faculties sharpened in any way. His failure in his examinations will leave him without the qualifications required to obtain a good job. Without the necessary groundwork, he will find himself leading a vacant existence, simply drifting from pillar to post. Even people who have managed to qualify themselves suitably cannot afford to rest on their laurels. When their period of formal education is over, it is equally necessary to be consistently hardworking. 

Sometimes, one inadvertently slips into idle ways because there are no economic pressures in life. Those who inherit legacies or have property or investments which bring them some return are an easy prey to idleness. But this is no existence for a human being. Anyone who allows the poison of idleness to creep into his system might as well be dead. 

One must opt for a regular job which brings one a suitable income and keeps one mentally healthy, so that he never becomes a financial or emotional burden on anyone else. Or, if one is financially independent, one should turn one’s attention to higher things, pursue noble ends, serve worthy causes and keep oneself fruitfully occupied every day. A person with no sense of commitment is only living on the fringes of existence. He is out of touch with reality and will soon lapse into utter degeneracy. No really superior being has ever been found among the ranks of the idle. As the old saying goes, the devil finds work for idle hands. 

COVID-19 : TIME TO EVALUATE LIFESTYLES

We are living in extraordinary times. The world is in the grip of a pandemic and world governments are making wide-ranging efforts to control spread of the disease and ensure the safety of their citizens.

According to a Hadith, the Prophet of Islam advised, "Those with contagious diseases should be kept away from those who are healthy" (Bukhaari, 6771).

A person of faith is also a responsible citizen. He upholds the law of the land and follows what is good for his fellow citizens. Complying with government-formulated rules and medical advice of experts are essential obligations, incumbent upon each one of us.

These precautions are to secure the safety and health of all citizens. No one has the authority to override them. More than ever, it has become imperative in today’s times to be resilient, abide by all regulations and use the time at hand to reflect and pray for the common welfare.

News reports say that more than one hundred countries worldwide are observing either a partial or full lockdown in an attempt to flatten the curve. While this is affecting billions of people across the globe, and some are critical of it, even flouting it, lockdown is currently seen to be the only measure to slow spread of the disease, as there is no cure or vaccine available. Lockdown entails stringent restrictions and cessation of movement of people only for a temporary period, during which time all essential services are being made available.

While the lockdown is adversely impacting livelihoods of some people, it is also an opportunity for contemplation and reflection. For those whose basic needs are being met, this period could be a time to evaluate lifestyles and re-adopt the maxim, “Simple living, high thinking”. As we are forced to stay indoors and away from outdoor and industrial activities, it is time to work on our spiritual quotient and do some introspection.

This is a good time to acknowledge the truth that a healthy body is a divine gift. Let’s also acknowledge that life-sustaining resources, including the air we breathe and the water we drink, are divine gifts, too – they are not made by us human beings. Becoming aware of our powerlessness to survive without nature coupled with the realisation of our inter-dependencies, of the need to support each other, of observing regulations and complying with rules that benefit all of us, will ensure that together, we ably meet the current challenges.

The government has put together a set of guidelines to prevent rampant spread of disease. Clear instructions have been laid out to follow personal hygiene standards and practise social distancing. According to a Hadith recorded in Musnad Ahmad, the Prophet of Islam said, “The plague (contagion) patient who remains in his home with patience and expectation of reward, knowing that nothing will befall him other than Allah’s decree, will attain the reward.”