Being mindful of the echoes of one’s actions

In my last blog I wrote, from an Islamic perspective, about some people's belief in superstition and the taking of ill omens from others’ actions. Such false beliefs could be regarded as the first signs of a person’s lack of belief in his or hers religious upbringing and, if continued, go on to adversely shape their daily routines, cultural reactions and future social behaviour.

In Islam, the heart is regarded as the repository of purification that will ultimately shape one's character, actions and bring happiness to a person's life. Beliefs in superstition are the first elements that impact and reduce the bond between a person and his creator by weakening its surety and a proper grounding in Islam.  

In a hadith, the Prophet Mohammad, Peace and Mercy of God be upon him, says: '‘behold! There is a piece of flesh in the body, which if purified, all body gets purified. But when it gets corrupt, all body gets corrupted. Behold that is the heart'’.

When it comes to belief, we listen less  to our hearts and more and more to the cultural aspects of our beliefs or to what is 'in fashion' in our society, inevitably arriving at incorrect conclusions.

Islam frees people from this mindset. The biggest and most important decision, made by any persons in their life, is to choose what they believe, or indeed, do not believe. This decision is made by all of us, without any exception, consciously or subconsciously, and will impact directly or indirectly, on every aspect of our lives and affect any future decisions and actions. A good and right decision will deliver the right result. The wrong one will introduce a negative mindset. In either case, whilst the person making the decision will be the first beneficiary or victim, the consequences of the decision will inevitably affect others.

 The Quran, very succinctly, put it in this verse: '‘And whoever purifies himself, he does so for only himself’'. Or' ‘Indeed he has succeeded who has purified himself'’.

The heart motivates our desires and plans, and the mind executes them, while the rest of the body is the tool which implements them.  Hence the emphasis must be on cleansing the heart so that it can become the seat of purity, happiness and divine attachment, ensuring that a person becomes a person of comprehensive goodness of character.

A collection of such hearts will produce collective good in a society, one becoming the cause for another in continuing to produce goodness in people. But collective wrongdoing, even by implication, or by just not raising voices against evil and wrongdoing, will be the cause of suffering for many. In this the Quran says: ‘‘and be alert to the ‘fitnah’ tribulation which would not affect only the wrongdoers'’.

In another verse, the Quran says: '‘the corruption has spread in the land and sea as a result of what people’s hands have earned'’.

Purification in Islam begins with the cleansing of the heart. To accomplish this we must first distinguish between what is pure and what is impure. How are we to make this decision? How can we separate all that which has been collected in the heart of a person from his surroundings and through external senses and what should be retained or discarded?

An Islamic solution is proposed by the Prophet himself. He says: '‘when a believing person commits a wrong a black dot is placed on his heart. If he thereafter repents and seeks forgiveness of God, it is removed. However, if he does not repent, the dot gets bigger till it covers the heart and so it starts rusting’'. If further indulgence in wrongdoing continues a person loses sight of the right action to take.

Here we can see the reason why Islam disapproves strongly of any superstitious belief.  If ill omens exist, they should not arise from people, but from the actions of our own selves and wrongdoing of others .People should be advised and counselled if they are the wrongdoers, whether it is their actions that are ruining their family life, affecting the lives of others in the neighbourhood and the community, or impacting on the lives of a people or a nation.

Discarding superstition and protecting a true belief in Islam will not only  result in a good life on earth but will help to ensure God’s pleasure in the Hereafter, when we must all account for our deeds. The Quran says: '‘That the ‘Other Abode’ (the Hereafter We only grant it to those who do not display arrogance in the land and commit not corruption (therein) and the (good) outcome is for those who are seeking righteousness (restraints)''.

 We are all given to acts, words and thoughts which we later regret, or should regret. Few of us have not spoken in haste and by doing so caused others to react in a negative or harmful manner.  As the Prophet said: '‘a person falls to the deepest low because of a one word that he has spoken and did not think of it’'.  

We must realise that our action and words can have consequences that may have dire and sometimes fatal consequences for others.  Restraint is the best counsel and if people have to act then it should be well measured and well thought out.