An Illogical Thinking

We see many people who claim to be liberal refusing to accept God’s ordinance in dealing with their wealth, all the while they may pray to God or to many “gods” to seek prosperity in their life. This is indeed an illogical thinking.

The person who seeks God’s help, or God’s blessings should naturally listen and obey His command. This is the logical thinking, because he is supposed to believe that it is God who causes his very existence and keeps him alive by giving His sustenance. For God is the Lord, the One who has the right to command orders and ordinances.

But that is the traditional “logic” of the so-called “clement” materialists all over mankind’s history. God has recounted in the Qur’an the story of the people of Madyan. When Prophet Shu’ayb conveyed to them God’s ordinances on how they should stay righteous and honest while trading and exploiting their wealth; their answer was:

“They said: O Shu’ayb, does your prayer compel you to demand of us to give up all that our forefathers used to worship, or that we refrain from dealing with our wealth as we please? Behold, (you would have us believe, that) you are indeed the only clement, the only right-mind man!” (11:87).

How could it be possible that God, who created mankind with the task of populating the earth and creating and developing their civilization, would do so without giving them ordinances to lead them on the right way?

“Does human being think that he is to be left to himself (without being held morally responsible for his doings)?” (75:36). God created human being for a great purpose, and He knows that without a guidance from the Creator he will not be able to trace his way: He therefore gave each person a criterion to freely choose which path to trace:

“Verily, it is We who have created man out of a drop of sperm intermingled, so that We might try him (in his life): and therefore We made him a being endowed with hearing and sight. Verily, We have shown him the way, whether he be grateful or ungrateful” (76:2-3).

But even this inner criterion would not be enough, that is why God sent to all human beings a specific and global Guidance through His messengers and prophets who brought them God’s revelation: “We have verily sent Our messengers with clear signs, and We revealed with them the Scripture and the Balance, so that mankind may uphold justice ..” (57:25).

Human beings are supposed to be socialized creatures, in need of each others’ services, and doing their share of obligations towards their fellowmen. Nobody can live self-sufficiently on his own. There are also people who are helpless, and who have the right to others’ help. Yet we find many selfish people who do not care about helping others, because they are strong enough to be independent. However, anyone of those people could suddenly become handicapped and would then absolutely need the help of others.

In many parts of the Qur’an God urges people to expend parts of their wealth for the poor and the needy. The Qur’an recounts the behavior of the “liberals” who do not accept God’s ordinance as follows: “And when they are told: Spend on others out of what God has provided for you as sustenance, those who are bent on denying the truth say unto those who believe: Shall we feed anyone whom, if God had so willed, He could have fed him? Clearly, you are but lost in error” (36:47). They think that their selfish behavior is so logical, but this is actually quite the opposite according to the above explanation.

To show how essential the act of helping the poor and the needy is, the Qur’an considers those who refuse to help or even those who do not urge the feeding of the poor as denying the Judgment to come: “Have you seen him who denies the Judgment (the Requital to come)? He is the one who repels the orphan and does not urge the feeding of the needy. So woe to them who do the regular prayer yet they are heedless of their prayers; those who make a pretense, and withal deny all assistance (to their fellowmen)” (Qur’an, 107:1-7).

To conclude I would say: it is logical to believe that we all are responsible of all our deeds, and have the obligation to help the needy, before meeting the just requital on the Day of Judgment.