Bismillah,
We live in a world, where people are not interested in reflecting on their own actions and how those actions define them. The mentality of many is, as long as nobody sees my true nature or what I have done I'm ok. It's one thing if they want to put it behind them because it's a one time mistake, but it's another thing if they have little to no remorse and are worried about public image. Meaning I don't care how low I stoop, I just don't want to be looked at negatively in public.
If you happen to witness their actions and mention it to them, they complain about what you have seen of them, and not what they have shown you. They will say "how can you have this image of me" and never say to themselves "is this who I have become". It reminds me of a true story
There was a young boy, who wanted a pocket knife and all his friends had pocket knives. His father owned a business, where one of the items they sold were pocket knives in bulk, or sets. This boy approaches his father and asks his father for a knife. The father says it's not a good idea, he is too young, could get hurt and maybe when he's older it may be ok. The child really really wanted one and kept asking his father, but the answer was the same, no.
One day, the child was at the father's business and while walking through the isles, saw a set of pocket knives. He really wanted one so decided, it's my father's business, so it's ok if I take one. He opened the packet and took just one knife out of the pack. He didn't tell his father and assumed he didn't know. His father eventually found the knife and realized what happened and confronted his son. The son admitted to taking it because he really wanted one and his father wouldn't give it to him so he thought it was ok to take it. The father obviously angry at the action and breach of trust, then said to his son something to the effect "you stole from me like a thief".
It struck deep in the heart of the child. The boy didn't complain and say "how can you think of your own child as a thief" or "it's your fault, if only you had just given me what I wanted I wouldn't have resorted to what I did". This is what most today would do because most would rather blame someone else. Instead, he looked at himself and realized that he actually stole from his father, and as a result he is now a thief. He thought, "how could I allow myself to become a thief" because he realized his father was just saying what he saw. The boy never stole again.
We are faced with things everyday and how we act ultimately defines who we are. Whether or not someone sees us doesn't change the reality of who we are, or who we want to me. We are who we are based on our actions. We can then either identify our reality and make a change for the better, or keep down the same path only worrying about public image which ultimately won't change us. If we don't change, we ultimately will keep that trait till the end.
This is why self reflection is such a great important thing in Islam. It enables a believer to see their true reality and then make a positive change. This is why concerned Muslims love Ramadan so much and what we should be looking to do.
[link] [comments]
from Islam https://ift.tt/2HrT8ds
No comments:
Post a Comment