Are we the civilized, modernized, well-developed people ever existed on this planet?

[~Stranger~]

Are we the civilized, modernized, well-developed people ever existed on this planet?

We have studied the natural laws, but neglected our inner self.

We can produce light out of atoms, but our hearts are full of darkness.

We have natural resources, enormous bounties; but why are thousands of people dying out of
hunger?

We have technology, equipments; but why millions of people don't have enough clean water to drink?

We are trying to find life in other planets, but why are we not taking care of our own planet (environment)?

We are claiming to be peace-keeper, but are we not the ones causing destruction?

We treat our parents like we are their parents, but we forget about how they raised us, when we could not even stand?

We are wasting money on smoking, drinking, gambling, but do we care about the orphans?

We have luxuries, but why are we still searching for satisfaction?

We have harnessed enormous energy out of tiny little atoms, but have we tried to realize the might of our Creator, who created everything in the universe?


Are we not?
· Selfish
· Arrogant
· Cruel
· Immoral


Is life all about?
· Husband, Wife, Children
· Eating, Drinking, Sleeping
· Money, shopping, entertainment
· and then die!


Is this all for which we came here? Are we any different from the animals? Animals also take care of their families, they eat, they play and then they die.
Many nations, civilizations have passed before us. They were also very advanced at their times. How different are we from them, in morality?
It did not take long for Allah, the God, to destroy them. What happened to the people of Noah, Ad, Thamud, Sodom, Gomorrah and Pharoh etc? Now we see their land, houses ruined.


Al-Qur'an [al-'Asr - 103 v 1-3]

* I swear by the time,
* Most surely man is in loss,
* Except those who
* believe and
* do good, and
* enjoinon each other truth, and
* enjoin on each other patience.

[Signor]

Such a nice read.

[greenhill]

It did not take long for Allah, the God, to destroy them. What happened to the people of Noah, Ad, Thamud, Sodom, Gomorrah and Pharoh etc? Now we see their land, houses ruined.

and the Romans...


Yes, a great reminder. Thanks for the "bump" Signor!

[Muhaba]

Yes it is true. There isn't humanity. At times humans are worse than animals.

We have a conscience and nafs amarah. The conscience tells you to do good. While the nafs amarah guides you toward those things that please the self, irrespective of whether they are good or bad, halal or haram, your right or not. Thus it gives feelings of jealousy, greed, selfishness, etc.

And depending on your level of morality and God - consciousness, you will either accept what your conscience says or what the nafs amarah says. Since most people have a low level of moral development, they do whatever is in their own personal self-interest.

[Signor]

An OP close to what I wrote once:

Five essential areas which should be taken into account while drawing any meaning comparisons and possibilities of dialogue between the West and Islam; ontology, epistemology, concept of man, Concept of self, and concept of universe.

West had an overwhelmingly materialist perspective regarding the nature of life and universe. The west is almost oblivious to an ulterior and superior hand involved in the creation of the universe. The modern western epistemological tradition, beginning mainly from René Descartes, believes in rationalist paradigm.

It considers man to be the center of universe and human reason to be the sole source of knowledge, emancipation and even salvation. It is equally true that there has been potent criticism on the limitation of human reason, namely, Immanuel Kant’s “critique of Pure Reason”; we can know phenomena but not noumena. The concept of man plays a pivotal role in outlining the salient features of a society. Unfortunately due to a rugged materialist tradition, the west has not gone beyond a bio-chemical conception of man. Man has only a material existence devoid of any sanctity and “deep” spirituality.

The modern western psychology had a very limited notion of self; it confines self into something that has only a bleak and ugly side. The materialist concept of universe espoused by notable western thinkers like Darwin, Marx and Stephan Hawking has only a one-dimensional perspective; there is nothing beyond this immediate universe.

Unlike the West, the supreme source of knowledge in Islam was revelation. Human reason does have its significant place in Islamic epistemology but the supreme verdict is always based on revelation. Moreover Islam has a profoundly spiritual perspective on the meaning of human life that essentially negates the notions of greedy materialism and consumerism.

Man in Islamic tradition has the responsibility to discover the true reality that can make him successful here and in the hereafter. Islam rejects the materialist notion of universe and man; it in no way means rejection of modern scientific technological developments. It is truly a monotheistic religion that fills all avenues of human life with concept of oneness of God.Islam gives a larger than life picture to humanity which can be the best possible satisfaction of real human aspirations.