A fatal virus

A donkey will always remain a donkey. No matter how much one beautifies it, its nature will not change. It will never become a horse. An Insaan (human) will always remain an Insaan (human). An animal will always remain an animal. Whatever man pretends to be, he will never become Khuda (the Creator). Fir'aun was claiming to be the Lord saying أنا ربكم الأعلى "I am your highest Rabb". But we all know the result. When he saw 'Azaab (punishment) coming onto him and he was about to drown, at that time he expressed his faith in Allah Ta'ala. But it was too late. There are people who can slip and consider someone as God or small God. But it is an obvious misguidance. There is no small or big God. There is only one Allah who alone deserves worship. There is no second, no partner or collaborator at any level.

Allah Ta'ala created Insaan with a fragile and weak constitution. He is surrounded by all sorts of problems and difficulties. He has a number of weaknesses. It is unbecoming of this Insaan to consider himself great or extraordinary. He must stay in the rank that Allah Ta'ala has chosen for him. He must not go beyond his limit and pretend to be what he is not. He will be judged according to what he is in the knowledge of Allah Ta'ala. And not from what he claims to be or from what people think of him. However many times you can say that a student is such and such. But he will be ranked according to how the examiner has evaluated him.

Allah Ta'ala described Insaan as 'Abd which means a slave or a servant. It is incorrect that he transcends what Allah Ta'ala has traced for him. His duty is to submit totally to Allah Ta'ala with all sincerity and humility. He will get value and prestige as long as he remains within the framework that Allah Ta'ala has made for him. But when he claims to be what he is not, he commits a great mistake that makes him transgress the limit and be out of control. In doing so, a person renders himself more and more detestable. And yet the real prestige of Insaan is in his humility. Instead of pretending to be what one is not, humility leads a person to hide his merits. If a person wants others to know about his merits, this is already a repugnant state of mind. Now, if he makes effort for people to know him, then this is worse than the previous state. What is worst, is when a person wants to be recognised for what he is not or what he did not do. All these are the different degrees of ostentation, where one is worse than the other. The desire to be recognised or to be appreciated is a vice and a serious disease that needs to be treated. It is not a quality which is worthy for a Muslim. It is rather the attitude of a hypocrite. It puts the sincerity of a person in question and yet sincerity is essential for an action to be accepted. A huge and tremendous effort without doubt may become futile if one does not beware of this very spiritually fatal virus called Riya.

 [English version of "Ene virus fatal" – Al Jamiat – Vol.7 No.5]