Personal interest

One causes harm to people for one’s ease. Another person can also cause one harm for his own ease. And normally this is what happens everywhere. Very rarely do people think of the well-being of the next person. And this is how they create a lot of problems. This way of seeking one’s ease without taking the problem of the next person into consideration, is an attitude that emanates from selfishness.

The problems that we have at several levels may be solved if only we remedy this disease called selfishness. The Shariah commands that one be acquitted of one’s duty and responsibility before claiming one’s right. It is a formula which if it is applied properly, it may guarantee harmony and peace in the society. However, this disease has infiltrated everywhere. Races that take place in all countries are the result of this very disease. If the group which is organising it had taken into consideration the harm that they are causing to humanity in general, they could have put an end to this. However, the disease is too strong. Our logic has stopped functioning as it should. Selfishness presents many justifications for whatever we are doing. It makes us empty many pockets to fill the pocket of a small group. People spend whatever they may have earned throughout a week or month in only one day. So far, we may say that it is still good although it is very grave but the matter does not end here. There are harmful effects and serious implications. People exhaust their money in races, and yet it does not mean that they will not play again due to this. They borrow money and they do not pay back. If they want to pay back also, how many people will they pay back? They owe many people and they are all in search for him. Their wives suffer and their children do not get what they need. Neither the water bill, nor the electricity bill or the rent have been paid as yet. The court condemns them without taking into consideration that all this happened because they have lost all their money in horse racing.

A motorcyclist falls off the motorcycle, gets skull fracture and dies. The authority finds it necessary to pass a law that all motorcyclists should wear helmets. Nevertheless, casinos, horse racing and gambling will continue to benefit the blessing of the authority despite all the harms that they cause to the society in general!

A person may sell his conscience merely due to certain benefits that he receives from a certain group who is in power. He does this without taking into consideration the competence and the performance of this party. In doing this, not only does he sell his conscience for his personal interest but he upsets a nation and a country in general. It is this very selfish attitude that opens the path for those who are not competent to use money in order to have power. This is what makes the tendency of the public make a turn of 180 degree overnight and makes the incompetents become the head of the country.

This disease is so strong that it makes people walk on the corpses of people. Due to personal interest, people do not hesitate to do that also. Every day we see our youngsters dying. This is causing the parents and the entire family to suffer. But people, who are murdering our youngsters with their drugs, remain insensitive to whatever is happening in the society.

A person is allowed to consider his interest and his advantage but he should not do so by depriving others of their rights. There will be prosperity, peace and harmony in the society when people will begin to fulfil their responsibilities and duties before claiming their rights. The contrary will render people all the more selfish, which may be considered as the very basis of the harmful structures and systems that we are witnessing in the society.

[English version of "L’intérêt personnel" – Al Jamiat – Vol. 8 No. 6]