BISMILLAHER REHMANIR RAHEEM

1) GOOD OR EVIL?

Good and evil are concepts which people talk and think about the most throughout their lives. Some people endeavor “to be a good person” and “to protect himself and his loved ones from bad people and behavior.” This effort shown to avoid evil is, of course, very important. However, many people who endeavor in this direction may not have actually thought how close evil is to them because people who do not live according to the moral values of the Qur’an determine good and evil in terms of their own beliefs, thoughts, worldview and sociocultural tendencies. On the contrary, the source from which we can truly learn what good and evil is, is the Qur’an and the sunna of the our Prophet (saas). Allah sent the Qur’an to people to reveal right and wrong and to bring them from the darkness to the light. What good and evil is, and the reasons that lead a person to evil are revealed in the Qur’an. In one verse it is revealed:

I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed satan-

"Or do those who perpetrate evil deeds suppose that We will make them like those who have faith and do right actions, so that their lives and deaths will be the same? How bad their judgement is!" (Surat al-Jathiyya, 21)

Good?

The Real Good Revealed in the Qur’an is the Attitudes of Those Who Fear Allah and Abide by His Commands

I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed satan-

"... Rather devoutness is possessed by those who have fear of Allah...." (Surat al-Baqara, 189)

A person who fears Allah acts according the good pleasure of Allah and the moral values of the Qur’an in every situation he or she faces, and so does good deeds throughout his or her life. Knowing that every incident occurs by Allah’s leave and command, considering everything in terms of goodness and wisdom, thinking that every deed, hidden or open, will be faced in the Hereafter lead the individual to always think rightly and do good deeds.

Good Deeds Erase Bad Deeds

I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed satan-

"…Good actions eradicate bad actions. This is a reminder for people who pay heed." (Surah Hud, 114)

For as long as they are determined about displaying good moral values, Allah will take fear and sorrow out of the lives of His servants, forgive their bad deeds and respond to them with the best of their deeds:

I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed satan-

"As for those who have faith and do right actions, We will erase their bad actions from them, and recompense them for the best of what they did." (Surat Al-‘Ankabut, 7)

Those Who Follow Allah’s True Path Will Attain Salvation

People leading a good life, avoiding secret pains depend on their own behavior. Allah showed people the way to be happy and to get rid of troubles; and revealed that this is only possible to follow the true path Allah showed:

I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed satan-

"... But when guidance comes to you from Me, all those who follow My guidance will not go astray and will not be miserable." (Surah Ta Ha Suresi, 123)

Evil?

The Source of Evil; The Lower Self and Satan

There are two main sources of evil revealed to people in the Qur’an. One of these is the lower self, which every person has, and which constantly commands a person to do evil. The inner self tries to direct people away from the right path and drag them to disaster, by the suggestions it whispers.

I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed satan-

"I do not say my self was free from blame. The self indeed commands to evil acts – except for those my Lord has mercy on..." (Surah Yusuf, 53)

Another being who is assigned to command people to evil and ugly behavior, and who is the supporter of the inner self is “satan.” In the Qur’an it is revealed that satan only calls people to evil as such:

I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed satan-

"He only commands you to do evil and indecent acts and to say about Allah what you do not know." (Surat al-Baqara, 169)

Satan Deceives People By Making Good Appear As Evil, and Evil As Good

Satan sets forth a variety of false evidences to convince people that they are on the right path, despite the fact that they are not abiding by the morality of the Qur’an. Those who do not consider these evidences with a religious perspective would be easily convinced and shape their behavior accordingly in terms of these false facts.
 I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed satan-

"If someone shuts his eyes to the remembrance of the All-Merciful,We assign him a satan who becomes his bosom friend – they debar them from the path,yet they still think they are guided." (Surat az-Zukhruf, 36-37)

The Return of Evil is the Fire

It is revealed in the Qur’an that those who prefer evil will be sent to the Fire, an eternal torture that cannot be compared to any pain in this world, and will stay there eternally as follows:

I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed satan-

"No indeed! Those who accumulate bad actions and are surrounded by their mistakes, such people are the Companions of the Fire, remaining in it timelessly, for ever;" (Surat al-Baqara, 81)
 

 

2) AL-MUQALLIB - The Turner of People's Hearts

We will overturn their hearts and sight, just as when they did not believe in it at first, and We will abandon them to wander blindly in their excessive insolence. ( Surat al-An‘am, 6:110)

We cannot know Allah and grasp the purpose of our existence if we lack knowledge about the religion with which He is pleased. Moreover, we cannot understand the divine purposes behind the creation of the universe and its countless inhabitants, life, death, the Hereafter, Paradise, Hell, angels, and Satan on our own. Many people live and die in heedlessness. However, if Allah places faith in our hearts, we find all of the answers to these questions. Allah then purifies our hearts and makes us sincere toward the religion. A person who used to be hostile to religion starts to be positive toward religion; one who used to ignore His commands begins to adhere to them meticulously and remembers Him continuously. Likewise, they start to thank Allah frequently for the blessings that they have received. Whereas before they disregarded the signs of Allah's existence, as well as His favors, mercy, and compassion, they now recognize all of these. In brief, sincere believers are like those people who wake up from sleep, for Allah moves them from unbelief to belief by placing faith in their hearts.

Just as Allah grants faith, He can remove it whenever He wills. Having faith depends upon remembering Allah, for only a heart that submits itself to Allah can find guidance. Unbelievers, lost in their delusions, cannot see or recognize the clear signs of Allah's existence all around them. In many verses, Allah states that such people's hearts are covered in such a way that they cannot grasp the truth:

Who could do greater wrong than someone who is reminded of the Signs of his Lord and then turns away from them, forgetting all that he has done before? We have placed covers on their hearts, preventing them from understanding it, and heaviness in their ears. Though you call them to guidance, they will nonetheless never be guided. ( Surat al-Kahf, 18:57)

Unbelievers sometimes admit that they cannot understand religion's message. The people of Prophet Shu‘ayb (as) is a clear example:

They said: “Shu‘ayb, We do not understand much of what you say, and we see that you are weak among us…” (Surah Hud, 11:91)

If one's heart is veiled and Allah hinders comprehension, then they can never be guided unless Allah wills otherwise. Allah calls attention to this, as follows:

Among them there are some who listen to you. But can you make the deaf hear, even though they cannot understand? Among them there are some who look at you. But can you guide the blind, even though they cannot see? (Surah Yunus, 10:42-43)

Allah causes the heart of those who desire faith and closeness to Him to yield to His remembrance and unites them with other Muslims. Meanwhile, He turns the hearts of those who are insincere toward unbelief. He has the power to turn the heart of anyone He wills at any time, and no one can change a heart that Allah has covered.

http://www.harunyahya.com/en/works/16754/AL-MUQALLIB---The-Turner-of-Peoples-Hearts

 

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