The power of intellect and speech, faculties that inspire thought, awareness and behavior, are the most important characteristics of the human being that distinguish him from the other creatures. Mankind reflects upon the past and charts out the future path through these faculties. These are the characteristics that make human beings creative and strive towards perfection.
However, modern man has trapped himself in a maze of conjectures that has divorced him from realities making the choice of the path ahead difficult. This issue has been complicated by the intense propaganda of different types of media horns that prevent people from healthy thinking and moral perfection. As a result truth has been sacrificed on the altar of falsehood. Pride, egoism, selfishness, jealousy, greed, hatred exploitation and pursuit of carnal desires, are among the factors creating a false picture before him and keeping him away from realism and proper thinking. If human beings were to reflect on what the Almighty Creator has decreed they could surely succeed. God has not left mankind groping in the dark. He has revealed a series of scriptures, the last, final and the most comprehensive one of which is the Holy Qur’an sent down to the Seal of Divine Messengers, Prophet Mohammad (blessings of Allah upon him and his progeny). This dynamic book contains the perfect ever code for a healthy, fruitful and peaceful life. It broadens the horizons and opens to its readers a world of science and civilization. At the same time, it prevents human beings from slipping into error and distortion. The Holy Qur’an while inviting mankind towards healthy thoughts recalls the pride of Satan that led to his disastrous fall. It was vain pride without healthy thoughts that made Lucifer disobey God’s commandment and be damned forever for having been ungrateful of divine favours. Today, in the modern world, we see the big powers pursue the same satanic path of pride, arrogance, false sense of superiority and indulgence in deceit and evil, that is dragging them towards self-destruction. Humanity can be saved only by reflecting upon the time-tested wisdom of the Holy Qur’an that not only enlightens minds and souls but also teaches a healthy way of life. In Ayah 43 of Surah Zukhruf, God says:“Therefore hold fast to that which has been revealed to you; surely you are on the right path.”The Holy Qur’an, unlike the previously revealed scriptures, remains untainted. No falsehood can approach it since God Himself has taken the responsibility to protect it from human tampering. It is the statement of the Wise and One Creator Who has grants insight and inspires healthy thought.For this reason whoever reflects on the infinite wisdom of the holy Qur’an acquires pure and sincere thoughts and is saved fro error. The holy Qur’an grants mankind the power of distinguishing truth from falsity. For this reason the Prophet had emphasized on the Saqalayn or the Two Precious things. His famous saying in this regard reads: "I am leaving behind among you the Saqalayn, the Book of God and my progeny the Ahl al-Bayt. Hold fast to them and you will never go astray for the two will never part with each other." This is ample proof of the fact that the words of the Holy Qur’an cannot be misinterpreted out of context, as some have tried to do. The Imams of the Ahl al-Bayt have explained and expounded to us the their correct meaning and application, and this is undoubtedly the basis for building of healthy thoughts and leading of morally upright life. In Its guidelines, the Holy Qur’an calls on human beings not to follow conjectures, for pursuit of vain desires prevents one from seeing the truth and recognizing realities. In Ayah 36 of Surah Yunus we read:“And most of them do not follow (anything) but conjecture; surely conjecture will not avail aught against the truth;”In the same way that the Holy Qur’an refrains mankind from following conjectures and vain desires, it emphasizes pondering and proper reflection. When the infidels in an attempt to justify their erroneous idolatrous ways said they found their fathers practicing these things, God addressing them in ayah 170 of Surah Baqara said:“And when its is said to them, Follow what Allah has revealed, they say: Nay! we follow what we found our fathers upon. What! and though their fathers had no sense at all, nor did they follow the right way.”From the viewpoint of the Holy Qur’an, piety and self-restraint leads to enlightenment of thought and uprightness in behaviour.Piety means to safeguard one’s soul from anything that might drag him or her towards sin. Piety inspires proper insight, since if a person follows piety God shows him or her the right path and prevents the slipping into errors. An aware person never strays towards the path of corruption and distortion. At the same time the glamour and temptations of the world will never be able to deceive him or her. Such a person will definitely avail of the material aspects of life but in a rational and regulated way so as to prevent his soul from being absorbed completely in the perishable pleasures of life. The Holy Qur’an in order to keep mankind away from temptations draws attention to the amazing signs of the creation so that further horizons are opened to mankind laying the basis of healthy thoughts. For instance, in Ayahs 6-8 Surah Qaaf, God says:“So, do they not then look up to heaven above them how We have made it and adorned it and it has no gaps?" And the earth, We have made it plain and cast in it mountains and We have made to grow therein of all beautiful kinds, To give sight and as a reminder to every servant who turns frequently (to Allah).”Thus, as is clear the goal of religion is the perfection of human beings. The Holy Qur’an unravels the secrets and mysteries of life that one is able to acquire only through piety and purity of purpose. In this way the path of salvation is achieved with promise of paradise in afterlife
source : irib
