A simple thought from The Community on Friday: In an increasingly complex world, the perils of losing one’s faith, however unintentionally, are becoming more and more pronounced. And although new world leaders are cyclically dragging the world and its inhabitants from protectionism to globalisation and back to protectionism, this particular phenomenon is no longer a western malaise.
Loss of faith happens in many ways – from beginning to slowly adopt non Islamic ways of life to over doing the Arab way of life as a symbolism to be more Islamic, the list is very long indeed. Extremism has led to many well meaning citizens to shun religion as a natural reflex of their desire to dissociate with practices that connect to barbaric ways of life. On the other hand, practising rituals repeatedly perhaps for self gain or for exhibitionism, also leads to faithlessness.
Recent studies indicate some more precise reasons why men and women choose to abandon faith. Marriages leading to divorce or those between two different faith groups are inadvertently raising children who are disillusioned by religion for the passive role it may have played during their time of trauma or because of the push and pull between either parent affiliated to a different faith.
There is also growing consensus that religion is a system of beliefs unable to explain scientific trends and advancements, hence the two ought to be separate always. In other words, the more educated and enlightened you are, the more irrational religious dogmas appear to you.
The list is endless, like for economic security, a young person chooses to drink with his network on whom he relies for business or patronage. His attitude is negative towards the community that never stood by him in his time of distress, he feels.
Rabbana la tuzigh quloobana ba’da idh hadaytana wa hab lana milladunka rahmah innaka antal Wahhab – Our Lord! (they say), Let not our hearts deviate now after Thou hast guided us, but grant us mercy from Thine own Presence; for Thou art the Grantor of bounties without measure [3:8]
As we inch closer to our meeting with the Creator, this is the prayer that can probably save us from losing our faith in the face of intense temptation and compulsion. It is incumbent upon us to admonish others as well that their salvation lies in the firmness of their beliefs, then only can we all expect His mercy and benevolence. Critical thinkers may oppose this statement, for they may not have fully comprehended man’s weaknesses and God the Almighty’s absolute power over everything.
This initiative is made possible by the kind courtesy of Bande Khuda Sponsors, G1 Security, Meadows Academy, SD Dental Clinic & Ceramic Lab, SokoniAdvertiser and Xpress Rent a Car, and for the ISAALE THAWAAB of Marhum Zahir Chatoo
