by Mohamedaif Suleman (Dar es Salaam, Tanzania) is a hobby writer, an educator, and an entrepreneur. His professional career is involved in digital marketing as well as education. He has served the community for many years in both Dar es Salaam and Nairobi.
Society:
I
don’t care – a phrase many of us use almost flimsily and at every point in our lives when we are unable to deal with situations or actions, or even people. Lately, this has also come into conventional wisdom use symbolising our tolerance t the good and bad events that surround us.
Our own Gujrati heritage uniquely addresses this trait in adages such as ‘Na bolvama nav gun’ as in ‘Silence is golden’ – which is then applied to the I-don’t-care situation in keeping away from raising an objection, for example. In fact, and quite contrarily, caring is an adjective mostly used in corporate advertising where the sellers cheekily express their care to their audience, while making a profit off the same.
Let us ask ourselves if we truly care. Small actions such as turning off access lights at the mosque, or a public place, picking up litter along the way, and helping someone cross a road – and many such pop-culture examples, while very much indicative of how we view the world around us, are not the only actions. In fact, the ones I have listed may sometimes be used as performance tools when trying to achieve a certain socio-cultural or even political image.
Of course, much more powerful and deceptive self-centered quotes in Englis have come into play as of late, like, ‘When I care, I don’t leave, when I leave, I don’t care. All these examples are worthy for as long as you are trying to assert yourself vis-a-vis your society. More than that, it is a collection of self-serving and isolationist theories that have no place in reality.
Islam encourages us to know about others’ affairs with an intent to be able to care and perhaps offer a solution in the process. This sentiment has, quite mysteriously although I consonance with rudimentary human nature, been misinterpreted to be nosey in everyone’s matters and then carry the message forward intending to scandalise the parties involved. This is a whisper that is fuelled by satanic ambitions and is a threat to any society.
Allah (SWT) states in the Holy Qur’an: In the Quran, Allah (SWT) says: “Help one another in acts of piety and righteousness. And do not assist each other in acts of sinfulness and transgression. And be aware of Allah. Verily, Allah is severe in punishment” (Quran 5:2)”. I
In another verse, He says “The believing men and believing women are allies of one another. They enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and establish prayer and give charity and obey Allah and His Messenger. Allah will have mercy upon them, for Allah is Almighty and Wise.” (Qur’an 9:71)
So as you join your latest WhatsApp group, you must ensure you are not a party to the spread of carelessness in messaging at the expense of others, nor must you shield yourself from the reality afflicting your brothers and sisters and then step up to be of help. In that, lies the ultimate pleasure of Alla (SWT)
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