Mohamedarif Mohamed Suleman (Dar es Salaam, Tanzania) is a digital marketing specialist and an Educator-cum-Trainer. His education is at Masters level in International Business, with an Honours in Business Administration (Cum Laude) at bachelor´s level. He has involved himself in community organisations and matters from a young age, and through his writings, he continues to speak of social and cultural reform to this day. He is also the founding moderator of this forum.
Self-deception, a complex and multifaceted phenomenon, is often viewed through various lenses, each providing unique insights into its role in human life. Let us explore the contrasting perspectives on self-deception demonstrated in a contemporary article and Islamic teachings, highlighting the differing views on rationalisation, selective attention, confirmation bias, and moral licensing.
In her article User-Friendly Self-Deception: Philosopher Amélie Rorty on the Value of Our Delusions and the Antidote to the Self-Defeating Ones, Maria Popova posits that self-deception can serve as a coping mechanism, allowing individuals to navigate stressful and uncertain situations by creating justifications for their actions or beliefs. This perspective suggests that self-deception helps maintain psychological stability, enabling people to face challenges with a positive outlook. In contrast, Islamic teachings warn against rationalising unethical behavior, emphasizing that such actions lead individuals away from truthfulness and accountability. The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said, “He who cheats us is not one of us,” highlighting that deceit, including self-deception, distances a person from the true essence of Islam.
Imam Ali (AS) has spoken about deception and its implications. One of his profound sayings is: “The deceiver has no religion”. This statement emphasises the importance of sincerity, honesty, and integrity in one’s religious beliefs and actions. Deception, including self-deception, is seen as antithetical to the principles of Islam and undermines the essence of true faith.
Imam Ali’s teachings resonate with the broader Islamic emphasis on truthfulness and the dangers of deceit. By reflecting on these teachings, believers are reminded of the critical importance of upholding truth and rejecting all forms of deception, including self-deception.
The writer goes on to say, “Life is a dream. ‘Tis waking that kills us. He who robs us of our dreams robs us of our life,” Virginia Woolf wrote as she considered how our illusions keep us alive, shining a sidewise gleam on an elemental fact of human nature: We are touchingly prone to mistaking our models of reality for reality itself, mistaking the strength of our certainty for the strength of the evidence, thus moving through a dream of our own making that we call life. It can only be so – given how many parallel truths comprise any given situation, given how multifarious the data points packed into any single experience, given that this very moment “you are missing the vast majority of what is happening around you,” we are simply not capable of processing the full scope of reality. Our minds cope by choosing fragments of it to the exclusion, and often to the erasure, of the rest.
Another form of self-deception is selective attention, where individuals focus on information that supports their beliefs while ignoring contradictory evidence. The article argues that this cognitive bias helps maintain a positive self-image by filtering out negative feedback. However, Islamic teachings stress the importance of self-reflection and seeking the truth, even if it is uncomfortable or challenging. Believers are encouraged to remain vigilant and open to new information, striving for personal growth and spiritual development. The Glorious Qur’an and Ahadith emphasise the value of honesty and integrity, urging individuals to confront their flaws and work towards self-improvement.
The tendency to interpret new information in a way that confirms preexisting beliefs is known as confirmation bias. The article views this form of self-deception as a natural and sometimes beneficial aspect of human psychology, helping individuals maintain psychological stability. ¨Self-deception¨, she notes, ¨has various cousins and clones – among them compartmentalisation, adaptive denials, repressed conflicts and submerged aggressions, false consciousness, sublimation, wishful thinking, suspiciously systematic errors in self-reflection – some of which are socially rewarded for their adaptive value in helping us attain our goals. ¨
In contrast, Islamic teachings encourage believers to challenge their own beliefs and assumptions, fostering a culture of intellectual and spiritual growth. The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said, “The signs of a hypocrite are three:
Whenever he speaks, he tells a lie;
whenever he promises, he breaks it; and
whenever he is entrusted, he betrays.”
This serves as a reminder that deceitful behaviour, including self-deception, undermines one’s faith and moral integrity.
The concept of moral licensing occurs when individuals excuse their unethical behaviour by pointing to their previous good deeds. The article suggests that self-deception allows individuals to maintain a sense of moral self-worth, rationalising their actions based on past positive behaviour. However, Islamic teachings stress the importance of consistent ethical behaviour and accountability for one’s actions, regardless of past good deeds. Believers are reminded that true piety and righteousness require ongoing commitment to ethical principles and self-discipline.
Mohamedarif Mohamed Suleman (Dar es Salaam, Tanzania) is a digital marketing specialist and an Educator-cum-Trainer. His education is at Masters level in International Business, with an Honours in Business Administration (Cum Laude) at bachelor´s level. He has involved himself in community organisations and matters from a young age, and through his writings, he continues to speak of social and cultural reform to this day. He is also the founding moderator of this forum.
