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Wednesday 27 April 2022

Can Moral Values be Forcibly Imposed

A few years back, the government in one of the Islamic countries announced that it will establish a state closely related to Riasat-e-Medinah which was based on the principles and aspirations of Islam and teachings of Qur'an and Sunnah. But the moment such announcement was made, the government was mocked every day for not establishing the state as per the role model of Riasat-e-Medinah that was established by Prophet Muhammad ﷺ when he acquired hold on the city of Medinah.

The mockers thought that by announcement of a legal decree by the government suddenly everyone will be moulded into law abiding citizens and all ills of the society will be automatically  arrested. Were they right in thinking so? Well to my reckoning a big NO. 

The Muslims at the of establishment of Riasat-e-Medinah by Prophet Muhammad ﷺ were all virtuous and filled with the true faith and notion of the brotherhood. That is why when immigrants from Makkah came to Medinah, the locals shared their houses and wealth with them to settle down. That was the spirit of morality and character.

On the contrary, those mocking the establishment of Riasat-e-Medinah were generally law breakers, followers of criminals wanting state to announce and define morality for them. But could the role model of Riasat-e-Medinah be established when the hearts did not accept the notion? Could all criminals and the wicked become true God fearing Muslims by order of one decree? Certainly not. We know that for establishing a true Islamic state, people have to transform themselves voluntary to a higher degree of morality to be useful part of the society and the state.

The development of character comes through education and understanding the wisdom contained in the Qur'an as practiced by the Prophet ﷺ. It cannot be imposed or inculcated forcibly for such actions based on fear are always short lived and do not transform a person into a true believer.  Take for example the herd of cattle which when see a greener patch intrinsically fall for it. It is only the shepherd who by use of  a whip forces them to resist their temptation. But the cattle would again attempt such an endeavour when unobserved.  So is the case with inculcating morality into a person by force, for he would temporarily resist his temptation but would violate it right on the first available opportunity. It must be remembered that morally obligatory acts are morally right acts one ought to do, one is morally prohibited from not doing them, they are moral duties, they are acts that are required.

Now let us listen to Maulana Wahiduddin Khan, who explains the concept of moral values and how these can be inculcated into a person:: 
Maulana Waheeduddin Ahmed an Islamic scholar and peace activist known for having written a commentary on the Quran and having translated it into contemporary English and talking on issues related to Islam:

Disclaimer: The views expressed in the video above are that of the concerned scholar . We have shared these view as added information in better understanding of Islam. The reader may or may not agree with the view owing to their own perception. If any one differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

Photo | References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |

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