The way of establishing a defined holy relationship with the One believed to be the Supreme Being – greater than all that is in existence – and communion with said Being, has continued to progress with a negative momentum in the minds of the people. It almost seems like this religion, which has now been downturned in these present times, isn’t that same respected and honored phenomenon of some times in the past, when it not only stay logical to be religious, but religion was a major requirement to live a worthy life, due to its fruitfulness in virtually all endeavors.
It keeps getting soiled in all sorts of ideologies that are birthed by the modernism of the contemporary thoughts of individuals and communities. Religion, which was seen as a logical concept whose absence makes life unworthy of living, is presently viewed as pppsomething practiced by the demented, ill mannered and irrational beings, who lack the mind to explore the great things that the world has in stock.
The present world is dominated by resources – most of which are easy to come by – through which there are unlimited access/latitude for people to raise their voices, both in the knowledgeable and the ignorant light, on matters that come to their minds, among which religion appears to be a very controversial one. The ‘woke’ mindset – which tends to neglect anything spiritual and focus on physically relatable matters – is a major contributor to this major paradigm shift.
Even the ones among the religious ones have been recruited into the divide of those who see no sense in religion, and the trend keeps going on in a seemingly endless route. Personally, in a way, I seem to understand the hostility of those ones who are against the concept of religion, which is most likely triggered by the excessiveness and immaturity of some religion adherents. It truly defies logic to relate one’s faith, especially Islam, to something that is mlajorly about miracles, without putting in the additional work required, to live a fulfilling life. The thoughts of some religion adherents actually ⁰go this route.
Allah clearly states in the Qur’an that “And whosoever works righteous deeds, whether male or female, and is a believer – We will surely cause them to live a good life, and We will surely give them their reward according to the best of what they used to do.” Surah Al-Mu’minun 23:60. This statement identifies with Allah’s thoughtfulness in giving a good life to those who strive to put in good work. This is enough a counter to the fallacious thought of some of the extreme adherents of religion who believe in Islam as a haven of miracles without work, fueling the hostility of people towards it. If only those who align with this erroneous thought can sensibly connect with the above verse, and the religion antagonists, who have cancelled any tiny bit of usefulness in religion, realise how the Islamic concept wages war against clout chasing in the name of religion, it would be realized that religion is a way of life that should complement our endeavors.
To believe in the Supernatural Being is to put up some acts having semblance to insanity, for the God we claim to believe in, and do all He commands, is all a ruse to those who lack the accommodating space of faith in their hearts. What, to me, is absolute insanity is when some people decide to go overboard in exercising their faith, despite the available guiding references that show the boundary in faith.
On a final note, the negative state of perception of what religion entails, in the face of the current modern world, slightly has to do with the sorry disposition of some careless adherents of it towards it, and the unyielding dependence on logicality/relatable facts, by the ‘woke’ minds of the current generation. An approach to balance out this anomaly is to stay on the limits set by the faith we claim to uphold, as this will trigger our spiritual disposition to be more appropriate, and our appropriateness will appeal, more, to the enemies of religion, canceling out – even if not all – negative thoughts about religion. This may even be an avenue to have more people into the fold of Islam.
May Allah grant us the willpower to the right thing, and follow it up consistently, Aameen.
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