Apathy: Lack of interest or concern especially in
matters of general importance or appeal; Indifference,
lack of emotions; impassiveness
Apathy Condemned
[4:97] Those whose lives are
terminated by the angels, while in a state of wronging
their souls, the angels will ask them, "What
was the matter with you?" They will say,
"We were oppressed on earth." They will say,
"Was GOD's earth not spacious enough for you to emigrate
therein?" For these, the final abode is
Hell, and a miserable destiny.
The Believers are Fearless
[4:75] Why should you
not fight in the cause of GOD when weak men, women,
and children are imploring: "Our Lord,
deliver us from this community whose people are
oppressive, and be You our Lord and Master."
[4:76] Those who
believe are fighting for the cause of GOD,
while those who disbelieve are
fighting for the cause of tyranny. Therefore,
you shall fight the devil's allies; the devil's power is
nil.
Apathy is a trait that the Quran extensively condemns in
the strongest manner and language. While the Quran gives
us a fully detailed analysis of this condemned character
through straightforward commands and by setting numerous
examples, we often get confused and fail many tests when
we are expected to take a firm stand. To fully examine
this abhorred character we need to shed light on the
following crucial terms:
Reflection: To think seriously.To express
carefully considered thoughts.
Hesitate: To be slow to act, speak, or decide.
To pause in uncertainty, waver.
Sedentary: Attached to a surface and not moving
freely.
Preoccupied: To occupy completely the mind or
attention of, engross.
God almighty encourages us to be reflective creatures
(3:19,16:44, 6:126) and discourages us from being
hesitant (57:14). If a person is reflecting, then one is
in a state of mental concentration and careful
consideration. If a person is hesitating, then one is
slow to act, speak, or decide, which in most of the time
results in a neutral presence/pause. When comparing the
definitions, it appears that the actions one chooses in
life can be mistaken as either hesitant or
reflective. But one must be careful that they are not
behaving hesitantly and confusing the characteristic of
taking endless time to act on a situation with the
similar characteristic of contemplation, which is used
in reflection when encountering God’s tests.
The consequence of our hesitance to the point of failing
to take a firm, righteous stand is what the Quran
characterizes as CONDEMNED APATHY
The Worst Losers
[57:13] On that day,
the hypocrite men and women will say to
those who believed, "Please allow us to absorb some of
your light." It will be said, "Go back behind you, and
seek light." A barrier will be set up between them,
whose gate separates mercy on the inner side, from
retribution on the outer side.
[57:14] They will call upon them,
"Were we not with you?" They will answer, "Yes,
but you cheated your souls, hesitated, doubted, and
became misled by wishful thinking, until GOD's judgment
came. You were diverted from GOD by illusions.
[57:15] "Therefore, today no
ransom can be taken from you, nor from those who
disbelieved. Your
abode is the fire; it is your lord, and miserable
abode."
God uses the example of the SEDENTARY
in the Quran to describe those who hesitate until they
wrong their souls and fall into apathy. When we are true
believers in God, we strive with our lives in His
cause without hesitating, otherwise our hearts will be
sealed and we will not be able to comprehend.
[9:86] When a sura is revealed,
stating: "Believe in GOD, and strive with His
messenger," even the strong among them say,
"Let us stay behind!"
[9:87] They chose to
be with the sedentary.
Consequently, their hearts were sealed, and
thus, they cannot comprehend.
[9:95] They will swear by GOD to
you, when you return to them, that you may
disregard them. Do disregard them. They are
polluted, and their destiny is Hell, as a requital for
the sins they have earned.
[9:96] They swear to you, that
you may pardon them. Even if you pardon them,
GOD does not pardon such wicked people.
Fear, doubt, and hardship trigger our hesitation and
compromises. However, it is God's system that He will
test us through our fear, doubt, and hardships.
[4:143] They waver in
between, neither belonging to this group,
nor that group. Whomever GOD sends astray, you will
never find a way to guide him.
[9:45] The only people
who wish to be excused are those who do not
really believe in GOD and the Last Day.
Their hearts are full of doubt, and their doubts
cause them to waver.
[9:46] Had they really
wanted to mobilize, they would have
prepared for it thoroughly. But GOD disliked their
participation, so He discouraged them; they were told,
"Stay behind with those who are staying behind."
[9:47] Had they
mobilized with you, they would have created
confusion, and would have caused disputes and divisions
among you. Some of you were apt to
listen to them. GOD is fully aware of the transgressors.
[9:48] They sought to
spread confusion among you in the past, and confounded
matters for you. However, the truth
ultimately prevails, and GOD's plan is carried out, in
spite of them.
[9:49] Some of them would say,
"Give me permission (to stay behind); do not
impose such a hardship on me." In fact,
they have thus incurred a terrible hardship; Hell is
surrounding the disbelievers.
God also informs us that those who are PREOCCUPIED
with earthly illusions do hesitate and trap
themselves into apathy. To create excuses when
required to serve in the cause of God is a form of
preoccupation since the mind of an individual
becomes completely engrossed in convincing himself
and others that he is excused. As a result, one
becomes among the sedentary and also the heedless.
[48:11] The sedentary Arabs
who stay behind will say, "We have been
preoccupied with our money and our families, so ask
forgiveness for us!" They utter with
their tongues what is not in their hearts. Say, "Who
can protect you from GOD, if He willed any adversity
for you, or if He willed any blessing for you?" GOD
is fully Cognizant of everything you do.
God's System Does Not Change
[9:69] Some of those before
you were stronger than you, and possessed more money
and children. They became preoccupied
with their material possessions. Similarly, you have
become preoccupied with your material possessions,
just like those before you have become preoccupied.
You have become totally heedless, just as they were
heedless. Such are the people who
nullify their works, both in this world and in the
Hereafter; they are the losers.
So how does one draw the righteous boundary between
acting hesitantly, committing apathy and reflecting on
the series of tests in his life, and what can one do to
correct his actions if he is hesitating? The Quran
spells out the answers for these questions through many
verses and examples. The following verses are just a few
great examples that we all should examine carefully so
we can have a solid basis and understanding of our
obligations as striving believers. The theme of all
these verses is one: ACT and MOBILIZE to maintain
righteousness and to attain salvation:
- Moses urged his people to mobilize and use God's
spacious land to worship Him freely. The same concept is
repeated in 39:10, 29:56
[7:128] Moses said
to his people, "Seek GOD's help, and steadfastly
persevere. The earth belongs to GOD, and He grants it to
whomever He chooses from among His servants. The
ultimate victory belongs to the righteous."
[7:129] They said, "We
were persecuted before you came to us, and after you
came to us." He said, "Your Lord will annihilate
your enemy and establish you on earth, then He will
see how you behave."
- If God is the ONE who guides (2:272), should we still
act to preach and promote the truth and guide with
it? Yes, we have to. 2:272 doesn't promote apathy, but
it simply teaches us that while exhorting one another to
uphold the truth, the results of our sincere efforts are
in God's hands.
God is the Only One Who Guides
[2:272] You are not
responsible for guiding anyone. GOD is the
only one who guides whoever chooses (to be guided). ...
[7:181] Among our creations,
there are those who guide with the truth,
and the truth renders them righteous.
[4:84] You shall fight
for the cause of GOD; you are responsible only
for your own soul, and exhort the believers
to do the same. GOD will neutralize the
power of those who disbelieve. GOD is much more
powerful, and much more effective.
[103:3] Except those who believe
and lead a righteous life, and exhort one
another to uphold the truth, and exhort one another to
be steadfast.
[6:51] And preach with
this (Quran) to those who reverence the
summoning before their Lord - they have none beside Him
as a Lord and Master, nor an intercessor -
that they may attain salvation.
- In the light of many verses in the Quran,
we are required to condemn evil and advocate
righteousness. This should never get confused with what
is emphasized in 5:105 ( worrying about our own necks)
and similar verses which are often misinterpreted as an
invitation to passiveness and apathy! 5:105 is simply
establishing a divine law in the Quran, which is every
soul is paid only for what it earns.
[5:105] O you who
believe, you should worry only about your own necks.
If the others go astray, they cannot hurt you, as long
as you are guided. To GOD is your ultimate destiny, all
of you, then He will inform you of everything you had
done.
[3:104] Let there be a community
of you who invite to what is good, advocate
righteousness, and forbid evil. These are
the winners.
Apathy Condemned
[5:79] They did not
enjoin one another from committing evil. Miserable
indeed is what they did.
[5:80] You would see many of them
allying themselves with those who disbelieve. Miserable
indeed is what their hands have sent forth on behalf of
their souls. GOD is angry with them and, consequently,
they will abide forever in retribution.
[5:81] Had they
believed in GOD, and the prophet, and in what was
revealed to him herein, they would not have befriended
them. But many of them are evil.
- Changing our conditions and reforming cannot be
accomplished with an apathetic attitude!
[13:11] Shifts (of angels) take
turns, staying with each one of you - they are in front
of you and behind you. They stay with you, and guard you
in accordance with GOD's commands. Thus, GOD
does not change the condition of any people unless they
themselves make the decision to change. If
GOD wills any hardship for any people, no force can stop
it. For they have none beside Him as Lord and Master.
- Should we focus on pursuing peace (49:10) with our
friends and allies, trade in God's commands for the sake
of social functions and harmony? We should never
overlook the fact that real peace is only achieved by
advocating God's laws (49:9) and can never be
established on a weak foundation such as apathy.
[6:70] You shall
disregard those who take their religion in vain, as if
it is a social function, and are totally absorbed in
this worldly life. Remind with this (Quran), lest a soul
may suffer the consequences of its evil earnings.
....
[47:35] Therefore,
you shall not waver and surrender in pursuit of
peace, for you are
guaranteed victory, and GOD is with you. He will
never waste your efforts.
Reconcile The Believers
[49:9] If two groups of believers
fought with each other, you shall
reconcile them. If one group aggresses against
the other, you shall fight the aggressing group until
they submit to GOD's command.
Once they submit, you shall reconcile
the two groups equitably. You
shall maintain justice; GOD loves those who are
just.
[25:52] Therefore, do not obey
the disbelievers, and strive against them
with this, a great striving.
By examining all the above reminders, we can easily
conclude that apathy hurts our souls and our
communities. Our souls regress and become heedless when
we slow down, hesitate, or fail to support God's truth
and act appropriately in the right time and for the
right cause. With the same token of our apathy, those
who are transgressing around us are
deprived from hearing a firm, loud and righteous voice
addressing their aggression and unrighteousness. They
too lose their souls and indulge deeper into their
aggression. Ultimately, this weakens the foothold of any
community. The hesitance and the apathetic attitude when
addressing/dealing with unrighteous behavior is indeed
one of the most divisive and destructive epidemic in any
community.
Let us pray that if called to serve and strive in the
cause of God, that we will always REFLECT, DECIDE AND
ACT based on His commands. Let's pray that we always
PERSEVERE in promoting His truth, and HOLD FAST to His
rope, with no wavering or apathy, so we stay united and
maintain our strength.
[3:200] O you who
believe, you shall be steadfast, you shall persevere,
you shall be united, you shall observe GOD, that you may
succeed.
Believers are United
[3:103] You shall hold
fast to the rope of GOD, all of you, and do not be
divided. Recall GOD's blessings upon you - you
used to be enemies and He reconciled your hearts. By His
grace, you became brethren. You were at the brink of a
pit of fire, and He saved you therefrom. GOD thus
explains His revelations for you, that you may be
guided.
[61:4] GOD loves those
who fight in His cause united in one column, like the
bricks in one wall.
Peaceful Friday, salaam and God bless.
