himself into a jungle of complaint. This way is without doubt the
way of Satan, even if it is couched in beautiful language.
In many such places as Kashmir, where Muslims have futilely
adopted the path of confrontation, because of some political
grudge, there are examples of Muslims who have not been deprived
of everything but only of a few things and on this account they
have become unnecessarily sensitive. It is this excessive sensitivity
which is their real problem. If they could get over the feeling, they
would feel all of a sudden that they had already been granted so
many blessings that they would do better to launch a movement of
gratefulness rather than ungratefulness and complaint.
Beautification of Violence
Violence is a destructive activity, in its full sense. The whole of
history tells us that no individual or group has ever achieved any
positive success through violence. Whenever an individual or a
group has opted for the way of violence, it has been requited only
with destruction and there has been no constructive outcome
whatsoever.
Then, why is it that people repeatedly resort to violence? The
reason is the beautification of Satan. We learn from the Quran that
the way of Satan is to present a wrong act in beautiful words, thereby
representing the work of evil as a kind of reform: “I shall make the
path of error seem alluring to them on the earth and shall mislead
them all.” (15:39)
In this way Satan influences people’s minds, giving them a false
sense of conviction that their activities are not acts of violence, but
rather acts of pious jihad; that it is the way of martyrdom which will
lead them straight to heaven.
In thiswayby fallingunder the influenceof satanicbeautification,
they engage in violent activities. They are in error but Satan tells
them that they are working in the right direction.
There is only one way to save oneself from satanic beautification,
and that is, to judge one’s actions by their results. The destruction
which ensues from violent acts and the closing of all doors to
opportunities should be enough to convince us that such acts are
the result of satanic beautification. As such, those who engage in
such activities should offer their sincere repentance to God, and
sedulously abstain from all such wrongdoing.
The Lesson of the Spring
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