The Crisis of Ethics in Society
The term “Society” refers to the collective of individuals, and each person is responsible for keeping their society pure and clean. They should contemplate how to eliminate impure and negative elements from it. When each individual is concerned about the reform and improvement of society, all members of society will be integrated into a pure and upright framework.
In our society, a severe moral crisis has made people victims of waywardness, as they have abandoned the distinction between what is permissible (halal) and impermissible (haram), and have neglected to discern between goodness and evil. Shouldn’t we think about this? The disorder prevailing in our society has reasons. Are we fulfilling our responsibility? If we ponder, we will find that we are not fulfilling our duty.
Islam has not only assigned the responsibility of self-reform to individuals but also extended it to the reform of their families, offspring, and loved ones. In this modern age of technology, numerous changes have occurred in our society, leading to the corruption of the younger generation. However, the blame for this corruption lies not only with modern technology and media but also with all of us. We are quick to criticize technology, modernity, and the environment, but we do not take any action to improve them.
Our favourite pastime is to hold others accountable and shift our responsibilities onto others, putting all our faults on someone else’s shoulders. We criticize technology, modernity, and the media, but we ourselves are not taking any steps for their improvement. We are excellent advocates for the rights of others, even serving as judges for their rights. Still, when it comes to ourselves, we become the best defence attorneys, preparing numerous justifications for self-improvement. We have a multitude of arguments in our minds to prove ourselves the best but, unfortunately, get involved in falsely accusing others of being infidels and evildoers.
Fulfilling our duty involves advising others near us. This is the only task through which we contribute to societal reform with full consciousness. However, we have forgotten that actions speak louder than words. Societal reform is impossible until we initiate it from within ourselves because people pay more attention to your actions than your words. Until you improve yourself, you cannot lead anyone on the right path. If we can make ourselves better, rest assured, the entire society will automatically improve. The command of Allah Almighty is: “Save yourselves and your families from the Fire.”
It is clear that we must first save ourselves and then preach to others. This is the essence that requires us to reflect and contemplate. We need to introspect to see if the mistakes others are making are also present within us. If God forbid, it is within us, then the first priority is to rectify it, not to curse and criticize others. First, eliminate the mistake that we ourselves are committing. If someone is making a mistake, it becomes our duty to inquire with our conscience whether we, too, are guilty of the same. For the societal reform, we need to be wise, knowledgeable, patient, and adhere to Islamic teachings and prophetic principles. Only then can we truly integrate into the framework of a pure society?
Our religion, Islam, is true, and Islam has taught Muslims to assess their surroundings and be concerned about rectifying the prevailing issues. Islam is a comprehensive way of life encompassing guidance for every class, and there is nothing in this transient world that Islam does not provide guidance on. After leaving this worldly life, there will be the Day of Judgment, and we will go through stages of accountability and retribution. Hence, we must prepare our children for this retribution as well. We need to establish a foundation of education for them and instill values in their minds from childhood, so that they develop a strong faith and a disdain for sins. We should ensure that the recitation of the Holy Quran is maintained in our homes, and dedicated time should be allocated for discussions about Islam among family members. We must correct our own actions so that, if our children follow in our footsteps, they can be proud.
All we need to do is establish a strong connection with our true Master and surrender all our desires before the command of Allah Almighty. Our society is not on the path of reform due to distancing from the teachings of Prophet Muhammad, and deviation from prophetic principles. If we align ourselves with the principles of Islam, follow the established principles of Prophet Muhammad, and sincerely adopt the principles of “enjoining good and forbidding evil,” then we can certainly build a pure society. We should pray to Allah Almighty at all times for guidance to lead our families and loved ones on the straight path and for the strength to act upon it.
Journalist