I read an interesting view by Dina Zaman in The Star today. I couldn't help but recall an interesting conversation I had with a long time girlfriend in regards to the term "God Fearing". Why does Islam emphasis on fearing our Creator so much in our sermons while many others prefer to embrace the loving and the forgiving Father?
In Dina's article she seemed enlightened and expressed a form of revelation (perhaps hers) to the more 'liberal' interpretation of Al-Baqarah's "...let there be no doubt about it - is (meant to be) a guidance for the God conscious". According to Mohamad Asad (the Orientalist and liberal scholar Dina was quoting) the long-running or more traditional translation of 'muttaqi', which mostly been understood as God fearing does not encompass the actual meaning that includes what is stated as the more 'positive content of this expression' -- namely, the awareness of His all-presence and the desire to mould one's existence in the light of this awareness...
Dina continued to make comparison to two other great translations by Dr Muhammad taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali and Dr Muhammad Muhsin Khan, "This is the Book (the Quran), whereof there is no doubt, a guidance to those who are Al-Muttaqun [the pious and righteous persons who fear Allah much (abstain from all kinds of sins and evil deeds which He has forbidden) and love Allah much (perform all kinds of good deeds which He has ordained)]
I'm inclined to agree to the latter, not because I am a traditionalist or a fundamentalist, but because it makes more sense. Being just positive can be quite disillusioning and misleading, because then people forget about consequences. When we forget about consequences, we pay less attention to wrong doings, hence the prevalent human nature to abuse, disregard rules and regulation, and abandonment of human nature altogether.
We already know that at the core of our existence IS our Creator. In Islam, everything we do, we do for Him. But to only speak about love and forgiveness is not enough, because even at the most micro level, we know that these are easily taken for granted and forgotten. But, to be reminded of repercussions of one's actions and to be warned of what may come with wrong doings works very well, and can be showcased even at the most micro level.
Simple case in point:
Molly coddling mummy is loving and forgiving; showers her children with unconditional love and gives in at her children's whims would, at most times, fail to mould her children in the light of her presence. The desire for her children to follow her footsteps usually fails because they are busy being the master of mummy; bossing her for meals and transportation, which she offers with unconditional love. At ever opportunity to misbehave, they will commit the offence as they know they are never reprimanded for any wrong-doing, hence, mummy's existence or authority is barely recognized. This simple reversal in role, where mummy (master) becomes the servant of her children, suggests that to create any form of awareness in her children by only showering them with love and forgiveness is impossible. At the end of the day, when the children discovers adulthood and independence, the mother would then be rendered irrelevant and useless, and eventually discarded in disdain for being an aging burden.
Another mother loves too. She gives up everything and sacrifices time, friends, money, dreams and everything she could in order to provide, educate and raise her children. She is loving and she is forgiving. She gives endlessly -- but, she puts down rules and she highlights the repercussion. Every wrong doing receives lessons and repercussions while every deed is equally showered with lessons and recognition. I bet, it would be hard for her children to forget her presence and will forever be aware between which character is best to mould after.
Which children do you think will fair better in terms of heightened awareness?
In all the stories we've read in our Holy Book, His advise will speak of situations experienced by people who went against and people who followed our Loving and Forgiving Creator. He teaches us values and happiness through historical moments shared in the many surahs. He also tells the wrath incurred by those who went against Him. These are the ways He creates awareness of His presence -- hence, Him asking us to shape ourselves based on these awareness. He also hints of the everyday existence of His presence through the air that we breath, the food that we eat, the water that we drink and etc. With all these reminders, how can we ever be lacking in awareness unless we rationalize and lift the 'heavyweights' out of the equation of recognizing our Creator for who He is.
So, I strongly believe that we need to be God Fearing. Otherwise, we will be screaming Flower Power and Love All. Peace! Make Love and Not War...and still, end up screwing ourselves because everything will be okay as He will love us anyway and forgive ALL of our sins. Seriously? But, if we fear, we will stop, reflect and make the most informed choices, which is to be loved by Him and do the right thing because doing wrong has sad outcomes. Then we will realize that there is no other choice but to do the right thing, always.
So, it is not the liberal view that I have an issue with, but the entire possibility of misunderstanding of meaning. At the core of our live IS Allah (now repeating myself) -- so how in the world can we not mould our existence in this awareness? It is a given. BUT to be God Fearing...now, that is an uphill struggle, because it is human nature to opt of short cuts and believe in what makes us feel good. We tend to make excuses to lighten the weight of wrong doing so that we can rationalize our need to commit a 'crime', if not upon ourselves, to others. So, I strongly believe to just take the positive and alienating the consequences will not do us justice.
Be God fearing. There are great positives that comes out of that...always
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