If
Allah prohibits man from having a cruel trait, it’s definite that Allah SWT wants
man to have the opposite trait, that is characteristics of compassion,
politeness, affectionate, giving, loving and caring, respectful, just, doing
good deeds and other similarly good characteristics. These are the
characteristics taught in the Islamic religion and these are characteristics
nurtured and enriched by those who have faith in Allah and are hopeful of His
pleasure towards them in the hereafter.
Meaning and the
Character of Cruelty
Islamic
teachings emphasise that acts of cruelty are not just categorized by acts that
are physical only, for example murdering innocent members of the public,
destroying and vandalizing public property, acting violently, cruelly and with
force, and oppressing individuals. Among others, what can be considered as cruel
is also when someone has an understanding or concept within himself (in his
heart), concepts that are destructive, feelings of jealousy, treachery, proud,
haughtiness, `shirk’ (regarding others as partners with God), which in Islam is
a major sin and having no faith in Allah.
This
corresponds with the Prophet SAW’s hadith :
ألا وإن في الجسد مضغة: إذا صلحت صلح
الجسد كله، وإذا فسدت فسد الجسد كله، ألا وهي القلب
Which means: `There is in the body a clump of
flesh – if it becomes good, the whole body becomes good and if it becomes bad,
the whole body becomes bad, And indeed it is the heart”
If we refer
to the origin of the word cruel in the Arabic language, the word is
originally a verb;
ظلم : يظلم : ظلما = ظلمه
8Fourty
Hadiths Imam Nawawi; the 6th hadith; 9Idris AlMarbawi
Arabic Malay Dictionary
Which means: He who ill treats or he who does cruel
deeds.
From the origin of the word cruel,
it can be deduced that the characteristic of being cruel happens in two ways,
firstly it can happen upon the person himself, whereby he is cruel to himself
and the harmful consequences befall upon himself and secondly a person does a
cruel deed whereby the harm and destruction befall another party who has to
bear the consequences of the actions of the cruel perpetrator.
Characteristics
of Cruelty
Allah SWT has given many examples and similes that
can be gathered in the category of cruel behaviour, being cruel directly
portrays the thoughts and doctrine of the group, some examples and parables can
be seen in Allah SWT’s decrees as follows:
1)
The character of being transgressor, disobedient and
sinning
" فبدت
الذين ظلموا قولا غير الذي قيل لهم فأنزلنا على الذين ظلموا رجزا من السمآءبما
كانوا يفسقون"
Which means
:`But the transgressors changed the word from that which had been given them;
so We sent on the transgressors a plague from heaven, for that they infringed
on Our command repeatedly.’
In this verse Allah has gathered
people who infringe on His commands, that is by committing sins, causing damages
and destruction or doing sinful acts against Allah’s orders and command, as
people who are cruel.
2)
The Characteristic
of Lying and Prohibiting Truth
As in Allah SWT’s decree in Surah Hud, verse 18
which reads:
و من أظلم ممن افترى
على الله كذبا, أولئك يعرضون على ربهم و يقول الأشهد هؤلآء الذين كذبوا على ربهم
ألا لعنة الله على الظالمين , الذين يصدون عن سبيل الله و يبغونها عوجا و هم
بالأخرة هم كافرون
Which means:` Who doth more wrong
than those who invent a lie against God? They will be turned back to the
presence of their Lord, and the witnesses will say : These are the ones who
lied against their Lord! Behold! the curse of God is on those who do wrong,
those who hinder (men) from the path of God and would seek in it something crooked,
these are those who denied the Hereafter.
In this verse, Allah SWT explains
about the characteristics of cruel people, lying about Allah’s words, and
denying the existence of the hereafter and hindering men from the straight
path, they hate Islamic teachings and they try their best to lead others
astray, taking them away from following this path.
3)
The Characteristic of Disobedience towards Truth
Alah SWT’s decree in surah Al Kahfi, verse 57 which
reads :
و
من أظلم ممن ذكر بئايات ربه فأعرض عنها و نسى ما قدمت يداه إنا جعلنا على قلوبهم
أكنة أن يفقهوه و فى ءاذانهم وقرا و إن تدعهم إلى الهدى فلن يهتدوا إذا أبدا
Which means: `And who doth more
wrong than one who is reminded of the signs of his Lord, but turns away from
them, (forgetting the (deeds) which his hands have sent forth?
Verily We have set veils over their
hearts, lest they should understand this, and over their ears, deafness. If
thou calleth them to guidance, even then will they never accept guidance.’
And Allah’s decree in Surah
Ash-Shaaf, verse 7 that reads: (Continue.....)
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