Only Reacting And Reacting Very Late

This is with reference to the rulings passed by our ‘Ulama and the opinions given by them on a number of issues – as observed over a long period of time. Once a product or a service (e.g. Internet or a medical advancement) has arrived in the market and has become common, our religious scholarship starts debating about its permissibility or otherwise. And passes a ruling afterwards. There is no harm in reacting and there is no problem in issuing a decree.

There is, however, a very big harm in not being proactive. Why is it that we always react to a situation? Why aren’t we proactive? Why is it that we always pass a decree from a safe DISTANCE – without actually being in the thick of it and in fact leading the advancement of humankind in all walks of its life? Why are we mostly the spectators? Why aren’t we the players?

There is no harm in not carrying out the above either. The greater harm is in not deeply realizing what we are expected to carry out. I admire the following couplets quoted by Muhtaram Razi Raziuddin Saheb in one of his very important emails:

zindagee saahil-o-toofaaN ka nazaara hi naheeN

kabhee daryaa meiN utar jaaney ki bhee baat kareiN!

khud meiN simtey hu’ey rahnaa to hai tauheen-e-junooN

saath maujouN key bikhar jaaney ki bhee baat kareiN!

Next time when we hear about any such debates as mentioned above let us keep the question “why from a safe DISTANCE” in view.