Islam's Response to Contemporary Issues — Page 64
64 islam’s response to contemporary issues It is also interesting to note that in a godless or semi-godless society where the concept of answerability after death is rejected entirely or treated so lightly and vaguely as to practically render it meaningless, it is very difficult indeed to find a definition of crime, which is fully supported, in a sound moral philosophy. It is very difficult to conceive that members of a godless society will be truly convinced of the wrong they commit when they break a law. After all, what is law? Is it the word of a despot or an absolute ruler, the decision of totalitarian regimes, or the dictate of a democratic majority? To a common man, which of the above should appear to be a just legislation based on sound moral philosophy? What moral philosophy indeed? If he does not owe his existence to any Being, or if he has no fear of being questioned regarding his conduct during his earthly life in the life to come, since, according to him, there is no life Hereafter, then the answers to the questions raised above, from his vantage point, could be very different from the requirements of a responsible society. He has only this short life to live. He needs society only for his own benefit. He submits to the superior authority of the society only out of necessity. If he can run away with some self-appropriated benefit and snatch a few moments of pleasure here and there while remaining clever enough to escape detection, why not? What so-called ‘moral’ inhibition could stop his hand? This psychological attitude towards crime begins to develop and become stronger with the passage of time in godless and materialistic societies. This exactly has been mentioned in the Holy Quran as the essence of the materialistic society. The disbelievers declare: