Islam's Response to Contemporary Issues — Page 112
112 islam’s response to contemporary issues is borne out of watching such programmes. The child grows with the potential of becoming a would-be criminal. In the programmes for adults, innovative methods of committing crime are inadvertently taught. A leisurely life of fun and playfulness portraying what life should be is painted so rosily that it leaves a false impression on the mind. Alas! Little do they realise the distance between fantasy and realities and between what should be and what is. The pursuit of vain pleasures forbidden in the Holy Quran is not that minor or inconsequential as most may consider it to be. This and many other modes of entertainment play an important role in the creation of an atmosphere where the level of frustration continues to rise. One wonders when the point of saturation may be reached. Bridling of Desires The Holy Quran requires the bridling of desires: envy may not be permitted to give birth to inordinate, insatiable desires. This teaching contains a very important message regarding discipline and the trimming of desires. Islam, of course, is not a religion of escapism or denial by monasticism or asceticism whereby man is required to negate all his natural desires to achieve Nirvana or deliverance from material bondage. According to the philosophy of Nirvana , it is the desires, which bind us to matter and enslave us to materialism. The simple answer is to deny oneself all desires. Islam rejects this philosophy as man-made, unnatural and inadequate to resolve problems. The concept of Nirvana is closer to death than peace. Islam has a completely different solution to offer.