Malfuzat - Volume VII — Page 77
29 December 1904 77 After Shunning Evil, Achieving Virtue is the Primary Objective Nevertheless, keep this point in mind that when it is written in the books that you should abandon evil and do good, some people walk away with the meagre understanding that the per- fection of virtue is only to the extent of such notorious sins as theft, adultery, backbiting, dishonesty, gazing with evil intent, etc. They avoid the major sins and begin to perceive themselves as achieving all the degrees of virtue and being something truly special; whereas, if you carefully think about it, this is nothing at all. Many people do not steal. Many do not commit robber- ies, shed blood, gaze with evil intent, or indulge in other wicked habits. At most, we can say that such a person has renounced evil, even if it be for mere lack of ability. The Holy Quran does not merely demand something so trivial as a man renouncing evil whereby he thinks: ‘That’s all! I’m perfect now. ’ Nay, rather it desires to confer upon man the highest degree of excellences and the most exceptional stand- ard of morality, carrying out such deeds and actions encom- passing virtue and compassion for humanity with their reward being that Allah the Exalted might be well pleased with him. I repeatedly say that no one from among you should think that renouncing evil is the height of your progress and spiritual per- fection. Renunciation of evil alone does not capture the full meaning and intent of virtue within it. Repeatedly thinking that I have not committed murder is not a virtue since it is not something everyone can do, or to say that I have not committed adultery since committing adultery is the work of vile people, not of a noble person. Abstaining from such vices will, at most, exclude a person from the category of