Way of The Seekers — Page 16
16 THE What is Khulq To deal with morals as a subject, we first need to have some kind of definition of the terms moral, morality or Khulq as they say in Arabic. On this apparently very simple subject, all religious teachings and philosophies, excepting those of Islam, have made mistakes. They have defined this term in a variety of ways. (1) According to some, Khulq is a deep rooted instinct or faculty which enables a person to choose and adopt a course of action instantly, without having to weigh or consider and judge; or to reject immediately a course of action, without any rational consideration. (2) According to a second way of thinking Khulq is a kind of sensitivity implanted in man, as evidence of the existence of a Being like God. (3) According to a third way of thinking, Khulq is a capacity which has evolved slowly and is now inherited from generation to generation. It consists of making and appreciating moral distinctions. Western philosophers seem to have arrived at this view. To my mind, a moral state or moral activity comes Into play when a person’s natural disposition begins to function in collaboration with his reason, and he or she becomes capable of choosing or rejecting the natural play of this disposition. If this play proceeds from a being devoid of reason, then the play is natural, not moral as in the case of animals or children. Animals love or behave in a friendly manner. But nobody calls them moral. Sometimes activities resembling human activities appear even In plants or metals or stones. We call such activities natural. This part of the subject is difficult. But it is an essential link between what I have said so far and what I am going to say further. I define moral action as action proceeding from a person who is capable of thinking and reasoning, also of choosing or rejecting a course of action. Such action could be good or bad.