OF late, we are witnesses to a list of unprecedented violent and inhuman acts, both locally and internationally. In the local scene, we have been exposed to brutal murders, child abuse and rapes, to cite a few and on the international front we have seen wars and terrorist activities.
It is indeed ironic that while mankind reveres the advancements made in the many areas of science and technology, they are systematically being used in wars and ethnic cleansing.
This was apparent during the last century, and seems to still be true in the first few years of the new millennium.
While mankind upholds the esteemed tenet of democracy, that is, free speech, we see people abusing and misusing it to spread malicious rumours and unfounded allegations which lead to panic and chaos. While mankind applauds the advent of the Information Age, information itself has been misconstrued and twisted.
While we welcome cultural assimilation, we find ourselves coming face to face with disturbing moral issues such as homosexuality, free sex, premarital sex, extramarital affairs, incest and statutory rapes.
This list of paradoxes can be as long as we want them to be. These paradoxes are some of the things that occurred in 2003 around the world as well as in our own country.
These paradoxes are said to have been the result of globalisation. It is said that the accelerating march of globalisation promises to bring with it an unprecedented barrage of cultural, societal, economic and political impacts – both good and bad – right in front of our doorsteps.
The “animal” that is globalisation seems unstoppable. With the beginning of the new year, the time has come for everyone to shift from just talking about the impact of globalisation to using globalisation as a tool for the betterment of mankind.
We are only a few days into the new year. What does 2004 hold for us? More sufferings, wars, ethnic cleansing, nuclear catastrophes, economic imbalance, moral decay and social upheavals? Most definitely.
To borrow and paraphrase the famous quote of Martin Luther King, perhaps the time has come for us to dare to dream for a better global society where people of different beliefs and cultures respect and tolerate each other.
A global society where differing ideologies are threshed out diplomatically without resorting to wars and confrontations. A global society where the economic pie is shared equally by all. A global society where positive and progressive norms and values are upheld and cherished.
Basically, everyone has their own ideas of a better society. Whateve name one calls this society, the basic underlying idea is to strive for a better society for the future. And the establishment of this society needs to begin at home.
In creating this better society, the answer for Muslims is to go back to the religious values as taught in Islam via the Quran and the traditions of the Prophet Muhammad. Islam is a comprehensive religion and is not just a religion about rites and rituals.
Islam encompasses every aspect of life. Hence, the values as preached by Islam are universal. It can be used by anyone at any point in time and at all places. Muslims as mentioned in the Quran are the khaira ummah or the best of peoples. The guidance set by the Quran and exemplified by Prophet Muhammad are attributes that can truly form a better society.
The 14th century Muslim historian and thinker, Ibn Khaldun, had observed that economic prosperity could erode the moral fibre of societies. This can indeed be seen very lucidly in our societies today, from developed nations to developing nations.
Even those who are underdeveloped or undeveloped are left unscathed by this erosion. The number of cases of broken homes, single parents, drug abuse and addiction, AIDS, child abuse, abortions, abandoning of newly born babies, corruption, bribery and others are increasing by the year.
This frightening list goes on and on. The number seems to go up and up. It is wrong to assume that social ills are dominant only in particular strata of the society. The ills can befall anyone regardless of age, gender, race and status in society.
Therefore, the challenge to overcome these ills cannot and should not be focused only on certain sections of society only. Like any disease, we can identify the “carriers” or sources of the social ills. However, we must also remember that ofttimes it is much easier to assign blame to someone else.
We can easily see that the challenge of overcoming the social ills is a great task indeed. It is of utmost importance that the social ills be viewed as “challenges that need to be overcome” rather than “problems besetting the society”.
Every issue needs to be addressed and tackled with wisdom and great care. The question now is: How can the social ills be tackled in order to realise the formation of a better society?
As mentioned earlier, the answer lies in returning to the path of religion, that is, by upholding and practising the values and norms preached by religion. It is imperative that we recognise that this is a multi-dimensional approach, namely by addressing the material (physical), emotional, intellectual, social, psychological and spiritual aspects.
Religious values and virtues play an important role in striking a balance between all these aspects. Hence, it can be said that religion acts as the remedy for the ills. Of course, like any medication, it may be bitter to swallow at first, but in the long run, it does a whole world of good.
Society must also understand the universal doctrine that highlights the rationale that in every aspect of our lives, we want the best and we want to be the best. This can only be attained if society adheres to the positive and good norms of life.
Islam believes that within one’s self is the potential to be a good person. This potential or desire is normally greater than the potential or desire to be a bad or evil person. That is why we must ensure that we are not easily swayed by negative influences that will throw this potential on the opposite direction.
The loss sense of purpose as we further progress must be avoided in our society. According to the Islamic point of view, change and development refer to the return of genuine Islam enunciated and practised by the Prophet.
Islamic values as again stated earlier are universal. Islam is a way of life, and thus the religion affects or rather influences the culture of the society whose peoples are Muslims or the majority of the people are Muslims.
Inevitably the cultural values of these societies are that of Islam as well. We can observe this clearly from the plural society of Malaysia where Islam is the official religion. The Islamic values are part and parcel of everyday’s life in the Malaysian society.
It goes without saying that all of us would like to see the year 2004 as a year where peace and equity are valued. The fate of the future lies with our youth. Hence, it is imperative that we prepare the younger generation of today with religious values and virtues so that they will be able to manage the everchanging world of tomorrow with wisdom, knowledge and maturity.
It is in the nature of man to have angelic and animalistic inclinations. Islam does not insist that the latter be eliminated as it is a natural component that constitutes the characteristic of man.
The purpose of religion is to purify the latter component so that it submits to the former. The animalistic component provides the energy while the angelic elements are to ensure that whatever that is done is within the realms of human nobility.
This is why it is of great import that religious (and cultural) values be instilled. Otherwise, the dream to create a better society would remain just that. The Islamic approach to the development of a better society is an approach to human civilisation as a whole.
Nonetheless, we must always remember that in any given situation at any given time, we should adhere to the principle of alwaqiyah khairun min alilaj (prevention is better than cure).
The prevention lies with religious and cultural values and virtues. May 2004 brings forth better and greater things for Malaysia, and peace and prosperity around the world.