Honesty

Holy Qur'an 83/1 to 6
 
We wish and pray for peace, serenity and tranquility for all our esteemed viewers and a blissful and prosperous life, with dignified provisions and all good things of the world. May the peace and blessings of ALLAH be on all of us! Asalamoalekum Wa Rehmatullahi Wa Barakatohu
 
Through this traditional greeting, we assure and express our regards, reverence and good wishes for you and for all mankind. May the CREATOR and SUSTAINER of the Universe shower HIS Bounties on all HIS creatures on this earth!
 
Now we take recourse to the Last & Final Testament of our LORD in order to reform and develop our actions, emotions and attitudes, in conformity with the Glorious Qur’an, the Divine Book of Guidance. We profess and testify the Oneness of our LORD and strive for purification and perfection of our own life. We strongly believe that no course on this earth can ensure an all-round development of our personality than the teachings of the Holy Qur’an and the practice of The Prophet, Mohammed (s.a.w.s) who has set the highest standards of piety and righteousness.
 
Today we shall ponder over chapter 83 Al Mutaffefeen, which consists of 36 verses. We will recite the first 6 verses of the chapter and seek guidance and draw lessons from them in order to scrutinize and modify our behavior in the light of the Divine injunctions.
 
 
 
 
Dear viewers, rendering the Heavenly words of ALLAH exactly in any language of this earth is next to impossible. The words of Men can never be a match for the diction of GOD ALMIGHTY. And so this is only an attempt to get closer to the contents and spirit of the original verses. May the LORD of the worlds help us in this humble effort!
 
“Woe and affliction for those who give short measure.”
“When they are to receive their dues from others, they wish and try that they must get in full.”
“But when they have to pay or repay by measure or weight to others, they try to give less than what is due!”
“Do they not aware that they are bound to be raised-up from the dead.”
“And will be called to account, on an awesome fateful Day.”
“The Day when the whole mankind will stand before the SUSTAINER of all the worlds, and will be judged, and will have to suffer what wrongs they did on this earth?”
 
In the beginning of this chapter, GOD ALMIGHTY issues a strict warning for all those who do not observe due balance in all their actions. Those are the people who always want the advantage on their side, whether it is a business deal or a social accord. When they receive, they want the weighing scale to tilt in their favor, but when they give they weigh less than what is due. They temper with their measurements and try to deceive the buyer by delivering sub-standard goods. It does not matter whether it is the weight or volumetric scale or linear or any other measurement. All their dealings are fraught with dishonesty and deception.
 
As a matter of fact, Man by birth is short-sighted. It is human nature to be always in hurry to acquire. We care little for what lies in store for us. Our LORD declares in chapter 75/20, 21:
 
 
“Nay, O mankind! It is the fact that you care only for this fleeting life, and give no thought to (the Day of Judgment) and the life to come!”
 
We do not strike a balance in our dealings. Our interest is always in the uppermost of our mind. We are guided by this instinct even for a paltry gain. We hardly feel any hesitation in causing damage to other fellow beings. We always want others to be at the receiving end. It is because we have poor vision. We are unable to see the eternal gains that are linked with our honesty and integrity. We scrabble for the good things of this world, but they are of no value compared to the spiritual gifts of the next world.
 
Let us therefore ponder over the Commandments of our LORD to remove this opaqueness of our vision, and be closer to the parameters and standard set by these verses. May GOD ALMIGHTY help us in this endeavor.
 
The Divine Wisdom tells us that a man should be honest in every day matters, such as weighing out things he is selling. He should give just measure and weigh with a balance that is straight. But it will be wrong to limit the jurisdiction of these verses only to the business dealings and over-the-counter sales. In essence, these verses reveal the psychology of people. That is, when we take, we want the returns maximum. But when we make payments, we tend to pay the minimum. We are very sensitive and over-cautious in respect of claiming our rights. But in discharging our obligations, we are not so careful and serious.
Now let us review this tendency from a businessman point of view. Most of the people seem to have developed this thinking that, why should they pay in full when they themselves are not getting it either. They argue how they can be honest when the whole system is corrupt. Although in today’s world of materialistic greed, every country in the world has legislations for proper weight and measurement. They have the agencies to enforce these laws. For instance, it is mandatory for every producer of goods to inscribe the weight and price of a product even on a wrapper of soap. And so they do it. But what is the common practice? Though in principle, minor variation in weight or quality is allowed. But do you know that these variations are always in minus, never in plus. Why? Can it be a criterion for a man of high moral to take recourse to such unethical practices? Should he also adopt such ‘tricks of the trade?’
 
The All-knowing GOD ALMIGHTY in the next verse reveals the reason for this human psyche.
 
 
“Do they not aware that they are bound to be raised-up from the dead! And will be called to account on an awesome fateful Day! The Day when the whole mankind will stand before the SUSTAINER of all the worlds, and will be judged, and will have to suffer what misdemeanor they did on this earth?”
 
Do we think that it will all go unnoticed? No! Certainly not! We must reconsider what is the significance of the Day of Judgment. On this ultimate day, the CREATOR and MASTER of the Universe will hold HIS Super Supreme Court, and we shall be called to account for the exercise of every faculty that has been given to us. HE is indeed the Best of all Judges. Can HE allow us to do injustice to any of HIS other creatures? Any man, black or white is after all the son of Adam. He also owes his creation to the Master of the Universe. Will the Real Judge of the Universe not compensate his loss? Will he forgive any of HIS creatures for his maltreatment to others?
 

But then we are guided by the fear, that if we follow these high principles, how could we succeed in business? This is again a proof of our narrow vision. If there is a true and sincere desire to obey the will of ALLAH, the difficulties will vanish automatically. We seem to have forgotten that the allocation of all provisions and growth of all economy are in GOD’s control. HE is the Only Source of all supplies. People or nations prosper only when ALLAH wants them grow in power or riches. In 43/32 HE says:
 
 
“Is it so that among the mankind, they are the distributors of the Mercy and Bounty of your LORD! Certainly not! It is WE who distribute their means of livelihood among them in the life of this world, and raise some of them by degrees above others…..”
 
Now just think, every man in this world, every morning moves out in search of his livelihood, looking for the Bounties of his LORD. All of them are driven by the same desire, dream and ambition. But in the evening he comes back with what his SUSTAINER had granted for him. Had it not been so, every man in this world would have been a multi-millionaire! The people who consider the profit of this world, their ultimate goal are not inclined to give full measure. They regard it not in their interest. But if we go by the moral principles of the Divine Scripture, the result of an honest dealing is better than the immediate gains of this world. But Alas! Man loves haste and things of haste. He pins his hope on the transitory things, and neglects the things of lasting moment. The lures of this world often make Man forget that the life hereafter is an imminent reality.
 
In chapter 17/35 GOD ALMIGHTY commands:
 
 
“And give full measure whenever you measure, and weigh with a balance that is just. This will be best for the society, and this system will prove to be best in the results.”
 
In fact ALLAH’s creation is nothing random or arbitrary. HE has designed this Universe and all its constituents on a law of balance. For instance, we have two retinas in our eyes, and if there is a difference of even a micro-meter, it spoils the facial appearance. If there is an imbalance between the two legs of a man, he cannot walk properly. Similarly, all other organs of a human body maintain a balance. We can therefore draw a lesson, that a man who is better than all creations of GOD ALMIGHTY, should also seriously follow the law of balance in all fairness.
 
In chapter 55/7 to 9 our LORD says
 
 
“And the CREATOR has created the sky and HE raised it high, and HE set up the balance in all the planets. And HE orders you not to transgress neither in measure nor in weight. And do not disturb the natural balance. Establish weight justly and do not short the measure!”
 
Every thing in this world is established on balance and equality. The sky, the sun, the moon, the planets, the stars, the galaxies, if we reflect over all these things, they appear perfectly balanced. Then how come people think that all their unfair dealings will not be taken into account by the Supreme Judge who knows all and who safeguards all interests.
 
We need to review and examine our biased attitude and improper behavior, our immature thoughts and unfair dealings, and set them right according to Divine Injunctions. We must wed out the undesirable and damaging traits, that creep unconsciously in our character. We need to do an introspection to purify our attitude, our line of thinking and our priorities. Let us be conscious of the Ultimate Reality. The life in this world is nothing but probation, and we pray to The ALMIGHTY to let us go through this transitory world successfully. Amen.
 
Having had a comprehensive look on this chapter, we come to the gist of it. We need to check whether we have the following tendencies:
 
1 If we give too little and ask for too much.
2 If we expect full payment but give short weight.
3 If we have different criteria for giving and receiving.
4 If in commercial dealings we expect a higher standard in our favor than we are willing to concede.
5 If we are very sensitive for our dues, but care little for payment.
6 In domestic and social matters if we ask for honour, or respect or service that we are not willing to give from our side in similar circumstances.
7 If we expect our spouse to be loyal and honest while we regard our self free from any obligation.
8 If we enjoy all resources of our country, but are not loyal to the law of the land.
9 If we clamor for our self respect, but humiliate other intentionally.
10 If we want to keep our life and resources intact while willfully destroying the life and limbs of other people.
11 If we want all our rights, but do not care for the rights of other people.
12 If this is what we have been doing, if this is our attitude, we need to answer the question asked in the next verse.
 
 
“Do the mankind is not aware that they are bound to be raised-up from the dead! And will be called to account on an awesome fateful Day! The Day when the whole mankind will stand before the SUSTAINER of all the worlds, and will be judged, and will have to suffer what crimes they did on this earth?”
 
How it can be there, that we usurp the right of other people, and GOD ALMIGHTY does not take notice of it. If we are not loyal to our own self, not loyal to our family and relatives, if we are not loyal to our environment, if we are not loyal in discharging our duties our commitment, in our office, in the market, at our working places, then our LORD puts questions before us.
 
“What do you think, you shall not be resurrected?
Have you got immunity from the traumatic ordeal of the Doomsday?
Do you think the Day of Judgment an ordinary event?
Will not the whole humanity on the Day kneel down before ME?
Do I not have a complete record of your words and deeds?
And most of all, am I not the LORD of the entire Universe?
Am I not the MASTER of the Day of Judgment?
Will I not do justice with MY entire creature?
Will you not stand before me for the Final Reckoning?”
 
These are all very serious question, but sorry to say, they slip out of our mind. We must evaluate our own self right now and repent for all our wrong doings. True repentance washes out the sins of the past.
 
O our LORD, forgive all our lapses committed unknowingly, any excess committed consciously. O our LORD, we seek forgiveness for all our sins of the past. We promise you to be honest in all our dealings. Please enable us to discharge all our duties sincerely. May Our LORD shower HIS mercy on all of us!
 
Thank you very much, GOD Bless you all.