Monday 19 August 2013

Having a stand

Given the opportunities provided by various social media platforms, many people share their views on many matters, personal or public. Given that what we read on these platforms come to us based on who and how much we let others to share their thoughts on our defined space, we should not get upset if those views are not aligned with ours. Simply shut them off or just ignore those views.

However, I notice quite a number of us publicly expressed their dissatisfaction just because opposing views appear on their page. Please, grow up. Understand the concept of social media. You are reading those comments or remarks because you have allowed the people making those remarks to be your "friends" or the setting of our page allows them to appear on your page. Just remove the unfriendly "friends" or adjust your settings. On the other hand, please remember that many others are reading your comments and thoughts and not all may be agreeable with you. 


At this age and time, we should be able to ignore opposing views. If we want to engage and try to provide our side of perspectives, please do that in a very matured and dignified manner. If you cross the line and use insulting or vulgar languages, the one that will look like a fool will be you, not the other guys.

However, when it comes to make a stand as a group, things will be a bit more difficult. Given people in a group may have different interests and likings, to have a view with accommodates all these interests will be really challenging. Even on something which is quite obvious such as when people are murdered in front of TV cameras, many are thorn between whether those are actions with utmost restrained, friendly fire or simply, murder. There are countries which make it very clear such actions were simply democracy in actions, there are those which expressed their disgust over the lack of value given to human lives. Many remained quite, as if there were no leaders in office to take a stand in a situation where the value of humanity is at stake.


It is also interesting where the so called "liberals" liberally picking and choosing the truth they want to believe in. When they feel not to like a group of people, it does not matter what the facts are, the "liberals" will side the other side with all sorts of justifications.

While people are free to believe what they want to believe, Muslims cannot depart from the ultimate truth as prescribed in the Quran and the Sunnah. Yes, Islam is a revealed religion and it has its sets of predetermined principles which guide its followers in arriving at their stand when an event occur. This is where, sometimes, even the Muslims get themselves confused, what more those who do not understand this belief system. 


Many Muslims ignore the teachings of the Quran and the Sunnah and use their mind liberally. Islam does not prohibit people from thinking but it has set a framework to determine what is right or wrong. Since this is based on believe, one cannot want to be a believer and at the same time having a belief that is not based on the framework articulated by the Quran and Sunnah. In some society the belief of its people is defined by law. However, this does not work all the time as belief is in our hearts and not what the letter of the law wants us to believe in.

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