World has changed over a period of time. This is the law of nature. There were some things that were not supposed to change. These are our human values. Changes that have come along with modern civilisation have also brought adverse implications on human society and its values. With this, the menace of pragmatism in human relations between individuals has come.
It is nothing but a breakdown of high moral values and principles of relationships in society. It is very unfortunate. The worst part is the introduction of a new rule for human relationship, which says there should be some ‘interest’ in any human relationship, acquaintance and friendship.
Now, it has become a slogan loudly raised shamelessly. The ships of friendship are sailing only towards people in high posts and influential positions. This is because the worldly interest demands this.
When somebody loses his job or his chair is pulled from under him as happens in some clashes, friendships too end immediately.
This is the reality of the modern-day world. It is highly painful and a sad fact that we confront every day. The high values that our traditions, customs and faith have taught us for maintaining human relations have been ignored.
We have started making friends for certain interests and it is being lauded as ‘pragmatic friendship’. We ignore the criteria that makes a man noble and honourable in the light of the Islamic teachings.
Almighty Allah said, “O mankind! We have created you from a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes that you may know one another. Verily, the most honourable of you with Allah is that who is most pious of you. Verily, Allah is All-Knowing, All-Aware.” (Chapter Hujurat verse-13)
Wisdom is that we should know each other. This is followed by friendship and it should not be conditional.
There are all indications that friendship is now based on interests, not on love, altruism, sacrifice and harmony.
It is a clear sign of pessimism and lack of feelings. This is not the characteristic of human society. This will eventually lead to the loss of human society. We will all become ugly creatures, cruel in shape and behaviour.
Allah has created the human being as a perfect creature. But this human being is losing its perfection in this modern-day world, which is ugly because it has lost its values, principles and humanity. This is just because of a few transient things: money, power, authority and influence.
This has happened because we went away from the Book of Allah on a distant and dangerous path. We are not reciting and reading it and thinking about its teachings in depth as much as it is required. This is despite the fact that this book can lead us to real bliss.
Selfless human and social relations are now no more, except in certain places or aspects of our lives. Now everyone wants relationship with rich friends. The importance given to the rich and powerful friends is just for personal gain.
People who held high positions in the past, if they can spare a moment to think about their friends, will start reducing the size of the long list of their friends and might strike down all names from this list when they realise all this was for certain interests. They will confirm the friendship was for the posts they held and not for themselves as a human being.
From the humanitarian point of view, it is indeed a catastrophe. We do not know how or when the real human values will return.
Ali Al Matani
ali.matani2@gmail.com
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