Conscience Is the Essence of Divinity - Islam, Christianity, Hinduism and Other Religions Preach Not To Let It Die
By
Arman Neyazi, New Age Islam
29 June
2021
Separation
of Soul from The Body Is Worldly Death and Separation of Conscience from the
Soul is the Rational Death of a Human Being
Main
Points:
1. People of
conscience will be closer to God on the Day of Judgement.
2. Humankind
has to preserve the soul from decaying by keeping his moral conscience alive.
3. A man
without a conscience is like a man without a soul.
4. A person of
conscience is a person of positive approaches towards religious faith and
social ethos.
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(Photo courtesy/ Conscience word cloud - Image ID: FRWW2C)
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Separation
of the soul from the body is worldly death and separation of conscience from
the soul is the rational death of a human being.
Body and soul both are created by Allah, the
Almighty and sent on the earth to preach the moral lessons to create a world of
moral ethics. The body is a mixture of water and clay that will decay and will
finish but the soul will live forever in the world hereafter. Humankind has to
preserve the soul from decaying by keeping his moral conscience alive. People
of conscience will be closer to God on the Day of Judgement.
Soul and
conscience may be taken as one in more than one aspects. When a human being
decays his conscience to the extent that he ceases to distinguish between
humane and inhumane activities, the conscience is dead. A man without a
conscience is like a man without a soul. A man without a soul is called ‘a dead
body’ so a man without a conscience can be called ‘a living dead’.
A man
without a conscience is ‘a living dead’ to say the least. A person without a
conscience is ruled by the negativities like hatred, jealousy and selfishness.
The
reigning negativities of a person’s personality kills the conscience and
transforms him into a devil. There is nothing like ‘dying of a conscience’, it
is a saying that comes into use when a man behaves like an evil soul in
society.
High
Moral Conscience for a Rationally Strong Society
The
conscience of a normal person, educated or uneducated guides our heart and mind
to the positivities around us and when because of any reason it changes its
course it becomes an amalgam of evil thoughts. No changes in society or a
person comes all at once. It takes time in making its roots. During this time
of transformation from a good man to an evil man either society does not pay
attention to his evil eyes and minds or just ignores it as an act of no
consequence.
Any kind of
compromise made in the societal decisions by a man is not a sign of a human
error but something devilish in the mind working for the selfish self. An
awakened society must provide him with psychological and spiritual help to
subvert his feelings of evil thoughts to create an awareness of the moral
duties of the human being.
A person of conscience is a person of positive
approaches towards religious faith and social ethos. As the characteristics of
a person depend on the social essence he is getting brought up with, the
conscience of a person also depends on the social environment he is a part
of. Through the lens of ‘man is a social
animal,’ every achievement or any devilish action is courtesy of the society
the person is a part of. While a morally strong conscience develops within us
the religious ethics and essence we are a product of and the immoral social
life develop our immoral conscience.
All the
religions of the world preach us to keep our conscience alive as it is the
ultimate belonging of a faithful that enlightens him in the dark world of all
that is unethical, unspiritual and irreligious. Consider the following verses,
Shlokas and sayings of the Holy Scriptures of the religions that unequivocally
command us to guard our conscience and perform our duties for which we have
been sent to this mortal world:
High Moral
Conscience: an Important Manifesto of Islam
He has certainly succeeded who purifies himself (Al-Al'a: 14) — Saheeh
International
... and
whether you disclose what is in your hearts or hide it, Allah will take account
of it from you; (Al-Baqarah-284) - Ali Quli Qarai
The Day when there will not benefit [anyone]
wealth or children But only one who comes to Allah with a sound heart." (Surah Ash-Shu'ara: 88-89) -Sahih International
Rather, man, against himself, will be a witness
Even if he presents his excuses. (Surah Al-Qiyamah: 14-15) - - Sahih International
And I swear by the self-reproaching soul… (Surah al-Qiyāmah: 2)
Follow not the lusts (of your hearts), lest ye
swerve, and if ye distort (justice) or decline to do justice, verily Allah is
well-acquainted with all that ye do. (Surah An-Nisa-135) - Yusuf Ali
He created man and surely know what misdoubts
arise in their hearts; for We are closer to him than his jugular vein. (Surah Qaf: 16) - Ahmed Ali
Prophetic
Traditions on the Importance of Keeping Conscience Clear
Wabisa ibn
Ma’bad reported: The Messenger of Allah, (SAW), said to me: Consult your soul,
consult your heart, O Wabisa. Righteousness is what reassures your soul and
your heart, and sin is what wavers in your soul and puts tension in your chest,
even if the people approve it in their judgments again and again. - Sunan al-Dārimī
2533
Righteousness
is good character and sin is what wavers in your heart and you hate for people
to find out about it. - Sahih Muslim 2553
Abu Umamah
reported: A man asked the Prophet, “What is faith?” The Messenger of Allah,
Pbuh, said: If you are happy with your good deeds and saddened by your evil
deeds, then you are a believer.
The man
said, “O Messenger of Allah, what is sin?” The Prophet said: If something
waivers in your soul, then you should abandon it. - Musnad Aḥmad 21695
Hasan ibn
Ali reported: The Messenger of Allah, Pbuh, said: Leave what makes you doubt
for what does not make you doubt. Verily, truth brings peace of mind and
falsehood sows doubt. - Sunan al-Tirmidhī 2518
Ibn Umar,
(AS), said: The servant will not reach the reality of piety (taqwā) until he
abandons what wavers in his heart. - Sahih al-Bukhari8
Verily,
among the words, people obtained from the prophets are this: If you feel no
shame, then do as you wish. - Sahih al-Bukhari)
Bhagwad
Gita and Vedas on the Role of Conscience
I am seated
in the hearts of all living beings, (BG 15.15)
One should
therefore understand what duty is and what not duty by the regulations of the
scriptures is. Knowing such rules and regulations, one should act so that he
may gradually be elevated – Bhagavad Gita 16.24
Whenever and wherever the restless and
unsteady mind wanders, one should bring it back and continually focus it on
God. (BG 6.26)
Completely
renouncing all desires arising from thoughts of the world, one should restrain
the senses from all sides with the mind. Slowly and steadily, with conviction
in the intellect, the mind will become fixed in God alone and will think of
nothing else. (BG 6.24-25)
“God makes
all things luminous. It is by His
luminosity that all luminous objects give light.” (Sūryastapati tejasendraḥ) (Vedas)
Christianity
Sees Conscience as a Voice of God
By means of
the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron -
1 Timothy 4:2
in that
they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing
witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them, -
Romans 2:15
I mean not
your own conscience, but the other man’s; for why is my freedom judged by
another’s conscience? - 1 Corinthians 10:29
Therefore
it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath but also for
conscience’ sake. - Romans 13:5
But holding
to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. - 1 Timothy 3:9
Therefore,
knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men, but we are made manifest to God;
and I hope that we are made manifest also in your consciences. 2 Corinthians
5:11
Keeping
faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and suffered shipwreck in
regard to their faith. - 1 Timothy 1:19
Judaism
and Living with Good Conscience
“Therefore
one must be subject, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of
conscience” (1 Cor 13:5).
“To hold
faith in God and a good conscience” (1 Tm 1:19; 3:9)
“Brethren, I have lived before God in all good
conscience up to this day” (Acts 23:1; see 2 Cor 1:12)
“I am
speaking the truth in Christ, I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in
the Holy Spirit” (Rom 9:1)
“But the
Lord said to Samuel, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (Samuel 16:7)
Jainism
and Conscience
Soul is the
central point of spiritual discipline.
Every soul
is in itself absolutely omniscient and blissful. The bliss does not come from
outside.
Know
thyself, recognize thyself, be immersed by thyself - you will attain God-hood.
Fight with
yourself, why fight with external foes? He, who conquers himself through
himself, will obtain happiness.
The
Necessity of Awakening the High Moral Conscience
There is no
difference of opinion on the role a good conscience plays in the life of the
social network of society. People of conscience cannot think of inflicting
losses of life, peace and harmony for the sake of their mortal supremacy over
the other.
In the
world today, there are many nations and organisation that are fighting an
immoral war of supremacy. All of them have their reasons (excuses) to justify
their inhumane actions. All of them are engaged in a war that will transform
this world into a grey world, for all, irrespective of the suppressed and the
suppressor. The degree may vary. One shivers to imagine the result of the dying
conscience of the world.
Consider
the following story of the Caliph Omar (RA) and with all the resources and
might take pain to spread the message of creating a conscience that is noble
and humble in word and actions:
Omar, the
second caliph after the death of Muhammad, once ordered the narrow streets of
Madinah to be kept clear of the obstruction of merchants displaying their
goods, thus leaving the streets clear for people to walk on. Despite this
order, one shopkeeper continued to display his wares in the street. Upon seeing
this, Omar struck the shopkeeper in rebuke for his disobedience. During the
nights that followed, as Omar tried to sleep, his conscience began to bother
him over his action and kept him from sleeping. After several days of remorse,
Omar returned to the shopkeeper and apologized for his behaviour. At hearing
the apology from Omar, the shopkeeper said: I have forgotten that. Omar
replied: If you have forgotten it, Omar cannot.
This
generation needs to follow the aesthetics of morality that their previous
generation lived with and preached. Irrespective of religion, caste and creed
even the nations all the men of scholarly attributes to the world say:
I shall lose my usefulness the moment I stifle
the 'still small voice within'. -
Mahatma Gandhi
“Conscience is the inner voice that warns us
somebody may be looking.” ― H.L. Mencken
“Labour to keep alive in your breast that
little spark of celestial fire called conscience.” ― George Washington
“A clear conscience is the sure sign of a bad
memory.” ― Mark Twain
“Betrayal is common for men with no
conscience.” ― Toba Beta
“The torture of a bad conscience is the hell of
a living soul.” ― John Calvin
A living
conscience is the mirror of morality, rationality, ethics and integrity that is
needed for a living being to take him closer to his Creator and pave his ways
of ultimate success, the Moksha.
And
Allah Knows the Best.
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Arman
Neyazi is a columnist with NewAgeIslam.com.
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/interfaith-dialogue/conscience-divinity-christianity/d/125031
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