Practice Makes Perfect

March 31, 2009, 8:58 am by dc-agape.

Surah 104: Al-Humazah: The Slanderer

Woe to every slanderer, defamer!

Who amasses wealth and counts it -

He thinks that his wealth will make him abide.

Nay, he will certainly be hurled into the crushing disaster;

And what will make thee realize what the crushing disaster is?

It is the Fire kindled by Allah,Which rises over the heart.

Surely it is closed in on them,In extended columns. 

I have included the translation of the Holy Qur’an by M Muhammad Ali to the beginning of these posts. 

I must heartily agree with the commentary at the beginning.  But then it is describing surāh 103.  But with connection to this surāh I would also have to agree.  In the commentaries, the foundations of human character are explored.  Goodness and patience are positive foundations.  Amassing wealth and defaming others are negative foundations.  In fact, many people might say that the damage done to the world economy by the US’s greed might even be the “punishment” for the amassing of wealth.  Unfortunately, if this is the case, a supernatural being is “throwing the baby out with the bathwater” (New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy).  Innocent people are being punished right alongside of the evil doers.  How is the act of a “Loving God”?  It looks much more like the acts of a natural balance in nature, very similar to over population leading to starvation, disease, and predation.  Also, it is very similar to walking out an air-lock without a space suit into vacuum leads to death.

Do remember that these posts are part of an experiment.  That experiment is has many folds.  I really need to make a page or a static front with the hypotheses that are being investigated in my experiment.  But the one that should be kept in mind is that as a gay Atheist I am reading different Holy Texts and posting my reaction and thoughts to the reading.  I am curious to see how reading these Holy Texts without the “god bias” adjusts the personal interpretation.

The rest of the surāh leads into how the punishment will be recognized.  In M Muhammad Ali’s translation, and to some degree my other commentaries, it is explained that the punishment describe will be dealt in this life.  This is true for some people, if they live long enough, but many rich and slanderous people have lived long and prosperous lives.  We can only hope that they have become cognizant of the pain they placed on others.  We have no guarantees in this life or especially in death that punishment is placed where it belongs.  Because of this lack of guarantee, it is up to us to ensure that the meek, the mild, and the helpless are protected.  This same lack of guarantee must lead us to provide the proper punishment in the “here-and-now”.  As I was pointed out in a comment “God helps those who help themselves”.  I brought up the concept of “practice make perfect”, whether “God” helps or not, we must practice making this world a better place.  Only then, will we make it “perfect”.

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