Al-Risala (English), November 1984

forever, while the hallmark of true faith is the belief that one is on the way to the next world. Basically, then, the distinction between belief and disbelief is a psychological one; but these two different attitudes to life make for vastly different practical lives—so different, in fact that one leads to hell, while the other paves the way to the gardens of paradise. □ You are Being Watched Television cameras have not, up till now, been allowed into either of the two houses of parliament in Great Britain. A campaign is at present under way to allow parliamentary proceedings to be televised. The House of Lords has voted, in December 1983, to allow the proceedings of the House to be televised for an experimental period, but the more important House of Commons remains reluctant. The reason for this reluctance is that “doubts remain about the wisdom of allowing in cameras which could show empty benches or MP’s asleep. Mr. Austin Mitchell, the Labour MP leading the campaign for television in Parliament, insisted this could be overcome by using remote controlled cameras.” (Guardian Weekly, December 18, 1983) This is a worldly camera. It can be avoided, or measures can be taken to ensure that it does not reveal one’s neglectful conduct. But God’s camera is forever watching over us, and recording our every deed. Man thinks that it too can be avoided, but on the Day of Resurrection a film showing all our actions will be replayed to us. It will show man neglectful of the truth, and wont to shirk his duty to God. □ Thinking nothing of one’s actions Abdullah Ibn Umar says that his father, Umar, met Abu Musa Ashari and asked him if he would like to be given credit for what he had done in the company of the Prophet, and totally exonerated of his other actions. “Your good deeds would be like your evil ones, and your evil deeds like your good ones. You would neither be rewarded or punished,” Umar said to him. “I would not agree to that, Commander of the faithful,” Abu Musa replied. “By God, when I arrived in Basra, its people were a cruel lot. I taught them the Quran, and the way of the Prophet. I fought with them in God’s path. I am looking forward to the reward of these actions.” “As for me,” Umar said, “I would like to be exonerated of my actions so that good and evil become equal, and I have neither sins nor reward. All I would have to my credit then would be what I did in the company of the Prophet.”