Unfair Distribution

Unfair Distribution

1988 11 November 18 Unfair Distribution (339) Though the idolators of Mecca claimed that they believed in God, it was, in fact, their idols to which they gave pride of place. Their undue attachment to them became evident when it came to allotting to both God and their idols shares in the produce of their land and cattle.

“They set aside for God a share of their produce and of their cattle, saying: ‘This is for Allah’ – so they pretend – ‘and this for our idols’. Their idols’ share never reaches God, but the share of God is wholly given to their idols. How ill they judge.” (Quran, 6:136).

If for some reason a greater amount was allotted to God than to the idols, they transferred the excess amount to the idols’ share. If the reverse occurred, with the idols receiving a greater share than God, they did not then subtract the excess amount form it and add it to God’s share, but were content to leave matters as they stood. Their claim to belief in God was, in effect, false, for the moment there was any clash of interests, beings and things other than God came uppermost in their minds and were therefore given priority.

It was not only the Arabian idolators who acted in this manner. Indeed, everyone is faced with the same choice. The only difference is that, whereas in ancient times, the followers of polytheistic religions made their idols out of pieces of stone, nowadays people make their idols out of objects, ideas, and other people. This is what makes it easy for them to throw moral standards to the winds in order to pursue their own selfish interests. Whenever it comes to making a choice between honesty and worldly interests, they allocate their allegiance in the same ill-judged manner as the idolators of old. They do not fear the consequences of misappropriating what should be God’s by right, and are obsessed instead with the outcome of neglecting the other objects, ideas or people which they have set up, idol-fashion, in His place.