HUMAN VALUES IN ISLAM

it. He who purifies it will indeed be successful, and he who corrupts it is sure to fail (91: 7-10). We know that creation is amazingly vast and intricate. Man too is a very intricate being who has been placed on earth to lead a life according to the moral values laid down by God. Only in abiding by them will he pass the trial on earth and attain the eternal life in the Hereafter. The inherent moral sense in a human being allows him to recognise what is true and good from what is false and evil. Through the call of the prophets and the revelation he was also offered divine guidance as to how to differentiate between good and evil. Good may be defined as whatever is pleasing to God and therefore beneficial to man. Evil on the other hand, is whatever incurs the anger of God and is therefore, harmful to man. Although God created mankind in a state of natural goodness, He also created him with the capacity or power to do both good and evil. However, only by doing good can he pass the divine test and achieve eternal life. To preserve the pure and sinless state in which man was born and to keep him on the path to God, one has to keep away from and ward off evil. This is why piety, which is repeatedly stressed in the Quran, is the most important quality a person could develop in relation to good and evil. Piety means to be conscious of God and to be careful of not overstepping the limits set by Him. It is a defence against evil and temptation. Therefore, when we speak of cultivating human values in Islam, we simply mean following the guidance of God. Doing things that are pleasing to Him is beneficial to us as this leads to salvation and eternal life. The Quran does not merely ask people to do good, and refrain from evil. It specifies the ways to achieve these ends. From this one can see that each person has a duty to cultivate good and desirable qualities, which are part of his natural make-up. And he has a duty to strive against bad traits and habits. Islam’s ethical code has its basis in the Quran and the life of the Prophet. Some of the qualities that should be cultivated are truthfulness, honesty, reliability in fulfilling trusts, gentleness, politeness, courtesy, generosity, compassion and readiness to forgive, purity and decency, humility, patience and steadfastness, courage, thankfulness, dignity, honour, self-respect, good temper, perseverance, diligence and willingess to respect others. Islam's ethical code has its basis in the Quran and the life of the Prophet.