FAITH AND HUMAN BEHAVIOUR

to God for his actions. One does not see others as mere people; for one realizes that Almighty God is also standing by their side. Faith in God Almighty transforms the believer completely. It shakes his soul. His entire being is engulfed in the fear of God. This fear is manifested in all his dealings with others. He does not humiliate the weak, for he sees that God is standing by the side of His servants. He does not bow before the strong, because he sees that all are helpless before God. A man of faith has been likened to a tree in the Quran (14: 24). As we all know, man receives shade, fruits and flowers from the tree. All such qualities are found in God’s worshippers in the true sense of the word. They give comfort to everyone. They have a soothing effect upon all. There is a Hadith to this effect. The Prophet of Islam said: ‘The believer is like a gentle plant. When the winds blow, it does not become rigid, but rather sways to and fro with each gust, and when the winds are not blowing it stands still once again.’ This is exactly the case of the true believer. He does not display arrogance. His way is that of adjustment and not of clash and confrontation. He follows the principle of persuasion and avoids the way of violence. A true believer is one who is always conscious of the presence of God. He feels that each time he gives his word to another, it is a divine promise. Therefore he is extremely circumspect about giving his word. He believes that every commitment is actually made under the watchful eyes of God, and that he will be accountable for its fulfilment in the court of God. This compels him to be highly responsible as regards his promises. Whenever he gives his word to anyone, he makes a point of keeping it. Many other virtues come in the wake of the fulfilment of promises. One of these is mutual trust. In a society where mutual trust exists, there is an atmosphere of confidence, as there is no fear of promises being broken. It is therefore faith that makes man the possessor of this highest of human virtues. Another impact of faith upon the behaviour of the believer is that he becomes a truth-loving person. He always speaks the truth. In all matters he says only what is in accordance with reality. A True believer believes that every commitment made between two persons is actually made under the watchful eyes of God, and that he will be accountable for its fulfilment in the court of God.