Gaza stands as the clearest manifestation in modern times of the stark contrast between truth and falsehood, and the failure of these international bodies to recognize this reality underscores the complete moral collapse of these pseudo-moralists who dare to draw arbitrary lines in the sand.
Author: Dr. Najmuddin Hasan
Indeed, the Unlimited, Uncreated, Eternal God is Independent of his creation, but creation is, on the contrary dependent on God, there is no reality other than God. Only God is, and all creation emanates from Him and is sustained by Him alone. Arrogance is for man to deludedly entertain other than this reality:
“Most certainly, one exceeds all bounds. once they think they are self-sufficient.”[1]
Arrogance can be understood as the false belief that one is independent of God. One of the many ironies of the modern world is that atheists often accuse believers of “needing” the concept of God to find meaning or security. In reality, all humans are inherently dependent on God; the atheist merely deludes themselves into thinking they are self-sufficient, denying their true dependence on the Divine.
While pride involves feeling superior to others, arrogance takes it a step further by attributing to oneself an absoluteness and self-sufficiency that belongs to God alone. In the presence of God, all creation is utterly insignificant, and any claim to independence is nothing but an illusion.
Hence to attribute self-sufficiency to other than God is idolatry. Idolatry is to see any entity as autonomous of God and not contingent nor reliant on Him alone. In fact, to attribute inherent power and capability to other than God is Idolatry.
The names of God, Al-Qadir (The Able, The Capable, The All-Powerful) and Al-Muqtadir (The Ordainer, The Powerful, The Dominant, The Enforcer), signify His absolute authority and control over all existence. Every event in the universe unfolds according to His divine plan, and He alone is the true Doer of all actions.
The abilities and capabilities that we perceive as our own are, in reality, mere temporal loans from Him, integrated into His greater scheme. To believe that we possess any independent power or capability outside of what God has ordained is a form of idolatry, for it attributes to the self what belongs solely to the Divine.
Idolatry and Meaningless Lines in the Sand
As discussed in previous sections, idolatry extends far beyond the worship of false gods, stones, or people; it encompasses a wide array of human aspirations such as wealth, prestige, and even love. It also includes human constructs like tribalism and ego, as well as abstract concepts such as liberty and equality, and entire ideologies like capitalism and socialism. In our modern era, these pseudo-absolutes proliferate rapidly, manifesting as a contemporary form of the ancient polytheism. This is not merely the worship of multiple deities, but the elevation of temporal and finite elements of human life to an ultimate status that belongs to God alone.
Arbitrary man-made institutions are increasingly positioning themselves as the arbiters of pseudo-morality and pseudo-law, all in the name of a highly subjective idol of ‘humanity.’ This shift marks a departure from adherence to God’s Laws, substituting them with fluctuating human standards.
The absurdity lies in the assumption that ‘humanity’ retains any inherent meaning within the atheist framework, which detaches man from his Divine Creator and consequently reduces him to nothing more than a mere organism—no more significant than an amoeba or protozoa.
In modern times, institutions like the UN Security Council, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), and the International Criminal Court (ICC), operating under the infinitely ambiguous banner of ‘humanity,’ have arrogantly positioned themselves as the ultimate arbiters of global justice.
These institutions, often staffed by dysfunctional and morally compromised individuals, make pronouncements on the rights and wrongs of international conflicts. However, their profound deficiencies have been laid bare in the face of the 2023 Genocide in Gaza. Despite their lofty mandates, these so-called “guardians” of justice have failed miserably to identify the oppressors and victims in Palestine and have proven utterly impotent in addressing the overwhelming injustice. Gaza has become the graveyard of these false gods, exposing the limits of their power and the bankruptcy of their moral authority.
The situation in Gaza stands as the clearest manifestation in modern times of the stark contrast between truth and falsehood, and the failure of these international bodies to recognize this reality underscores the complete moral collapse of these pseudo-moralists who dare to draw arbitrary lines in the sand.
The Modern Inventors of Idols
God teaches man through the Divinely revealed scripture and the scripture becomes manifest through His Prophets. God’s Messengers (Prophet) provide the template for submission to God, such that they speak as God wishes, they see as God wishes, they act as God wishes. In the Hadith, the messenger ﷺ says:
“Allah said: Whoever shows hostility to a friend of Mine, I have declared war upon him. My servant does not grow closer to Me with anything more beloved to Me than the duties I have imposed upon him. My servant continues to grow closer to Me with extra good works until I love him. When I love him, I am his hearing with which he hears, his seeing with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes, and his foot with which he walks. Were he to ask something from Me, I would surely give it to him. Were he to ask Me for refuge, I would surely grant it to him. I do not hesitate to do anything as I hesitate to take the soul of the believer, for he hates death, and I hate to displease him.”[2]
These are the trailblazers, forging the path to God, and the true role models for humanity. They embody the highest standards of truth, justice, and human perfection. In the absence of these exemplary figures, humanity often resorts to creating false idols, imitating their words, actions, and even their appearance. People build elaborate fantasies around these false idols, elevating them to an illusory status.
This realm of fantasy is heavily influenced by Hollywood and the film industry, which cater to humanity’s insatiable desires and fantasies much like a trafficker supplying addicts with more drugs. This leads to the elevation of actors, singers, and celebrities to idol status, as people start ‘needing’ them to satiate their insatiable, sensory appetites.
Tragically, those who drive the film industry and Hollywood are often the very individuals who once claimed to be God’s chosen people, and claimants to following Judaism. Directors like Stanley Kubrick and Steven Spielberg craft elaborate illusions, providing an escape from reality. They create fantastical figures like Superman (Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster), Batman (Bob Kane and Bill Finger), and Spiderman (Stan Lee and Jack Kirby), whom people idolise.
Ironically, these very individuals were meant to uphold the truth of the One and Only God and to eradicate false idols. Yet, much like the father of Abraham ‘alayhi asalam, who fashioned idols, they have become creators of the very idolous illusions that Abraham disowned.
Idolatry – the Attachment to bodily senses
In today’s world, it’s evident how substances like drugs and alcohol can overpower and enslave a person, gradually eroding all that is wholesome and good within them. These addictions can become the driving kernel of a person’s life, pushing out everything else that truly matters. The belief that anything other than submission to God can bring lasting happiness is a form of idolatry.
While the destructive nature of drug addictions is clear, we must also consider the more socially acceptable needs that can become obsessive. The natural desire for food can spiral into gluttony, the need for money can turn into greed, and the human need for intimacy can degrade into lust, lechery, and debauchery. These obsessive and enslaving attachments are, in essence, forms of idolatry—attachments to things other than God, that divert a person from their true purpose and ultimate source of contentment.
References:
[1] Qur’an al-Alaq 96:6-7
[2] Bukhari on the authority of Abu Hurairah rady Allahu ‘anhu
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