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Do they then seek the judgment of the Time of Ignorance?
Who could be better at giving judgment than
Allah for people with certainty?
(Surat al-Ma'ida, 50)
Without their knowing, a superstitious religion has brought the great majority of people under its sway. This hidden religion never openly reveals itself. It has no written commandments, but it controls people's behavior, attitudes and thoughts. People unconsciously implement this religion's rules throughout their lives, and live by its structures and prohibitions. This religion is not Islam, Christianity or Judaism. When asked, many people who abide by this religion may well describe themselves as Muslims or Christians or Jews. They may even be atheists. But nevertheless, all are actually members of this secret belief system.
This religion never presents itself to people as a unified whole. People adopt it as the result of the steady propaganda they are subjected to from birth. Therefore, they're unaware that their behavior, thoughts, and even body language derive from this religion.
To its adherents, this religion portrays its goal as becoming a respected person. To do so means adopting the value judgments of this religion, implementing its laws, prohibitions and forms of behavior, and assuming its character traits. To be respected is essential to achieve a specific accepted station in society, and not regarded as an eccentric, not out of the ordinary.
This religion is therefore an ignorant one, which is how we'll refer to it for short. Ignorant religion propels people towards insincerity, toward artificial and affected behavior. Adherents of this religion do not generally behave naturally and spontaneously. They employ modes of behavior, speech and facial expressions in a way they think will be appropriate, and engage in constant role-playing. Yet they imagine that they are living exceedingly natural and normal lives.
This religion produces insincere, artificial human models with false identities. Why does such an evil religion, bringing with it all kinds of trouble and suffering, hold large sections of society under its sway? The most important reason is, as already mentioned, that it lacks any formal name. Adherents of this religion never even think to question, abandon or change it, because they are unaware that the system they live under is actually a religion, and regard it as "the facts," or "the immutable laws of life."
As long as people fail to remedy this situation and turn away from the religion of the ignorant, they cannot properly comprehend and live by Islam, because the fundamental condition of Islam is sincerity and naturalness. A person can live by Islam, and thus achieve true happiness and salvation, only by being uncompromisingly sincere towards Allah, himself and others. Faith can only be built on a foundation of sincerity. In order to free yourself of the effect of the Religion of the Ignorant, that religion must first be identified and defined. That is the aim of this book. The following chapters shall examine the characteristics of Ignorantism in some detail.
The reader's task is to personally weigh and review these characteristics. One may be reluctant to admit it, but the Religion of the Ignorant can exert a definite effect on anyone. Ridding yourself of this dark religion that impacts on every moment of people's lives calls, first and foremost, for close attention and sincerity.
Asked "What is religion?" our Prophet (saas) replied, "It is the path you are on." His reply wisely summarizes the matter. Religion (deen) encapsulates all of a person's values, ethical rules and lifestyle—and thus, those of entire societies. For example, the word deen is employed in this sense in Surah Yusuf 76:
He started with their bags before his brother's and then produced it from his brother's bag. In that way We devised a cunning scheme for Yusuf. He could not have held his brother according to the deen of the King—only because Allah had willed it so. We raise the rank of anyone We will. Over everyone with knowledge is a Knower. (Surah Yusuf, 76)
Various verses of the Qur'an also revealed that deniers also share a religion: Pharaoh, for example, told his people the following about the Prophet Musa (as):
Pharaoh said, "Let me kill Musa and let him call upon his Lord! I am afraid that he may change your deen and bring about corruption in the land." (Surah Ghafir, 26)
Other verses describe how pagans remained loyal to their own religions in the face of the Divine religion brought by the prophet:
They are surprised that a warner should come to them from among themselves. The unbelievers say, "This is a lying magician. Has he turned all the gods into One God? That is truly astonishing!" Their leaders went off saying, "Carry on as you are! Hold fast to your gods. This is clearly something planned. We have not heard of this in the old religion. This is merely something contrived." (Surah Sâd, 4-7)
As pointed out so far, every human being has a religion. Those who not adhere to the religion of Allah, and even those who describe themselves as atheists, are not totally devoid of religion, but merely adhere to superstitious ones. Some of these "religions" may not presently be described as such, though that is exactly what they all are—as is revealed in the Qur'an. Marxism, for instance, is in one sense a religion, because that ideology is the "path" down which millions of people have gone. Marxists adopt the intellectual system developed by Karl Marx and Frederich Engels and accept their way of thinking. They analyze the world by means of the standards that they set out. They account for their own existence and the meaning of death based on the logic of Marx and Engels. In short, as believers in Marxism, they shape their lives and evaluate events accordingly.
Besides Marxism, there are hundreds of other different religions, philosophies, and intellectual systems. All these are superstitious religions, basically produced in order to turn people away from the path of Allah.
The point that really needs to be emphasized is that whatever their ideology, philosophy or world view, those who have turned their backs on the true religion still share one common belief system: That is the "religion of the ignorant" that gives this book its name and whose outlines we have briefly sketched. It is also the most cunning and effective weapon wielded by satan in his endeavors to turn humans from the true path.
"Be smart!" "That wouldn't have happened if you had used your head!"
You must have heard those words countless times during your life: especially during childhood, when you said or did something your elders didn't agree with or didn't want you to do again.
For someone who utters these words, being a fine person is more important than anything. That means adhering to the morals, culture, attitudes and behavior generally accepted by the great majority in society, and conforming to a certain system of values, models and rules deemed acceptable. This is adopted and implemented in society. It's difficult to initiate any debate on where these models and rules originated and whether they're correct. Their inconsistencies cannot be questioned easily, because to question values adopted by the majority risks contradicting masses of people and becoming the target of their hostile reactions.
This structure, whose rightness is so firmly believed in, is not peculiar to our own society alone. The system is practiced in the East as well as in the West, and maintains itself in widely different cultures as a particular system of beliefs and values with its own prohibitions, sanctions and recommendations—just like a religion.
The concepts of Ignorantism are directly opposed to being a Muslim, believing in Allah, having proper moral values, and even being human. This religion definitely leaves no room for the behavior and moral values described by Allah in the Qur'an. Indeed, the religion of the ignorant emerges and grows wherever people do not live by the moral values of the Qur'an. People who are admired and regarded as prominent have learned this religion very well, and implement all its rules.
It's useful to emphasize the basic moral values recommended in the Qur'an that totally conflict with the corrupt logic of Ignorantism. It is revealed in the Qur'an that all people have a responsibility to Allah. A human being is therefore charged with pleasing Allah alone, and must not seek others' approval. A believer who lives by the moral values of the Qur'an thinks and lives according to these verses:
Is Allah not enough for His servant? Yet they try to scare you with others apart from Him. (Surat az-Zumar, 36)
… your Lord is a sufficient guide and helper. (Surat al-Furqan, 31)
A believer's entire life is directed towards being able to please Allah. This is the core of religion. The Qur'an reveals that the characteristic of this true religion that has come down to the present day from the Prophet Ibrahim (as), is the dedication of all one's life to Allah:
Say: "My Lord has guided me to a straight path, a well-founded, the religion of Ibrahim, a man of pure natural belief. He was not one of the associaters." Say: "My prayer and my rites, my living and my dying, are for Allah alone, the Lord of all the worlds." (Surat al-An'am, 161-162)
Holding Allah's approval as the fundamental objective in life doubtless alters one's relationships with others. As set out above, a person has no mutual responsibility towards others. However, Allah has revealed in the Qur'an how other people should be treated, and responsibility to Allah ensures that others must be treated in the most just, the most correct and the most honest way. This perspective of believers is described in these terms:
They fulfill their vows and fear a Day whose evil will spread far and wide. They give food, despite their love for it, to the poor and orphans and captives: "We feed you only out of desire for the Face of Allah. We do not want any repayment from you or any thanks. Truly We fear from our Lord a glowering, calamitous Day." (Surat al-Insan, 7-10)
As can be seen from these verses, believers expect nothing from other people, which detachment endows them with a very strong and healthy character. The believer treats everyone correctly under all circumstances, and thus fulfils Allah's commandments. He neither hopes for other people's approval nor fears their criticism. Indeed, in the Qur'an Allah has described believers as not fearing "the blame of any censurer" (Surat al-Ma'ida, 54). Therefore, a believer's character and attitude never change in the face of events and other people's approval. He never becomes arrogant because of any rank or station given him, nor ever despairs in the face of difficulties. This stable character of believers frequently draws attention, and their attitudes remain the same when they obtain great wealth or power, as well as in the face of difficulty and poverty. The believer knows that every blessing he enjoys of wealth, power, or rank; or every difficulty he encounters such as condemnation and attack by others, exile, suffering poverty, and imprisonment—all these come from Allah, and all these are trials to test him and teach him.
In contrast to believers, adherents of Ignorantism change their attitudes and characters in the face of events and other people. To put it another way, the Religion of the Ignorant is relative and circumstantial. It requires different behavior in the face of different circumstances. In this religion, the concepts of sincerity and naturalness have no place. According to this belief, everyone needs to exhibit different behavior according to the individual's gender, age and status in society.
Women must conform to the roles set out for them, as do men and children. A student must behave according to the rules of Ignorantism which impinge on students. Similar rules apply to civil servants, doctors, teachers and laborers. Adherents of the religion of the ignorant acquire their identity from the status they possess in society, and behave in the light of the requirements of that identity. In the case of believers, on the other hand, their faith shapes their identity and, as already stated, society's attitude towards their status has no effect on that identity.
One's ethical and personal identity is automatically instilled in those raised in a society of the Religion of the Ignorant, and they immediately begin to practice the rules of that religion. The way to obtain a place and be superior in such a society is to adopt such attitudes and behavior.
The following chapters shall examine the character, behavior and modes of speech taught to people according to their circumstances—their surroundings, age, social and cultural situations and gender, their personal preferences and psychologies. You will see that these are far removed from the ideal forms of behavior and personal and ethical structure described in the Qur'an. In this way, it will be made plain how satan's ignorant superstitious religion dominates those people who live far removed from Islam, at all periods of their lives.
The philosophy of life and rules of Ignorantism stem from belief that is the exact opposite of the Qur'an's moral values. This mentality dominates a person's entire life and society regards it as natural. Attitudes and behavior described as models of poor moral values in many places in the Qur'an are usually accepted as legitimate and applicable by those who live by the Religion of the Ignorant.
This religion is a lifestyle wherein formalism rules. Society possesses a number of rules inherited from its forebears. In unbelieving societies, its adherents say, "... We found our fathers following a religion and we are simply following in their footsteps" (Surat az-Zukhruf, 23). They preserved these rules almost as if they were Divine laws.
It's not at all easy to step outside these laws' boundaries. Everything is done according to these predetermined rules, from ways of eating to the time people go to bed, from ways of displaying love and affection to welcoming guests. Everyone who selects this religion and wants to progress within it is obliged to adopt a style and attitude that the great majority approves of. Indeed, the expert manifestation of these attitudes is regarded as a measure of superiority. Choices are made not for the sake of Allah but according to the rules and measures set out by the religion of the ignorant. Among adherents of Ignorantism, this distorted mentality leads to wide-ranging defects of character and behavior. Below are some of the most important.
Instead of the sincerity, naturalness and authenticity found in Islam, the Religion of the Ignorant contains artificial attitudes and behaviors, far distant from sincerity. Specially adjusted, they gradually become a part and parcel of the individual's character.
As a result of his distorted mindset, an adherent of Ignorantism quickly reveals himself with the artificial behavior and gestures of his insincere style. Each of these artificial attitudes and forms of behavior is intended toward a particular end, such as communicating a message, attracting attention, showing off, or furthering personal interests.
Communicating Messages
In the Religion of the Ignorant, the expression of emotions is generally based not on speech, but on looks and behavior. Individuals cannot reconcile the open expression of many emotions with their own self-esteem. They therefore express emotions indirectly, through their actions and behavior. Such behavioral defects constitute the basic identity structure of adherents of Ignorantism. "Uncomfortable" feelings such as anger, irritation, envy, desire and admiration are often expressed indirectly.
Slamming the door, casting hostile looks, continuing on one's way without replying, and speaking in a growl to make their anger apparent are some of the means resorted to by adherents of the Religion of the Ignorant. They generally prefer indirect modes of expression to any open and sincere style.
In contrast to the nobility in Islam, coarseness is the dominant theme in Ignorantism. Silent protests, such as turning away in anger during arguments among friends, refusing to speak, suddenly turning one's back and storming out, sulking for protracted periods of time, deliberately not laughing at comical things, or wearing down the opposing side by refusing to answer or giving curt and abrupt responses are just a few of these vulgar, banal forms of behavior.
Giving Oneself Airs and Belittling Others
Adherents of the Religion of the Ignorant constantly seek to establish superiority over one another, and do everything they can to put others down, because they imagine they can rise to the top only by pushing others down.
Workplace supervisors or people of high rank generally use behavior such as appearing irritable and abrupt, or giving the impression that they are very busy and have no time for their own subordinates. Engaging in behavior that makes it clear one has no respect for others is regarded as quite justifiable in Ignorantism. One way of belittling other people in this religion is to address only certain individuals in a group, to look only at them and to ignore everyone else. Another device frequently employed is to address everyone around but the person whom one does not want to appear to be dealing with directly, even though one knows that he is interested in that particular subject.
Continuing to do what one was busy doing while another is talking, displaying as little interest as possible by refusing to look at someone who is talking, or deliberately avoiding to answer a question even though one has clearly heard it, are seen as signs of strong personality in Ignorantism. Appearing to have risen above certain things is seen as one way of attaining superiority. As a means of belittlement, the appearance of being uninterested is scrupulously adopted in all walks of life. For instance, it's very important to be the one who's greeted first. Great care is taken to ensure the other person utters the first "Hello!". Ignoring a greeting is another oft-used method of belittling another. Yet the moral criterion revealed in the Qur'an is quite different:
When you are greeted with a greeting, return the greeting or improve on it. Allah takes account of everything. (Surat an-Nisa', 86)
Seeking to achieve superiority over others by means of artificial actions and behavior, and to conceal one's own flaws and deficiencies, are defects seen in those who lack full belief in Allah and the Hereafter. Believers trust only in Allah and fear nothing but Him, but adherents of the Religion of the Ignorant, who fail to appreciate Allah as is due, live in a constant state of fear, insecurity, restlessness and flawed identity. Being humiliated in front of others, being left behind or ignored, all represent major problems for such people. They, therefore, develop an internal defense mechanism, which constitutes one of their major weaknesses. In order to conceal that weakness in society, they generally act from the logic of "An attack is the best form of defense."
Attracting Attention
To attract attention, to make one's presence felt or to prove oneself in a group environment, the most obvious of the artificial behavior and attitudes resorted to are:
Seeking to appear different and to give oneself a unique air by engaging in inappropriate behavior,
Adopting a heavy and serious air in a happy environment, speaking little,
Engaging in frivolous activities in situations where concentration is required,
Reacting more than is appropriate or else exhibiting an inappropriate lack of reaction,
Behaving as if one were very calm when in fact one has a storm raging inside,
Engaging in sudden changes of meaningless behavior, such as turning serious in the middle of laughter,
Starting to behave exuberantly from having been very calm, or emitting sudden guffaws of laughter,
Suddenly moving from normal speech patterns to exaggerated ones—raising one's tone of voice for example, or starting to speak in an excessively low voice; giving the same impression simultaneously by one's facial expression or gestures,
Showing off by means of adopting unusual postures,
Refusing to behave warmly until someone else has taken an interest in one,
Ignoring those who do take an interest in one, looking down one's nose at people,
Seeking to be useful to or attract the attention of those who ignore, belittle or look down their noses at one,
Giving the impression one is very busy,
Giving the impression of being distracted or worried,
Deliberately making mistakes or causing a scene,
Describing an event one did not witness as though one actually had...
The above displays are based on role playing. Some examples are:
Behaving as though one were surprised, angered or pleased, even though that is not actually the case, and to imply this, using the appropriate facial expressions—raising one's eyebrows, frowning, glaring, looking askance, pursing the lips and eyes; embracing protest behavior, or adopting an opposite position even when one actually shares a particular idea; refusing to speak about certain attributes, even though one actually possesses them, and waiting for others to bring up the subject; engaging in false modesty when these subjects are raised, so as to give the impression that one has other latent superior features that one hesitates to mention out of a sense of modesty.
Observing One's Own Interests
By engaging in insincere behavior, people hope to obtain various advantages. Seeking to appear pleasant to someone one does not like but who can serve one's interests, acting sycophantically and seeking to attract a person's notice at every opportunity, trying to make oneself popular, displaying false loyalty to and respect for one's employer or superior but immediately turning disloyal as soon as circumstances change—these are all normal forms of behavior in adherents of Ignorantism.
Failing to tell the truth one knows in hopes of acquiring an advantage or out of fear or hesitation; and glossing over the subject with talk of democracy and the like, are other examples of such behavior.
Showing Off
Know that the life of this world is merely a game and a diversion and ostentation and a cause of boasting among yourselves and trying to outdo one another in wealth and children: like the plant-growth after rain which delights the cultivators, but then it withers and you see it turning yellow, and then it becomes broken stubble. In the Hereafter there is terrible punishment but also forgiveness from Allah and His good pleasure. The life of this world is nothing but the enjoyment of delusion. (Surat al-Hadid, 20)
The above verse emphasizes how boasting and display, major characteristics of the Religion of the Ignorant, are widespread among people. In Islam, the greatest aim in life is to gain the approval of Allah, whereas in the Ignorantism, the greatest aim is to attain that of other people. In the Religion of the Ignorant, display is therefore of vital importance. Being liked, admired, approved of or envied is more important than anything else. In this religion people dress, speak, decorate their homes, or choose professions to impress those around them. Their greatest aim in everything they do is to gain others' approval. When they go to a bookshop, for instance, they look at the bestsellers rather than at books about the subjects that actually interest them. When choosing a book they wonder which will be most "cool" and in line with current fashion, because their aim is not to advance their experiences, knowledge or personality, but to have something to tell others about.
In raising their children, a great many people take pains to ensure that their children acquire attributes that those around them approve of, whether these be right or wrong, rather than trying to help them become patient, tolerant, devout, compassionate or generous. For example, they send their children to the most prestigious schools, hire piano teachers even though their children have no talent, allow children to call them by their first names in order to show off to their friends that raising an arrogant child is perfectly acceptable. In Ignorantism, a child is an important opportunity for display. For the sake of the parents' prestige among their acquaintances, it is most important for their child to study at a good school, know various foreign languages, to dress attractively, be popular and have many talents. Indeed, when adherents of the Religion of the Ignorant speak, parents prefer to discuss things that will be the subject of other people's envy, rather than how modest, how affectionate or how gentle their children are. They are more interested in appearances than in their children's moral values.
Another element of display lies in having a dashing home. Rather than considering their own comfort, people attach more importance to the opinion of those around them. Which area is it located in? How many floors does it have? The kind of view it affords and the amount of floor space available will increase their own prestige. They furnish and decorate entirely in the light of other people's opinions. Even if they prefer another color, they opt for the one in fashion at the time. They buy exceedingly uncomfortable furniture just because it is expensive and showy, and put up with styles of décor they thoroughly dislike just to be able to say that such-and-such a designer carried out the work. Though they spend much of their time in that home, they never enter the drawing room except when they have guests, on the grounds that having spent so much money on it, they want "to keep it pristine." They cover up the furniture and sit in a tiny room somewhere else. In short, they set aside half their home for show and half for living in.
Boasting is such an intense passion for people that they seek to show off even to those closest to them. One of the best places to do that is at parties. They issue invitations not because they actually want to see their guests, but simply to show off. They prepare every little detail for the party with that in mind. They select the food not for its taste, but for its ability to display their wealth. Their objective is not for their guests to enjoy the party, but to envy the amount of money spent on it. At such dinner parties, everyone looks at everyone else's clothes, shoes and handbags, and the jewelry and perfumes people are wearing.
At such parties, the conversation is a kind of "show-off" competition, wherein everyone seeks to prove himself on some subject. Women seek to put down other women by discussing their trips abroad, the beauty of a country they visited, the difficulties in finding good domestic staff, the make of clothes they have bought, their hairdressers, and the jewelry they have ordered. Men, on the other hand, talk about their successes in the business arena, their network of contacts, commenting on economic or political matters as if they were experts on the subject. Any sincerity, warmth or friendship is therefore impossible in conversations in Ignorantism. Indeed, such guests, as soon as they leave the gathering, without fail, end the event by criticising those who remain. They discuss the insincerity of the people concerned, their attempts to show off, how boring they were, their hosts' vulgarity, the ugliness of their interior design and the tastelessness of the food. Tired, bored and offended, they leave parties where the Religion of the Ignorant reigns.
Know-It-Alls and Priggery
Anyone following Ignorantism will be far from possessing the reason and sharpness of understanding revealed in the Qur'an. Nevertheless, such people greatly admire their own intellects, imagining themselves as far more intelligent than others. An adherent of the Religion of the Ignorant believes that he has sufficient experience to give anyone advice on any subject whatsoever. Half-absorbed information garnished from all around is fused with the conclusions drawn from his own experiences, and the individual thus imagines that he or she has acquired a great knowledge of life. Such people then seek to demonstrate that experience at every opportunity. Such attributes as reason, intelligence, moral values and culture are relegated to second place. One of the most important credibility factors here is that of age. This alleged superiority is emphasized in expressions like, "I was doing that while you were still wet behind the ears," or "I have witnessed your childhood."
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