The Affliction of Self-Justification in Religious Understanding

Allah, the Exalted, says: “They disputed with falsehood in order to invalidate the truth. So I seized them — then how terrible was My punishment!” (40:5).

The phenomenon of disputing the truth with falsehood — whether in the past or the present — is fundamentally rooted in the desire to justify actions driven by personal whims and to preserve a way of life shaped by a form of knowledge that serves worldly interests. Allah, the Exalted, says: “Then, when their messengers came to them with clear proofs, they rejoiced in the knowledge they possessed” (40:83). The underlying reason for such justification is their satisfaction with, and attachment to, the condition in which they live. Allah says: “Indeed, those who do not expect to meet Us, being pleased and content with this worldly life, and who are heedless of Our signs, they will have the Fire as a home because of what they have committed” (10:7-8).

Among the most prominent methods they employ to dispute the truth and justify their positions — thereby preserving their way of life and convincing themselves that they are right — is their appeal to the Divine Will and Predestination. Allah says in the Quran: “The polytheists said, 'Had Allah willed, neither we nor our forefathers would have worshipped anything besides Him'” (16:35). And He also says: “Or [lest] you say, 'It was only that our fathers associated [others in worship] with Allah before, and we were but descendants after them. Then would You destroy us for what the falsifiers have done?'” (7:173). The primary objective behind such appeals is to reinforce their attachment to the worldly life while constructing what they imagine to be evidence that they are merely victims of Divine Will. In this way, they persuade themselves that no blame rests upon them and that their actions are justified. Such people fabricate for themselves a conception of Allah that differs from what He has revealed and presume to speak on His behalf without knowledge. Allah says: “And if We let them taste a mercy from Us after being touched with adversity, they will certainly say, 'This is what I deserve. I do not think the Hour will ˹ever˺ come. And if in fact I am returned to my Lord, the finest reward with Him will definitely be mine.' But We will surely inform the disbelievers of what they used to do. And We will certainly make them taste a harsh torment” (41:50).

Appealing to predestination as a justification is fundamentally false, for every human being experiences the reality of free choice in what they decide to do and what they refrain from doing. Allah, Glorified and Exalted, does not compel anyone to act; rather, every person will meet the consequences of the choices they freely make. Allah says: “As for Thamûd, We showed them guidance, but they preferred blindness over guidance. So the blast of a disgracing punishment overtook them for what they used to commit” (41:17).

This is the very methodology of those who have chosen the materialistic, consumerist way of life. They seek to justify their actions and strive to fashion an understanding of Islam that conforms to their desires. Among the most prevalent forms of disputation in our time is the appeal to the majority. They ask, “Is it conceivable that everyone could be wrong?” They regard the widespread acceptance of a practice and the large number of those who engage in it as evidence of its correctness, even though Allah, the Exalted, says: “If you were to obey most of those on earth, they would lead you away from Allah’s Way. They follow nothing but assumptions and do nothing but lie” (6:116).

The real danger is that those who justify their actions through such arguments eventually transform disputation itself into a creed. They imagine it to be a proof that they will present before Allah. In this way, disputation becomes a means of obscuring spiritual insight and ultimately causing the death of the heart.

To confront this affliction, we must first examine the causes that lead to such misguidance. Among the most significant are the following:

First: The Nature of Belonging

The human need to belong arises from one’s social nature. It protects a person from isolation and provides a sense of identity, acceptance, and integration within a community. For this reason, the nature of one’s affiliation — and the role models associated with it — plays a decisive role in shaping character, directing behavior, and establishing the values and standards a person ultimately adopts. If a person’s primary concern in belonging is to gain the approval of those with whom they identify and to be accepted as one of them in order to satisfy their desires, then, in reality, they have made themselves servants of that group’s way of life. They inevitably conform to whatever pleases them and adopt the principles by which they live.

The transition from firm affiliations rooted in faith and enduring values to fluid identities fashioned by the marketplace, the media, and consumer culture inevitably leads to the erosion of character, the fragmentation of identity, and a profound sense of alienation. The result is a form of materialistic religiosity: outwardly adorned with Islamic culture and religious observances, yet inwardly governed by a materialistic worldview. Its foundation is contentment with the worldly life, which becomes the object of one’s desires and the arena of one’s competition and ambition. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, warned against this path when he said: “Whoever imitates a people is one of them.”

Second: Falling into the Trap of Passionate Attachment

This occurs when a person’s heart becomes so captivated by something they love and approve of that it blinds them and diverts them from the straight path. A person may become so deeply attached to another individual that the object of that attachment effectively becomes their Qiblah — the focal point of their life. To preserve that attachment, they may reject the teachings of the religion altogether, or selectively reinterpret them, remaining steadfast only in serving what has captivated their heart, while justifying their actions through every conceivable argument and illusion.

What, Then, Is the Way Out?

First: One must beware of falling into the various forms of self-justification that gradually remove the reverence of Allah from the heart. When this reverence departs, the servant is deprived of the blessing of fearing Allah. Thereafter, guidance is withheld until a person reaches the point where they wish they could pray when they see others praying, yet find themselves unable to do so. Their heart has become hardened, its life extinguished, and it has sunk into the darkness of whims. Allah, the Exalted, says: “In fact, the wrongdoers merely follow their desires with no knowledge. Who then can guide those Allah has left to stray? They will have no helpers” (30:29).

Second: Correcting one’s course begins with correcting one’s sense of belonging, and this cannot be achieved without first understanding the true nature of belonging. The clearest indicator of a person’s true affiliation is how they spend their time. Time is the mirror of the heart, and whatever a person consistently chooses to devote their life to reveals the reality of their allegiance. Whoever spends most of their time in amusement, entertainment, and idle pursuits demonstrates an attachment dominated by the worldly life, characterized by lethargy, weakness of resolve, and laziness. Allah, the Exalted, says: “Those who took their religion as distraction and amusement and whom the worldly life deluded. So today We will forget them just as they forgot the meeting of this Day of theirs and for having rejected Our verses” (7:51).

Others define themselves through affiliation with groups, movements, or ideologies from which they seek honor, acceptance, or a sense of identity and belonging. Their identity is shaped by these affiliations, and their conduct is directed accordingly — whether those movements are rooted in materialism, feminism, homosexuality, deviant religious beliefs, or any other false ideology.

Reflecting upon what occupies one’s time reveals the true priorities and attachments of the heart. It is this sense of belonging that directs a person’s spiritual insight toward the one whom they revere, follow, and take as a role model. A role model is never a random choice; rather, it is the natural fruit of one’s affiliation. When one’s affiliation is sound, one’s role model will likewise be sound. But when one’s affiliation is corrupt, one’s role model will also be corrupt, and this becomes a cause of deviation from the straight path. A role model is what shapes a person’s character and forms the contours of their identity. The greatest of all role models is the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. Yet, taking him as one’s role model is not something that occurs automatically. No servant, however sincere in their desire, can truly follow him as an example until they first correct their sense of belonging.

This correction begins by reviving faith (Aqeedah) within the soul — that is, by restoring the spiritual dimension that gives a person their true identity, enables them to understand the purpose of their existence, and renews their confidence and inner certainty. The Quranic methodology of reform, and of taking the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, as one’s role model, begins with awakening from heedlessness. It requires placing one’s hope in Allah, the Exalted, rather than in the worldly life, directing one’s aspirations toward the Hereafter, and remaining constant in the remembrance of Allah. These are the essential prerequisites for attaining the finest role model: the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. Allah, the Exalted, has made this clear in His saying: “Indeed, in the Messenger of Allah you have an excellent example for whoever hopes in Allah and the Last Day and remembers Allah often” (33:21).

The first step, then, is for every servant to ask themselves: Where do I stand in following the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him? Where do I stand in seeking Allah’s love? Is not Allah’s love for His servant conditional upon following His Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him? As Allah, the Exalted, says: “Say, ‘If you truly love Allah, then follow me; Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful’” (3:31).