Man, a complex creature
M. U. Ndagi
By nature, man is “prone to evil” as mentioned in Qur’an 12:53. He is intrinsically vicious, untrustworthy, ingrate and above all wicked. Man is an encyclopedia of very unpredictable and variable characters, attitudes, habits and interests. This piece intends to highlight the psychosocial nature of man using verses of the Holy Qur’an and Sunnah of the Prophet (SAW).
The volatile nature of man’s behavior makes him a very complex creature. It is also for the same reason that behavioural psychology is a bit more intricate than other branches of psychology. The free will granted man by Allah (SWT), perhaps, accounts for his inconsistent nature. It could one the entire length of time on earth to divulge the comprehensive meaning of man.
Generally, man is perpetually ungrateful. There is no amount of comfort you give that would make man not to complain. It is typical of man to ask for something only to complain soon after his demands have been met. During summer, man complains about heat for reasons that he cannot sleep comfortably at night or cannot wear thick clothes. He would thus pray to Allah (SWT) to ease the situation with rain. When the rain comes, he would complain again that heavy downpour is refusing to allow him to go out for business or make sales at his shop. When winter comes, he would complain of dusty atmosphere or dryness. There is hardly a natural season which man would not complain about.
Man’s behaviour while in trouble is characteristically different from when he is oit of it. Allah (SWT) describes this disloyalty or betrayal nature of man in Qur’an 10:12 and states “When trouble touches a man, he cries unto us (in all postures); lying down on his side, or sitting or standing. But when we have solved his trouble he passes on his way as if he had never cried to us for a trouble that touched him! Thus do the deeds of transgressor seem fair in their eyes.” Man calls on Allah (SWT) in moments of trouble, anxiety or disaster. He uses every spiritual opportunity, literally and figuratively, to seek refuge and appeal to God to liberate him from his troubles. Unfortunately, man forgets Allah as soon as his problem is cleared.
To further explain man’s ingratitude, Allah (SWT) states in Qur’an 17:67 “When distress seizes you at sea, those that ye call upon – besides Himself – leave you in the lurch! But when He brings you back safe to land, ye turn away (from Him). Most ungrateful is man.” We can understand from this verse that man remembers Allah more while in danger, but relapses into his own fancies when the danger is past. Subhana-llahi! By the time a man is through with what he wanted from you, a fly in the refuse dump may be better than you. This is the general attitude of mankind, which explains why man uses and dumps fellow beings after attaining his goals or targets.
Most often, betrayers are people from whom we least expect disloyalty. It is those in whom you confide, eat and live with that betray or disappoint you. Betrayers are hypocrites and pretenders. They are always with you but yet work for your failure or disgrace. When you make any progress, they pretend to be happy. But right inside them, they are unhappy. They are truly happier when misfortune befalls you. Do not be surprised that your best friend could be the source of a spurious petition against you. Man can be so deceptive as to conceal his true colour from you throughout the period of his lifetime, which makes man a complex creature. These are some of the devilish dispositions of man by which he is abased to become the lowest of the low after having been created by Allah (SWT) in the best of moulds.
Allah (SWT) created man in the purest nature and honoured him with discretion. If he uses this honour wrongly, he could lose this honour and be abased to a status lower than that of the beasts. But those who use their Allah-given intellect righteously to subdue every innate tendency would reach the high and noble destiny intended for them. Thus, whoever wishes from among believing men and women to remain in the purest form must strive to rise above vices including mischief, hatred, malice, envy, ingratitude, deceit, dishonesty, corruption, back-biting, cheating, betrayal, and forgery.
When men became many nations spreading over the earth, evils became multiplied as one race became alienated from another. The brotherhood of mankind became almost lost. Arrogance, selfishness and truth were sown in their hearts. However, Allah (SWT) in His infinite mercy and love, who forgives and guides individuals and nations; and turns into good what probably seems to us as evil, never forsakes the striving soul that turns to Him (SWT) nor the groups of believing men and women who join together to obey His will and law, and strengthen each other in unity and truth. May Allah (SWT) cleanse us of all evil thoughts and actions that are intrinsic in man so that we might be of the righteous group of men and women, amin.
