The Religion Of The Ignorant

People with such a nature are unable to put up with any changes to their lifestyle, for which reason they are angered easily. Imagine such people all dressed up and trying to make it to a party where they've been invited. They speak and behave most politely to those around, but if they're unable to find a space left in the parking lot, their attitude suddenly changes. When they realize they must park some distance away and walk, they start blaming the parking attendant. They try to get their own way by humiliating him. If their persistence fails to achieve results, they become rude, and their manner of speaking and tone of voice undergo an alteration. No vulgarity is too much for them, since the affected personality's nobility is based solely on appearance.

True nobility stems from faith and is lived in the soul. Only one who has faith in Allah, expects to be recompensed for all things by Him, and lives the beauty of the soul required by Qur'anic moral values, can possess true nobility and greatness. Such a person will behave in an honorable, noble, generous and dignified manner, without chasing after personal interests, in a manner that doesn't change according to the circumstances or persons concerned. In the Qur'an, Allah reveals that true nobility and honor belong to Allah and those who follow Him:

They say, "If we return to Madina, the more honorable will drive out the inferior." But all honor belongs to Allah and to His messenger and the believers. But the hypocrites do not know this. (Surat al-Munafiqun, 8)

Do those who take the disbelievers as protectors, rather than the believers, hope to find honor with them? Honor belongs entirely to Allah. (Surat an-Nisa', 139)

"WORK" PSYCHOLOGY
IN IGNORANTISM

Earlier, we said that a Muslim's only important feature of identity was being a Muslim, that he cannot define himself according to any other worldly criterion. Muslim is a name Allah has bestowed on believers (Surat al-Hajj, 78), and a great honor it is for a person to bear that title. For that reason, those with a Muslim awareness never seek to find another identity by adopting other values. They would never stoop to doing so. Other worldly criteria—a person's descent, lineage, social status, language, color or circle for instance—have no importance in the sight of believers. This is explained in a verse:

O humanity! We created you from a male and female, and made you into peoples and tribes so that you might come to know each other. The noblest among you in Allah's sight is the one of you who best performs his duty. Allah is All-Knowing, All-Aware. (Surat al-Hujurat, 13)

A believer aware of this never changes his behavior or character according to prevailing worldly circumstances. When he obtains great worldly wealth, for example, he never becomes spoiled. When he is impoverished, he never adopts a defeated state of mind. Examples of this are provided in the Qur'an; and the way in which the Prophet Sulayman (as) maintained his modesty and submission to Allah after acquiring great material wealth is described. On the other hand, however, people with weak and ignoble characters change according to every circumstance and condition.

The unseemly behavior of Qarun, who grew proud when property was given him, or of other unbelievers who panicked and despaired in the face of the slightest difficulty, are examples of such behavior, as described in the verse: