MANY will agree that, by and large, the political scenario in Malaysia in the past four decades has not been calm.
Politics aside, knowledge is power. One’s power over the object which one knows depends primarily on the extent and depth of one’s knowledge of it.
Allah alone is All-Knowing and All-Powerful.
The power arising from knowledge very much pertains to the secret of the known, previously covered up and kept hidden, but later exposed wide to the person in possession of the knowledge.
As such, the process and outcome related to knowledge are almost always described in words that convey the ideas of “removal of the veil or cover” or “rendering something clear”, such as kashf.
Depending on the nature of the secret revealed, anyone who gets to know about a secret has indeed been endowed with some power over the owner of the secret.
Yet, too often, neglected with the revealing of this secret and the emerging power that accompanies such a revelation is the ensuing trust and responsibility.
For true believers, this trust and responsibility is the essence of ethics and morality, that anyone who knows the secret shall be held accountable on the Day of Judgment and Retribution.
Bearing this in mind, it may be better sometimes that secrets are left hidden and one’s ignorance of them is preferable.
For far too long, politics has been held to be the art of gaining power over others and, once successful, of remaining in power.
With this predominant outlook, power is seldom emphasised as a matter that pertains first and foremost to one’s self.
In fact, self-knowledge is often considered by many to be easy.
Is this really the case? Is it true that the multilayer veil that encloses and covers our innermost secrets is, quality-wise, easy to uncover and, hence, our self something easy to govern?
If so, why do each of us from time to time experience regret?
We, for instance, consciously pronounce words that are not supposed to be uttered.
If indeed we are powerful enough to manage ourselves at all times, including our will and tongue, how could regrets occur later in life?
We also choose to carry out a particular action in all consciousness, but which when looked back on, is hardly reasonable!
In Islam, self-knowledge and self-mastery are paramount.
In fact, one’s self-knowledge should manifest in one’s self-control, culminating in moral integrity and a just personality.
The importance of this knowledge is increasingly evident in the struggle by various parties to seize or defend power.
The tension and dilemma pertaining to one’s self implies that even within ourselves, there is infighting. The outcome of this infighting is generally manifested in behaviours and actions.
Hence, it is the main mission of the Prophets to guide humans in their endless inner struggle to make the right choices.
As stressed by the last Prophet among the Messengers of Allah, Muhammad (peace be upon him): “Verily I am sent to complete and perfect noble character (makarim al-akhlaq).”
DR MOHD ZAIDI ISMAIL
Deputy director-general, Institute of Islamic Understanding Malaysia