The moral values of the community we live in are rather distorted. These moral principles which are the products of selfish passions and the greed of people, yield then to selfishness, arrogance, sarcasm, rudeness and cruelty. People believe that, in order to improve their living standards they have to cheat or deceive others.

However, these are not the values that Allah has determined for the human beings He created. The Holy Quran orders people to be dignified, modest, trustworthy, kind, faithful, mature and responsive. The Holy Quran even describes the way we should walk:

“Turn not your face away from men with pride, nor walk in insolence through the earth. Verily, Allah likes not each arrogant boast.” (Surat al-Luqman, 18)

On that account, duty of a believer is to apply these superior principles that Allah has decreed. Yet, today believers live in a miscreant community where these divine ethics have been deserted. For that reason, they have to be extremely careful against the perpetrating effects of this perverted and primitive culture. They must continuously judge themselves within this community not to be affected by their degenerated culture, and to be able to apply the moral values of the Holy Quran.

Someone aware that his purpose in this world is to earn the approval, mercy and ultimately the paradise of Allah can never remain unmoved by and insensitive to what goes on around him. He knows that everything is an opportunity to gain the approval of Allah and always acts out of that awareness. The flaws or oppression he sees around him will trouble his conscience. For example, he will feel himself responsible for a child with no family forced to live out on the streets.

As Allah reveals in the verses, “So as for orphans, do not oppress them, and as for beggars, do not berate them.” (Surat ad-Duha, 9-10), and he will treat them well. He will strive to help them out of their predicament. However, he knows that the child in question cannot be saved solely through him and those around him behaving well. He will therefore strive to ensure that everyone lives by the moral values of the Holy Quran. This is a major responsibility incumbent on all Muslims. Allah promises a fine outcome for those who assume a great and honourable responsibility:

“Allah has promised those of you who have faith and do right actions that He will make them successors in the land as He made those before them successors, and will firmly establish for them their religion with which He is pleased and give them, in place of their fear, security. ‘They worship Me, not associating anything with Me.’ Any who are unbeliever after that, such people are deviators.”(Surat an-Nur, 55)

“[There are men who are] not distracted by trade or commerce from the remembrance of Allah and the establishment of prayer and the payment of alms; fearing a day when all hearts and eyes will be in turmoil.” (Surat an-Nur, 37)

One of the reasons underlying the ability to find a permanent solution to the myriad problems of modern society is moral flaws such as selfishness, self-interest, greed and apathy. The only way of eliminating these flaws is to tell people of the ethics and morals represented by the Holy Quran, and remind people that the price for disregarding good conscience will have to be paid in the hereafter.

The materialist, Darwinist thinking that is widespread in modern societies that do not live by religious moral values reinforces the selfish and egotistical spirit in human nature and disseminates a “me-first” philosophy. Selfishness and egotism are a major threat to society because ideas like truth, justice and law vanish in such a society.

Our Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) saying that “He who goes to bed full when his neighbour is hungry is not one of us” is an important warning that believers desire to earn Allah’s approval. Therefore, anyone aiming to earn Allah’s approval will not just settle for a solution to his own problems; he will also assume responsibility for resolving the problems of others around him in need.

This may of course require people to give up things they love or to sacrifice their own comfort.

The way that Muslims look to protect and watch over the poor by giving alms, help people in need by cancelling their debts and spend their possessions on Allah’s path, rather than accumulating and hoarding them, are moral virtues bestowed by the ethical values of the Holy Quran.