The most Dangerous Harm

The Most Dangerous Harm
In the history of mankind, we learn of people who were famous in their society for always telling the truth and acting honestly. Then a time reached when they claimed that they were messengers of God, and they persistently invited people to have faith in One God and to act in a certain way.

As a result of their efforts and the persistent hardships faced by these special people in different areas of the world, many groups had faith in them. Thus the efforts of Moses caused the inception of Jewish religion, the birth of Jesus became the beginning of the Christian calendar and the migration of the Prophet Muhammad started the Muslim calendar.

Now, we see that how these messengers attracted human beings to religion and to follow particular rules, caused them to fear punishment for their bad deeds and made them sure that they would be tried in the Great Court of Justice before the Righteous and Wise Judge, the Almighty God.

They trembled at the imagination of hardships and dangers of the Resurrection and the severity of the punishment in the Day of Judgment, and made humans fearful of these things.

Do the warnings of such noble, truth telling and honest group of people make us realize the possibility of harm and danger as we found in the warning of the small child, warning of a possible robbery or reception of a bomb threat?

Is it right that we should ignore the words and deeds of such truthful, honest and righteous people of this world, when we see that they spared no efforts and sacrifices, to deliver a true message of the Almighty about how we should spend our lives here and what is coming after death?

Clearly, the words of the messengers, if they do not convince someone, at least provoke us to think: that perhaps what they say is true. Then what in fact is our duty, if it is correct that these Messengers of God tell the truth? What answer will then we give in the Court of Justice of God?

Here reason reckons the necessity of preventing this possible harm, and urges us to at least search and find a true way of life, a true religion.

What is more, these messengers invite us to a healthy and civilized life, and they also say that after death an extensive new world and everlasting blessings await one who has performed his duty, and give happy news that in that place is another existence overflowing with peace of mind and certainty of spirit, where there is no disease, distress, agitation, anguish or fear. Does reason allow us to ignore this important message?

Must we not give weight to the fears and threats of such messengers, who say that sins and transgression have their penalty and good deeds and noble tasks have their everlasting rewards? Should we not follow a true religion and reflect on the call of true, honest and noble people?

Further benefits of adopting a true religion include:

• A true religion directs us towards everlasting happiness and prosperity
• Religious tenets affect the hearts of peoples and always accompany him. They keep man away from moral wickedness and force him to be virtuous
• Without religion, there would be no prosperity and bliss

A person practicing a true religion is the most happiest and prosperous because he:

• Has a true objective in his life
• Possesses a good and praiseworthy character
• Performs good deeds
• Has a confident, strong, and peaceful heart in this turbulent world
• Does not live in misdeed and deviance

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References

The following sources are used to prepare the above article. Some hyperlinks may not be still active.

1. The Roots of Religion (1982), Dar Rah-e Haq Publisher
2. Ayatullah Sayyid Muhammad Husayn Tabataba'I, Islamic Techings in Brief, Ansariyan Publication