Moral pollution (Part 1) [Archives:2008/1193/Community]

By: Adnan Hassan Al-Halmi
[email protected]
Environmental pollution is a change in the environment from its natural state to the worst due to certain factors. Similarly, moral pollution involves an individual's morals and values changing from positive to passive.

Politicians, scientists and economists recently have discussed the problem of environmental pollution and its effects on humankind, attempting to determine appropriate solutions to avoid such hazards. The media also has exposed the impacts of various types of environmental pollution that directly threaten human life.

Worldwide, every nation is doing its best to head off or at least limit the spread of this disaster, which will create numerous problems and diseases for humans.

However, while the world has been engaged in tackling this problem, another type of pollution no less dangerous than environmental pollution has appeared on the horizon. While the world is involved in coming up with suitable solutions to be rid of this ordeal, it forgot and ignored, as it were, something much more hazardous called “moral pollution,” which changes an individual's personality.

Moral pollution is certainly the most hazardous and threatening type of pollution because morals are the distinguishing values and virtues upon which every society stands and by which it is characterized. This is why the Prophet Mohammed (pbuh) said, “I was born to complete the best morals.” Morals are the instrument arranging every aspect of life for every individual.

If one loses his morals, he'll project a bad impression of his nationality, country, origin and the environment in which he lives. For this reason, a clean and healthy environment requires an individual of morals and values so that he is able to keep his environment healthy and clean.

I regret to point out that if you look at the reality of any individual in any society – irrespective of his nationality, country or religion – you'll see that this moral pollution gap is expanding.

To the contrary, previous societies were distinguished by good morals, virtues and values. The world has witnessed significant development in fields of technology, electronics and industry, thereby creating many new facilities for humankind. However, nothing has been advanced in the area of morals – the cornerstone and the salt of life – except destroying what little remains.

Environmental pollution is part and parcel of moral pollution; thus, in order to get rid of moral pollution, we must get rid of environmental pollution. We urgently need a moral campaign to educate and enlighten people because if one is educated and enlightened, he won't throw spoiled things into the street and he'll lead a healthy environmental life.

Today's world is becoming more and more sensitive to environmental pollution, as cleansing the atmosphere and human surroundings of those things that are detrimental to any form of life has assumed unprecedented importance. Of course, this is a healthy development, but we hope it also works to purify humankind of moral pollution.

If environmental pollution is detrimental to one's physical being, then moral pollution is detrimental to his spiritual being; therefore, a body that is morally polluted is perhaps dirtier than an environmentally polluted locale.

Considering our present reality, you'll find that this type of pollution is widespread in our society. For example, credibility, simplicity, honesty and truth have been replaced by lies, treason, false testimony, theft, sexual immorality, murder and bad language.

People have become materialist, cruel, nervous, uptight and hostile to one another, even disputing within families and between husbands and wives.

For instance, if you unintentionally push someone in a crowded market, he'll fight with you, even if you've apologized to him. The same is true on the streets and on buses, so you begin to wonder at the reason for this lack of respect, patience and morals. Are we being guided well or are we being affected by something else? Are we on the right path? Having to ask these questions is absurd.
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