I was told an interesting story once. One of my friends gave a book to his colleague who belongs to a religious party. My friend told him that the author has changed his opinion related to some issues. His colleague immediately asked, “Does this author write without thinking?”

When he told me this story, I said, “The author is one of those people who continue to think after writing.” This mentality is a rare commodity in our society. It was an amazing fact for that religious person that a scholar can leave his pervious opinion for a better one.

It is a fact that intellect and wisdom is the greatest blessing of Allah. A person can differentiate between right and wrong paths by using his / her intellect. Quran invites human beings to think again and again. It is possible that a person may conclude something wrong due to lack of information or a mistake in his / her thinking process. In that case, if that person stops thinking further, then what will happen?

Return to your families and teach them (religious knowledge) and advise them (to do good deeds) and offer your prayers in the way you saw me offering my prayers.

Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ واٰلہ وسلم (Bukhari)

According to a famous poet, “I stay for ever at the place where I have reached.” Staying at the wrong place is not a problem for that poet but it is a big problem for a religious scholar. A God-fearing scholar cannot stay at his stance if he knows his mistake or finds a better opinion.

Only the messengers and prophets of the Almighty know the absolute truth. Religious scholars are supposed to understand the message of God and His prophets. If they know that their previous understanding is not correct, they must change their opinion. It is an obligation imposed by their Lord.

(Author: Rehan Ahmed Yousfi, Translation: Mubashir Nazir, Review: Mohammed Umar Khan)

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Think about it!

· List three benefits of continuously reviewing one’s views and deeds. Should one suspend this process at some stage or it is a life-time process?

· Why some people do not review their views and deeds? Identify the psychological barriers to self-accountability.

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Unit 1: Relation with God & His Prophets

Unit 2: Elimination of our Negative Personality

Unit 3: Development of our Positive Personality

Unit 4: Relationship with Human Beings

Backbiting | Suspicion | Defamation | Examining Others with Suspicion | Are you killing your family?

Unit 5: Our Responsibility, Vision & Mission

The Love of Prophet Muhammad with Knowledge | Traditional Mentality | Strange Similarities between Christian & Muslim Histories | The Relationship of Revelation & Intellect (Part I) | The Relationship of Revelation & Intellect (Part II) | The Problem of Aurengzeb Alamgir